How To Write A Meta Title

Your meta title is often the first thing people see when they come across your website on Google.

It’s your opportunity to show both search engines and potential customers what your page is about and why it’s worth clicking.

Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most overlooked parts of on-page SEO.

We’ve audited countless websites where every page has the same title, important keywords are missing or the titles simply don’t encourage anyone to click. While writing a good meta title won’t guarantee you the top position on Google, it can make a real difference to both your rankings and your click-through rate.

Here’s how we recommend writing meta titles that work.

What Is a Meta Title?

A meta title, sometimes called a title tag, is the title Google will usually display in its search results. It also appears in your browser tab and may be used when your page is shared online.

Its job is simple.

It should clearly explain what the page is about while encouraging people to click through to your website.

Every important page on your website should have its own unique meta title that accurately reflects its content.

Why Meta Titles Matter

Meta titles are important for two reasons.

Firstly, they help search engines understand the main topic of your page.

Secondly, they influence whether someone chooses your website over the other results on the page.

Think about your own search habits.

If two businesses appear side by side in Google, you’re far more likely to click the one with the clearer, more relevant title.

That’s why writing strong meta titles should be part of every SEO strategy, alongside creating high-quality content and carrying out effective Keyword Research.

What Makes a Good Meta Title?

There isn’t a single formula that works for every website, but there are a few principles we always follow.

A good meta title should:

• Clearly describe the page.
• Include the primary keyword naturally.
• Encourage people to click.
• Be unique.
• Match the content visitors will actually find.

The most important thing is accuracy.

If your title promises something your page doesn’t deliver, visitors are unlikely to stay for long.

Put Your Most Important Keyword First

Where it makes sense, try to include your primary keyword towards the beginning of your title.

This helps both search engines and users understand the page quickly.

For example:

How to Write A Meta Title | Sudlow Marketing

is generally much clearer than:

Sudlow Marketing | Tips for Writing Better Website Titles

That doesn’t mean every title has to start with a keyword.

Write naturally and prioritise clarity over trying to force keywords into awkward positions.

Should You Include Your Brand Name?

In most cases, yes.

We usually recommend placing your brand name at the end of the title, separated by a pipe or dash.

For established brands, this helps reinforce recognition while keeping the focus on the page topic.

For smaller businesses, it can also help build familiarity as your website appears more frequently in search results.

How Long Should a Meta Title Be?

One of the biggest misconceptions in SEO is that every meta title must be exactly 60 characters long.

There isn’t a fixed limit.

Google displays titles based on the available pixel width rather than the number of characters.

As a general guide, aim for around 50 to 60 characters, but don’t become obsessed with hitting a specific number.

A clear, descriptive title is always more important than squeezing everything into an arbitrary limit.

Should Your Meta Title Match Your H1?

Not necessarily.

Your H1 is the main heading visitors see once they arrive on the page.

Your meta title is written to encourage people to click from the search results.

The two should cover the same topic, but they don’t have to be identical.

In many cases they’ll be very similar, but making small adjustments can improve readability and click-through rates without changing the page’s overall focus.

Why Does Google Sometimes Rewrite Meta Titles?

One question we’re asked quite often is why Google isn’t displaying the title we’ve written.

The answer is simple.

Google doesn’t have to use your meta title.

If it believes another piece of text on your page is a better match for a particular search, it may choose to display that instead.

This isn’t a new development. Google has been rewriting titles for years and continues to do so today.

While you can’t stop it completely, you can reduce the chances by writing titles that are clear, relevant and accurately reflect the content on the page.

In our experience, Google is more likely to rewrite titles that:

• Are stuffed with keywords.
• Don’t accurately describe the page.
• Are duplicated across multiple pages.
• Are excessively long or very short.
• Use vague wording such as “Home” or “Services”.

The clearer your title is, the more likely Google is to use it.

Common Meta Title Mistakes

Over the years we’ve seen the same mistakes appear again and again.

These include:

• Using the same title across multiple pages.
• Writing titles that don’t match the page content.
• Repeating the same keyword several times.
• Forgetting to optimise important pages.
• Focusing purely on rankings instead of encouraging clicks.

Remember, your title needs to work for people first.

If it reads naturally and accurately describes the page, you’re usually on the right track.

Can AI Help Write Meta Titles?

AI can certainly speed up the process.

We often use it to generate ideas or alternative versions of titles during the content creation process.

However, we would never recommend publishing AI-generated titles without reviewing them first.

A good meta title should reflect the page, your audience and your brand’s tone of voice.

AI doesn’t always understand those things.

Use it as a tool to save time, but make sure the final version still sounds natural and accurately represents your content.

Meta Titles and Meta Descriptions Work Together

Your meta title grabs attention.

Your meta description gives people another reason to click.

That’s why it’s important to optimise both together rather than treating them as separate tasks.

If you haven’t already, our guide on How to Write Meta Descriptions explains how to create descriptions that support your titles and encourage more clicks from Google.

Writing Better Meta Titles

Writing effective meta titles isn’t about chasing a magic character count or squeezing in as many keywords as possible.

It’s about creating clear, relevant titles that accurately describe your page and encourage people to visit your website.

Combined with well-written content, a strong page structure and a sensible SEO strategy, good meta titles can help improve both your visibility and your click-through rates.

If you’d like help improving your website’s on-page SEO, our SEO Services can help identify opportunities to improve your rankings and attract more of the right visitors.

Or, if you’d like to discuss your website with our team, get in touch and we’d be happy to help.