Page title – what exactly is it?

In search engine optimisation, the page title (the title tag) is first and foremost the headline a page is shown with in the search results.

Like our page about online shops here in Google, for example:

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Do you really need to spend time on this?

YES! A lack of good titles is probably the biggest mistake many people make with SEO for their online shop!

With a good title, your page has a chance of a life on page 1 of Google.

Without one, it can be doomed from the start – despite all the hard work on the rest of the page!

So the time you spend on titles may be the best investment you have made in your online shop for a long time…

4 important ground rules for a good title

There are some important but fortunately quite simple rules you should follow when you write a title that succeeds in the search engines:

1. Write a title that grabs people and makes them want to click through to your page
2. Not too short
3. Not too long
4. Use relevant keywords, but don’t overdo it

Below we go into these in more detail and give you some ideas on how to keep track of your titles.

A title that grabs people – create interest in your page

We have tried to make it easy, also when you write your titles.

If you go to the SEO tab of a product or product category, you are guided as you type on whether you are on the right track, and if you hover the mouse over the icon next to the box, you can see recommendations on getting the length and the keywords right:

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You should write good, individual titles for every page in your shop. But as a start, or if you are short of time right now, you could consider creating a template for your titles, as described on the page about meta descriptions.

A little more to consider

Besides the 4 important ground rules, here are a few more things you can consider when you write those super titles that bring in visitors:

• Avoid page titles that are identical
• Remember that only one page should be optimised for one search. For example, not all 47 pairs of trousers in the shop can be optimised for the word “trousers” – only the trousers category can.
• Use 6–10 words if possible, and no more than 12 words
• If the brand or your company name is well known and decisive for the customer’s choice, include it. Otherwise you should probably leave it out.
• Remember a good title for the home page too. A good title focusing on the most important keyword for your industry, perhaps with the company name at the end if there is room. Never a home page simply called “Home” or your company name.