Most everyone knows the importance that keyword play in search engine optimization. Even so, page titles — also referred to as title tags — are often overlooked when it comes to keyword placement. A website’s title tag is used to describe the content of a particular webpage. It typically appears in three different places: on the top and bottom of a browser window, as well as on the tab for that window. Simply titling a page as “home” or “about us” does nothing to increase your traffic as title tags are one of the key components that search engine algorithms use to index websites. The content of a page title also shows up in the search results, allowing users to discern if that is really what they are looking for. Ultimately, a well written page title can drive more traffic to your website. Here are four tips for writing title tags to optimize your search results and increase website traffic.
Create unique title tags for every page on your website.
SEO experts recommend using the primary keyword(s) first, followed by the secondary keyword(s) and finishing with the brand name. The keywords should flow together in a reader-friendly manner. For instance, instead of titling a page “gift giving ideas/ teenagers /ABC Gift Company” you would instead want to title it “Great gift giving ideas for teenagers from ABC Gift Company.“
Use short, descriptive titles.
Each title should be limited to 70 characters or less. This is the amount that is displayed by Google and other major search engines in the search results. Resist the urge to stuff a title full of other keywords. This really won’t do much to increase traffic because the text will be ellipsed. The title should be relevant to the page content and accurately describe the information viewers will find there.
Include the brand or company name.
If your company has an established reputation, including the name in the title tag will make customers more likely to click through. You may even want to put it ahead of the primary keyword on the page title to leverage that reputation. If your company is relatively unknown, on the other hand, keeping the company name at the end will help you brand your company and build a reputation.
Build a sitemap using title tags.
Once you have titled each page using descriptive titles, you will want to build a sitemap using those title tags. This will help search engines find the pages pertinent to a particular search more quickly and efficiently. As a result, you will see your page ranking increase. This can be done manually, but there are also a variety of programs that can automate the process for you.
Title tags are arguably the most important aspect of your website when it comes to ranking well on major search engines. Search engine optimization is all about quality in the post Panda and Penguin era. Using keywords strategically in title tags will increase your page ranking. The keywords will also be bolded or highlighted in the search results that are displayed. This will give your website or blog higher visibility and yield a higher click-through rate. Furthermore, title tags are often used as anchor links by social media outlets and other external websites. The more backlinks you have that include your keyword search terms, the higher your page ranking and the more traffic your website will receive.
Article courtesy of Wpromote, PPC Management and Search Engine Optimization. Follow @wpromote on Twitter for more industry updates and up to date trends in Search Engine Marketing.
