How to Create Strong Page Titles That Boost Your SEO

So, you’re looking for tips and tricks on how to create compelling page titles that improve your broader SEO performance. You know they’re important, but you’re just not sure why. You’re struggling to get to grips with optimising page titles for search engines and your target audience. Don’t worry, everything you need to know to master the art of an engaging page title is right here in this article. We know how tricky it can be to nail that page title and understand the importance of hooking a reader in before they’ve read your article. In a world where people’s attention spans are apparently in steep decline, this makes the need for a five-star page or blog title that much harder, yet more important.

By the end of this blog, you’ll understand:

• What is a page title?
• How page titles can impact click-through rate (CTR) and SEO
• What makes a good page title
• Tips on how to create strong page titles

At Embryo, we have a raft of content writers all of whom are experts in every aspect of content marketing – from the page titles right the way through to the content itself. No matter what industry you operate in, content is king, and if you want to grow your online visibility and achieve the SEO results your business deserves then investing in content marketing is essential.

For more on how we can help speak to our team today by phone at 0161 327 2635 or email [email protected]. Ready to learn more in the meantime? Well, let’s get started!

What Is an SEO Page Title and Why Should You Give Them More Consideration?

A page title (or title tag) is a snippet of HTML text that briefly describes the context of a page in a succinct title format.

Search engine crawling heavily relies on page titles as one of the most critical HTML components, enabling them to comprehend what the pages include – placing them at a higher level in terms of ranking.

The purpose of this text is to establish what both search engines and users will find by clicking the link in the SERPs. It’s also one of the many ways Google matches a query to the right search result.

Here’s how it looks in the SERPs:

In short, the answer to “are title tags important?” is a resounding yes, title tags have a direct effect on rankings. Google looks to your title tag for a synopsis of your page content and how relevant it is to the user’s search query.

A title tag should be written with the following two factors in mind:

1. Summarise your page: In 50-60 characters, your title needs to accurately summarise its content. Google will use it to understand where your content needs to rank.
2. Encourage people to click: This is your chance to pitch against your competition. Your page title must entice readers to find out more.

Let’s find out why these titles are so important…

A Well-Written Title Tag Improves the Click-through Rate

First impressions count, right? Apply this same concept to your page titles. By optimising your title tag, you can increase your click-through rate by up to 100%.

People viewing your page from an organic search will first see your title and meta description before viewing your content. When your audience sees it, they formulate an opinion right away and decide if they will click or not.

A well-crafted title tag can enhance user experience and draw more clicks to the website, making it an important factor for improving traffic.

A Keyword-Focussed Title Tag Can Drive Quality Traffic to Your Website

Including your main keyword in the title tag is essential for SEO success. By doing this, you can tailor your title and the following content to meet the expectations of your visitors.

Once your page title achieves the goal of lowering the bounce rate and increasing time spent on the page, you can conclude that it is doing its job correctly.

Branded Title Tags Increase Awareness

There is an ongoing debate about incorporating brand names into title tags when it comes to SEO.

When it comes to SEO, the effect of including your business name is dependent on various factors, most notably the strength of your brand name.

Brand awareness can drastically increase your click-through rate; if a big brand has its name attached to a title in the SERPs, they are likely to capture a large portion of web traffic.

The Four Secrets to Writing Strong Title Tags

Now that we understand the importance of page titles, it’s time to refine our skills and put more effort into creating them.

Before we jump into our four top methods of writing successful titles, here are a few small tips that make the biggest difference:

• Remove your brand name if it adds unnecessary length
• Don’t repeat the brand name on every page title, duplication could do more harm than good
• Ensure the title tag is implemented into the HTML (or Google won’t read it!)
• Keep the length of your title to 50-60 characters
• When writing a title, avoid using all capital letters as this will take up additional space and could be cut off.

1. Include ‘power words’ to trigger action

As you may already know, ‘power words’ are considered an extremely useful persuasive device. A single word or phrase is capable of triggering a user to take action – you just have to select the right ones.

• Free – When this word appears in the search results, it will directly grab attention. It is a word that encourages people to act with minimal effort. People love to save money, people love anything free. It delivers value and drives users to take a fast glance at the page’s content. Yet, be mindful of where it is placed so as not to misdirect and lose trust.
• How to – Don’t overlook the advantages of empowering users with practical knowledge. Many people use search engines to find instructions and tutorials, which is why having a ‘how-to’ page title can lead to more visitors. Most users recognise that a guide of this sort will provide them with the specific instructions they seek during their search.
• Secrets and speed words – At the end of the day, users just want valuable information quickly. Titles that express one-of-a-kind, advantageous info or demonstrate a procedure in a speedy way usually will perform well on search engine results pages. Consider what your content offers and its benefit to the reader, so you can choose an effective power word.

2. Be clear and concise

For the sake of both humans and SEO bots, a page title performs best when it’s concise and easy to skim read. Google might not punish long titles, however, it may reduce or adjust the title. The adapted title won’t always be meaningful. Therefore, we suggest that titles be no more than 60 characters in length.

3. Make them unique and relevant

When creating a page title for SEO, you should make it specific and relevant to the searched keyword rather than being broad and generic. For instance, ‘property investment’ isn’t specific enough. Understand the scope and structure of your page’s subject matter.

It is also essential to consider user intent. What are the needs and desires of your customers? Is your title tailored for a commercial keyword or an informational one?

Consider what kind of content your customers and target audience would be likely to interact with. Studying what your competition is doing can be useful, just remember to take inspiration from them rather than copy. It is clear that the websites in the top positions are doing something correctly.

4. Keep monitoring and refreshing

To ensure your content is effective, you should be consistently monitoring the performance and making any necessary changes. Google Search Console can help when it comes to understanding the click-through rate (CTR) for each page and determining if the titles are working effectively.

To be successful, the best approach is to test your titles and rewrite them so they are unique, relevant and attractive.

• Title length: Is the current title too wordy? Consider shortening it.
• Are there any emotional/impactful words?
• Does your page appear to offer anything better than other pages in the SERPs? Try adding a unique selling point to the title tag.
• Have you used emotional language or powerful words? Try adding a compelling message that triggers users to click.

We hope this blog will help you improve your page titles and give your content the much-needed hook that ensures target audiences read and enjoy your blogs, whitepapers, and case studies. If you need assistance crafting optimised, effective SEO content, refer to our extensive content marketing guide or reach out to the experts for advice – we’re here to ensure you go in the right direction.