What is a Meta Title?
A meta title is a short phrase that appears as clickable blue text on search engine results pages. It describes the content of a webpage using as few words as possible.
It is a type of metadata that is unique to a webpage and is represented by an HTML element that serves as the webpage's title.
The meta title is crucial as it creates the first impression for readers and informs them about the content of the page.
FYI: The terms "meta title", "title tag", and "meta title tags" are often used interchangeably to refer to the same thing.
Why is a meta title important?
From an SEO perspective, meta titles are incredibly important as they can have a significant impact on the amount of traffic a webpage receives.
A well-written meta title can make a webpage more appealing to users, encouraging them to click on the link and visit the page.
Furthermore, search engines use the meta title to determine if a webpage is relevant to a particular query, which can improve the page's search engine rankings.
In addition to search engines, social media platforms also use the meta title when content is shared.
This means that a well-crafted meta title can serve as the first introduction to your content, potentially increasing its visibility and reach on social media platforms.
How does it appear in HTML code?
HTML (hypertext markup language) is a set of symbols that define a webpage's structure in a web browser.
The meta title, like other webpage elements, has its own code in HTML.
This code can be found in the <head> section of the HTML file and follows a specific format:
<head>
<title>What is Meta Title</title>
</head>This code represents the source of the webpage. On a search engine results page, the meta title appears as blue clickable text with a larger font size than the URL and meta description.
(This is how a meta title appears for the shahidmaqbool.com website homepage in the source code.)
Where is a meta title in an HTML format located?
There are a couple of ways to access a webpage's source code and find the meta title.
One way is to use shortcut keys by pressing Ctrl+U, which will open the source code, and then look for it in the <head> section.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the page and select "view page source" from the options that appear to open the source code. From there, you can locate the meta title in the <head> section.
Where to find a meta title?
You can find your meta title in three primary areas.
SERPs
When searching on a search engine, the meta title of a webpage will appear as a brief description of the page.
This description serves as the first impression for users who are searching for information, products, or services related to your webpage.
Therefore, a well-crafted meta title is essential to make a strong first impression and encourage users to click on your link and visit your webpage.
Browsers
When you open a webpage in a web browser, you will see the meta title of the page displayed in the tab of the browser window.
If you have opened multiple tabs in your browser, you will see a meta title displayed in each of these tabs.
This will allow you to quickly identify which tab corresponds to a particular webpage and switch between them as needed.
Social media
When you share a webpage link on social media, a title tag appears on the post, providing a brief description of the webpage's content.
The title tag is an essential component of social media sharing, as it can entice users to click on the link or read the post by providing an overview of what they can expect to find on the webpage or post.
What is a good title tag?
A few factors contribute to a good meta title.
Concise
When creating a title for your webpage, it is important to choose a topic that accurately summarizes the content of the page.
Rather than focusing on a single topic, it is often better to choose a broader topic that encompasses all of the subtopics covered on the page.
This will help to provide users with a clear understanding of what they can expect to find on the page and make it more likely that they will click on the link and engage with your content.
Easy to understand
When creating a meta title for your webpage, it is important to use simple and easy-to-understand language that can be easily understood by all users, regardless of their language proficiency.
This is particularly important when targeting non-native speakers, as they may be less likely to click on your URL if they are not familiar with the language used in your meta title.
Relevant to the page's content
The page title should define the content of the page. A title that is irrelevant or misleading can lead to a poor user experience, and may even be discouraged by search engines.
Therefore, it is important to choose a page title that is both relevant and descriptive, providing users with a clear understanding of what they can expect to find on the page.
Specified for one page
You should not write a single title for different web pages on your website. Each page should have a unique and specific meta title that accurately describes the content of that page.
No keyword stuffing
You should not meaninglessly repeat one word in the title. This can make the title unnecessarily lengthy and less effective in conveying the content of the page.
Instead, it is important to use clear and concise language that accurately reflects the content of the page, while avoiding repetitive or redundant phrasing.
Should there be a format for the meta title?
There are no fixed rules about meta title format, or at least Google does not mention any in guidelines; still, SEOs follow a format to make it work.
Word limit
Although exceeding the word limit does not affect indexing, you should keep it up to 61 characters for users, as it helps users quickly understand what your content is about and encourages them to click on your link.
Additionally, search engines like Google have a limit of 600 pixels for displaying the title, which can translate to a varying number of characters depending on the width of each letter.
So, it is important to keep the length of your title in mind while creating it to ensure that it is both informative and visually appealing to users.
Position of keywords
Including your primary keywords at the beginning of the title can improve their ranking on search engines as it makes them more prominent and visible to both search engines and users.
Long titles can sometimes hide important keywords towards the end, which may reduce their visibility and effectiveness.
Therefore, it is a good practice to keep your titles concise and prioritize including your primary keywords closer to the beginning to ensure they are easily visible and attract the user's attention.
Sequence
According to some SEO experts, your primary keyword should come first, followed by the secondary keyword. Your brand's name must occupy the last place.
Why does Google not show my meta title?
There could be several reasons why Google is not showing your meta title.
Here are some possible explanations:
Your title may not be concise and may not accurately summarize the content of your page.
The length of your title may be too short or too long, making it difficult for users to read and comprehend.
If your title contains keyword stuffing or unnecessary repetition, it can harm its chances of being approved by Google.
Your title may not be relevant to the content on your page, and instead, it may focus solely on high-ranking keywords.
In any of these situations, Google is unlikely to show your title and may rewrite it to make it more unique, relevant, and natural.
Takeaway
A meta title is an HTML element that appears as the webpage title on search engine result pages and creates the first impression of a webpage.
Meta titles are important from an SEO perspective as they can attract more traffic by appealing to users to click on the link to your webpage.
It is important to ensure that your meta title is unique, relevant, and natural to gain approval from Google.