How to Boost SEO By Editing Your Website’s Title Tags

A title tag is the main title of a webpage that search engines index. It’s visible in the title bar of a browser and in the headings of search engine results (as shown below).

An effective title tag is one that encourages people to click on it, and also contains keywords you’d like to get found for.

WordPress makes editing title tags very easy – especially with plugins like All-in-One SEO plugin and themes like Headway.

Generally speaking, the title of the post or page will automatically generate a title tag which can be tweaked further in the post options (as shown below).

Five Steps to Writing Better Title Tags

Regardless of the platform (WordPress, Joomla, etc.) writing SEO-friendly title tags essentially follows five steps:

1. Decide What Keywords You Want To Rank For

Develop an understanding of how your core supporters talk about you. How do they search for information about your cause? What words do they consistently use in these searches? What specific burning questions are common among your supporters?

Creating content that answers these queries will help you get found more often by the same type of people who already love what you do.

2. Research Your Keywords

Enter the keywords you’ve decided on in Google, and notice what Google suggests as you type (as shown below).  Write your title with these words – in the same order they appear.

When people use Google Instant and select what Google suggests, your website will show up in those results. You can also do more research with the Google External Keyword Tool.

3. Put Your Keywords Towards The Beginning Of The Title

Put the keyword you wish to rank for towards the beginning of your title. You’ll optimize how you’re found via Google Instant, and when you do show up in page one, users will more easily notice your title as they scan down the results.

4. Keep Your Titles Short

Keep your title under sixty characters. Most search engines will only recognize up to sixty characters, and truncate the rest (like the example below). You don’t want your title to appear incomplete, and you certainly don’t want your keywords cut off by search engines!

5. Don’t Be Creative

You’re writing title tags, not a poem or a short story. Trying to write something that’s creative from a literary perspective won’t help you get found in search. Stick with the language your supporters use.

What’s your tip for writing title tags?