Probably the most important single element in search engine optimization is the title meta tag.
Sometimes, just changing the way you format each of your web pages title tags can be the difference between getting a high search engine ranking and getting the big zilcho.
If you’re running your web site as a blog, this can be easily modified….if you’re still running a web site that you have to hard code, changing all your web page title tags can be quite a chore.
Title Tag Tip One: Consistency. Try to stick with the same title tag format throughout your web site. That is, keep the same title tag format on each page.
Title Tag Tip Two: Format. How should you format your title tag? A popular format, and the one that I use myself, is to start your title off with that specific pages main keyword, then add a little human filler (words to make it into a readable sentence so you’re not just stuffing keywords into your title), then add a vertical pipe (that’s this | thing) then on the other side of the pipe, type your brand or web site URL or company name.
So the title might look something like this:
Search Engine Optimization tips to increase your Site Ranking | seoFool.com
The format is (Keyword)(Filler) | (brand name)
Some SEO people like to lead with the brand name and follow with the keyword…I don’t think it really matters, it’s really just a matter of personal style preference.
Title Tag Tip Three: Keywords. Only use ONE keyword (or one keyword phrase) in your title tag. Each web page should primarily be about one major theme. Your title tag should reflect that. Don’t, under any circumstances, try to cram keywords into your title tag.
Title Tag Tip Four: Length. How long should your title tag be? I’m a firm believer in “shorter is better”. Try to get the main theme of your web page across in as few words as possible. Typically ten to twelve words is ok….I really wouldn’t go much over that.
Title Tag Tip Five: Automation. You can automate this process with wordpress. Usually you’ll see wordpress create title tags with the name of your blog post followed by a vertical | pipe and then your blog name. If yours doesn’t do this, play around with the settings. If you need to break out of this format for any reason, the All-in-One SEO Pack has the ability to write separate title tags for each blog post. I’ve written about that free plugin before so just run a quick search above for more info.
If you don’t run your web site through WordPress, then you just have to hand code all your title tags by hand. That can be a pain in the backside…but if you decide on a title tag format and consistently apply it across every page of your web site, it will be less work that it seems.
For you hand coder’s a title tag goes between your web pages <head> and </head> tag and will look like this:
<title>(keyword)(filler) | (brand) </title>
With these simple tips you can really give your web site a boost in the search engine rankings. Who says you need to hire an expensive SEO consultant to optimize your site for you?
What do you think about title tags? Got a title tag horror story? Comment below!
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[...] copy itself. And you should always stick to the tried and true SEO best practices of leading your Title Tag with your main keyword, leading your meta description tag with your main keyword, and using your [...]