Title tag
The title tag is the page name Google usually shows as the blue, clickable headline in search results. It also shows in the browser tab.
Why it matters
Section titled “Why it matters”It’s the first thing a searcher reads. A clear title that matches what they searched for gets more clicks.
How to write a good one
Section titled “How to write a good one”- Give every page its own title. No two pages should share one.
- Say what the page is about in plain words, for example “Commercial Roof Painting in Brisbane | Example Co”.
- Put the most important words first and your business name at the end.
- Keep it short. Google cuts long titles off to fit the screen, so around 60 characters is a safe guide.
- Don’t repeat the same keyword over and over.
- Avoid vague titles like “Home” or “Services”.
Where to change it
Section titled “Where to change it”| Platform | Where |
|---|---|
| WordPress (Yoast SEO) | Edit the page, scroll to the Yoast SEO box and change SEO title. |
| WordPress (Rank Math) | Edit the page, open Rank Math, select Edit Snippet and change Title. |
| Shopify | Edit the page, product or collection, scroll to Search engine listing, select Edit and change Page title. |
| Wix | In Pages & Menu, open the page’s More Actions menu, select SEO basics and change Title tag. |
| Squarespace | Open the page’s Page settings, go to the SEO tab and change SEO title. |
| Custom-built site | Ask your developer to change the <title> element in the page’s <head>. |
Check it worked
Section titled “Check it worked”Search Google for site:yourwebsite.com.au and look at the headlines. Changes can take a few days to a few weeks to show, because Google needs to recrawl the page. To speed it up, request indexing.
Google sometimes writes its own headline instead of yours. It usually does this when the title is vague, very long or doesn’t match the page.
Google’s guide
Section titled “Google’s guide”Influencing your title links in search results (Google Search Central)