Optimize My Search

Title Tag Importance

It is well documented that Meta tags have had a diminishing roll in their importance to the major search engines. I would like to point out that the title tag is not a Meta tag and it is extremely important to the search engines. The text used in your title tag is a top factor in how search engines decide to rank your web page. Also, all major crawlers will use the text in your title tag as the title in their search engine. Let’s not forget, the first impression is a lasting impression and your title tag is often the first impression your visitors have about your website.

The title tag (the text that is between <title> and </title>on top of every page in the html) will appear in the browser when a visitor has the page open. If you are viewing this from OMS home page it would say Optimize My Search on the top left of your browser. Also when a visitor goes to add your site to their favorites or bookmarks, it is the title tag that is used as the text. So for a visitor is a mini advertisement of your site and should be given some thought as to what it should say.

Here is some basic information you should know about title tags and their importance:

Title Tag Length

There are two things to consider when deciding the optimal title tag length. Google ends the title display with the last complete word before its limit of 66 characters is up. Yahoo title limit is 120 characters but will promptly cut off your title at 120 characters whether the word is complete or not. MSN comes in the middle at 70 characters. I would keep my titles under 66 characters just to make sure it is displaying in all search engines.

Title Tags Content

The title tag should include two keywords or phrases at the minimum. Don’t go overboard; it still must convey what the page is about. A title stuffed with keywords can actually have a negative effect on your ranking due to it being considered spam.The title of the web page should be able to clearly tell the visitor what the page is about. You must give your visitor perspective so when they see your site in their favorites or bookmarks they will know what your site is about.

Title Tag General Information

Your title should be typed in the proper case, capitalized where it should be. This is probably the most overlooked error on the internet.Every page of your site should have a unique title.

The title tag is what many search engines look at first when considering web site rankings and is usually the must overlooked part of many webmasters websites. Title tags equate to free advertising. When you add that to the importance search engines place on title tags doesn’t it make sense to take a moment an optimized your title tags for maximum effectiveness?