Your blog titles are often the first thing a reader sees. In search results, the title is usually the main piece of information people use to decide what to click. A clear title helps readers and helps Google understand the page.
This guide gives seven tips for writing blog titles, based on Google’s documentation on title links. It also points out a few popular rules that Google does not actually set.
Write a title that says plainly what the page is about, make it different from every other page on your site, and keep it free of repeated keywords. Google has no length limit for titles. It shortens them in results to fit the device width, so put the key words first.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- Google says every page needs a title in the title element, and the title should be descriptive and concise.
- There is no length limit for a title element, but results are truncated to fit the screen.
- Repeating the same keywords in a title can look spammy to Google and to readers.
- Each page needs its own title. Boilerplate titles make pages hard to tell apart.
- Google may rewrite a title link, so the page itself should make the main title clear.
Tip 1: Make Blog Titles Say What the Page Is About
Google advises writing descriptive and concise text for title elements. It warns against vague words such as “Home” for a home page, or “Profile” for a person’s profile page.
The same idea applies to blog titles, too. For example, a reader who sees “Tips” learns nothing. A reader who sees “7 SEO Tips for Small Bakeries” knows the topic and whether it fits them.
Tip 2: Put the Important Words First in Blog Titles
Google says there is no limit on how long a title element can be. However, the title link is truncated in results as needed, typically to fit the device width. As a result, a long title may lose its ending.
That is why a strict count of 50 or 60 characters is only a rule of thumb, not a Google rule. Instead, a better habit is to place the main topic at the start. Then a shortened title still makes sense.
Tip 3: Do Not Repeat Keywords in Blog Titles
Google gives an example of keyword stuffing in titles: a title such as “Foobar, foo bar, foobars, foo bars”. It says this kind of text does not help users and can make results look spammy.
One clear mention of your topic is enough. A few descriptive terms can help. However, there is no reason for the same word to appear several times. So, write the title the way a person would say it.
Tip 4: Give Every Blog Post Its Own Title
Google says each page needs distinct text in its title element. Its example is a store that titles every page “Cheap products for sale”, which makes two pages impossible to tell apart.
Blogs fall into the same trap with series, too. For example, ten posts called “SEO Tips” with a number added are close to boilerplate. Add the specific topic to each one instead.
Tip 5: Add Your Brand to Blog Titles With Care
Google suggests naming your site briefly, at the start or end of the title, separated by a hyphen, colon or pipe. The full slogan belongs on the home page, not on every page.
For a blog post, a short brand name after the main title is plenty. In other words, the reader should see the topic first and the publisher second.
Tip 6: Make the Main Title Clear on the Page
Google builds title links from several sources, including the main visual title, heading elements and other large text. It says confusion can arise when several headings carry the same weight.
So, make the post title the most prominent text on the page, for example by putting it in the first visible <h1> element. Then the visible title and the title element tell the same story.
Tip 7: Match Blog Titles to the Reader’s Question
A title should promise what the page delivers. If a reader expects a checklist and finds a sales page, they leave. Before you finalize a title, first search for your topic and see what kinds of pages appear.
Then write a title that fits that kind of page. When you test titles over time, compare click data in Search Console, as explained in this post on ways to improve organic click-through rate.
Common Blog Title Mistakes
- Vague words. Titles such as “Tips” or “News” say nothing.
- Repeated keywords. Google calls this stuffing.
- Duplicate titles. Two pages with the same title are hard to tell apart.
- Clickbait that does not match the page. Readers leave when the promise is broken.
- Several equal headings. They can confuse how Google picks a title link.
A Made-Up Example
Imagine a bakery blog with a post titled “Baking Tips, Best Baking Tips, Baking”. The owner reads Google’s advice and rewrites it as “7 Baking Tips for Soft Sourdough at Home”.
Notice that the new title names the topic once, says who it is for and starts with the key words. This example is invented. It shows the method, not a promised increase in clicks.
Checklist Before You Publish
- The title says what the page is about in plain words.
- The key words come first, in case the title is shortened.
- No keyword is repeated for effect.
- No other page on your site has the same title.
- The brand name, if used, is short and sits at the end.
- The main heading on the page matches the promise of the title.
Conclusion
Good blog titles are plain, specific and different from each other. In short, Google’s guidance asks for the same: descriptive text, no stuffing, a clear main title and no boilerplate.
Pick three older posts this week and check their titles against the list above. For a full workflow that includes titles, see this guide to how to write an SEO-friendly blog post.
If writing is the bottleneck, outside copywriting help is another option.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blog Titles
How long should a blog title be?
Google says there is no limit on the length of a title element. It does truncate title links in results to fit the device width, so put the most important words first.
Should my blog title and H1 be the same?
They do not have to match exactly, but they should agree. Google uses the main visual title and headings when it builds title links, so make the main title the most prominent text.
Can Google change my title?
Yes. Google says it may generate title links from several sources on the page. Clear headings and a descriptive title element make that less likely to go wrong.
Do numbers in titles help?
Google gives no rule about numbers. A number can help set expectations, such as the length of a list. Use one only when it describes the page truthfully.
Is keyword stuffing in titles a problem?
Yes. Google says it does not help users and can make results look spammy. Use your main phrase once and write naturally.
