Creating a title tag with the correct length is one of the more challenging aspects of SEO or search engine optimization. Many people wonder about the best title tag length and how it affects their website’s ranking on a Google search engine results page (SERP).
In short, there is no specific title tag length recommendation for Google. However, keeping the tag between 50 to 70 characters is ideal for SEO standards. By carefully constructing the title tag for your website, search engine algorithm crawlers can pinpoint keywords and better understand the page’s purpose and its relevancy to queries.
This article will look closer at title tags and SEO industry recommendations for creating the perfect tag at an appropriate length.
Importance of title tags in SEO
A title tag is an aspect of HTML that specifies the title of a page. Its purpose is to provide a website visitor and Googlebot and Bingbot crawlers with context about the page’s content while acting as a clickable link. These tags only appear on SERP, near the top of a browser window, and on some social media platforms.
In most cases, your title tags are the first things searchers will see when your website comes up on a SERP. With the correct tag and keywords, you can make a solid first impression that entices users to click the link and visit your web page. Optimizing title tags will help you stay ahead of other sites on SERPs and provide users with the relevant information they want.
It is not a metric
Google uses many metrics to determine the relevancy of a website and assign a ranking for SERPs. For instance, the search engine’s algorithm will consider everything from page loading speed to keyword usage to content.
Title tags are one of the important ranking factors, but their lengths do not hold the same weight. However, that does not mean you should ignore title tag length. Constructing the title tag under a specific character limit is highly beneficial.
The Google algorithm has preferences for many of the factors it considers for SERP rankings. However, the search engine does not have a specific recommendation for title tag lengths. Most browsers, Google included, will only display the first 50 to 60 characters of a title tag.
Google measures title tags in pixels, which is why the search engine does not have a specific title tag length requirement. Google search results can display up to 600 pixels, and character limits will change with pixel width.
Though Google and Bing will likely cut a tag length exceeding 60 characters from human viewing, Google’s algorithm crawlers will usually consider the entire title tag.
Title tag length recommendations
Since Google does not have recommendations for title tag lengths, it is best to look to leaders in the SEO community to determine the best way to approach title tag character limits.
According to Moz, it is best to keep tags between 50 to 60 characters, which aligns with the general limitation for SERP displays. Moz states that keeping tags under 60 characters will ensure that most, if not all, of the titles will display correctly. Search engines will cut off a portion of tags and replace the missing words with an ellipsis or rewrite the tag entirely when tags are too long.
Ahrefs has the same title tag recommendation: 50 to 60 characters. The entity considers this limitation a solid rule of thumb because that is the length Google begins cutting off words in title tags.
SEMRush suggests limiting title tag length for effectiveness at 10 to 70 characters. This length includes spaces between words.
Though Google does not have any title tag length recommendations, the search engine does prefer these tags to say the most with the fewest words. They should be descriptive and concise to make it as easy as possible for users and crawlers to understand the page’s context.
How to optimize your title tags
Understand formatting
There are numerous ways to write a successful title tag, but some formats are more prevalent than others. For instance, you can start with the primary keyword followed by a secondary keyword and branding. This format is short and to the point, which Google likes because most queries are three words or less.
Other formats include keyword mashups and long-tail keywords and phrases for informational web pages and blog sites. A longer title tag format may work better for pages targeting longer search queries, which usually aligns with informative content.
Using different title tag formats is acceptable because Google’s crawlers can understand a broad range of letters, numbers, and contextual cues to learn about a web page’s subject. You can space out your keywords or use punctuation or other characters to make your title tag readable to viewers and crawlers.
Watch the tag length
Keeping your tag length in check involves more than using a few words to get the point across. You should also keep in mind that some characters take up more space than others, which will affect how the SERP displays the tag.
For example, uppercase “W” is wider than a lowercase “i.” Depending on the words you choose, you could fit more or less in your tag. Typing in all caps will also take up precious space, possibly causing Google to limit the number of characters in your tag.
Give the page a unique title
Every page on your site needs a unique title tag. While creating one-of-a-kind tags for multiple pages might seem daunting, it is a necessary step for title tag optimization. A special tag helps search engines understand that your pages are relevant and different from others, making them valuable.
Keep it concise
Though it is acceptable to have a longer tag for long queries, it is still best to keep things concise. Create your tags with the user in mind as well as Google. Use the tag’s keywords to target users who would want the goods, services, or information your page is presenting in as few words as possible.
Don’t overuse keywords
It is best always to put your primary keyword first. By placing the main keyword close to the beginning of a title tag, you could positively impact your search engine rankings and have better click-through rates.
However, you shouldn’t overuse or stuff keywords. Keyword stuffing is the act of writing multiple keywords in a title tag. This practice hurts the user experience, and search engines give poor rankings to pages with title tags full of unnecessary keywords.
Going forward with your SEO title tags
Now that you’ve finished reading through our article, we hope you understand further just how you should determine your title tag’s length. At the very least, keep it between 50-70 characters, make it unique, and don’t fill it to the brim with unnecessary keywords. However, if you have more questions, we can help.
