Here are a few of the questions we often receive regarding title tags. I know, it’s been done to death, but I like to get back to basics from time to time. Check it out and let us know if you find anything that you may have missed in the past or possibly disagree with.
Should a slogan be included in my title tag?
In my experience, the home page should include your targeted keywords first and then a short slogan followed by the company name. One company we worked with was Superior Fence & Rail, Inc. Their targeted keywords were “Orlando Fence“. So we set it up like this, Orlando Fence Company - Central Florida’s Fence Company of Choice - Superior Fence & Rail, Inc. This strategy allowed us to target multiple keywords as well as incorporate a slogan. It wound up increasing their click through rate by 35%. Nice…..
What order should I put my targeted keywords in the title tag?
The targeted keywords should always be first unless you already have a strong brand. For a new site I like to target at least 2 keywords/phrases and put them right in front. You could follow with a nice slogan and then brand name. If possible, try to incorporate the keywords and slogan. I’ve found that the click through rates are much higher using this strategy.
Should I include my company name/brand in my title tag?
Yes, always. Your title tag should always include your company or brand name. The order will depend on several factors and is not always set in stone. Personally I like using Keyword(s) - Keyword(s) - Slogan - Brand Name for a deeper page. It really depends on the goal of the page. Is it for information? Is it to promote a product? Is it the home page? Every page of your site should be targeting something. So tell the SE’s what it is via the title tag.
Should my title tag be different on each page?
Yes. Every page’s title tag should be different. The contact page, the about us page. Every page. I can tell right off the bat if the webmaster has any SEO knowledge, by looking at their title tags. In many cases they are the same on every page. That’s ok. Makes me look like a genius when I change them and they start getting traffic and positioning. Ta Da.
How long should the title tag be?
Try to keep it below 65 characters in length. Most SE’s only show the first 65 characters when you come up in their index. It’s not life threatening if you go over, but I’ve found click through rates are higher when you keep it under 65.
Should the title tag match the H1 tag?
I’ve always liked this practice but I think it may have become outdated. I try to vary my H1’s slightly but still try to keep the same keywords. Grabbing the readers attention, I feel, is more important than keeping a matching constant. However, when you are working with dynamic pages it is definitly easier.
What separators should be used in the title tag?
I think in the past there were people arguing about one character working better than another. It really comes down to personal preference. - < > * I all work fine.
What’s the fastest way to get more traffic for an established site?
Change your title tags……
Posted under SEO 101
This post was written by admin on September 25, 2008
