How To Write Title Tags

By: Chris Bachman | January 1, 2016

What is a Title tag and why should you care?

The answer to the first is….a Title tag is the bit of copy that first appears on your website’s listing in the SERPs, search engine results page. It is created in the head area of your website page file , up towards the top, and is located between the opening and closing Title tags <title> (copy)</title>. It looks like…

<title>Electrical Contractor | Licensed Electricians | Park City, UT</title>

The answer to the second part, why should you care, is that this bit of copy is the first and most important piece you have for that page. It is what appears in the SERPs and therefore the first thing the person searching sees. It is also something the search engines take a close look at when evaluating your page. It is your initial, and sometimes only, sale pitch…”come look at my website!”. It looks like…



So, what does it take to write a great Title tag? Here are some tips.

1. Max length of about 60 characters including spaces. If you are using skinny letter you may squeeze in some more. This is because what shows up on screen is defined by the pixel width of the screen and the resolution it is set at. 60 is a safe bet to keep most of it visible.


2. Get the keyword for the page up front; the first part of the title. There is no longer any need to use variations, the search engines are a lot smarter than they once were and understand from one version of the keyword where your page is headed. Remember, the keyword MUST be specific to that particular page.


3. Use pipes to separate things in the title, they cut down the pixels you use. A “pipe” is the “|” symbol on your keyboard.


4. Include the city your business is in. The state is helpful but not as needed now as they search engines have a good idea what state is relevant by the location of the person searching.

So, right now you are either patting yourself on the back for having great Title tags or you have a nervous feeling in your tummy and are going to be taking a second look at your website this afternoon.
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Chris Bachman is a business consultant and Project Director at ProClassWebDesign.com as well as a self confessed serial entrepreneur. He is a regular writer on topics pertaining to marketing, SEO, and business websites as well as an instructor and independent consultant. Learn more about Chris Bachman on Google+ or LinkedIn.