It doesn’t matter how much valuable content you write if no one reads it. After writing a killer blog you have to optimize for SEO so that you can rank better and your users will know what a masterpiece you have written for them.
Are Page Titles and Meta Descriptions a Ranking Factor?
It's true, title tags and meta descriptions will not miraculously propel your website to the top of search engine results. Google confirmed it back in 2009.
So let’s kill that myth straight away. However, these two aspects title tags and meta description, on the other hand, can increase click through rates and attract consumers to click on your link rather than one of your competitors' links. So why do site owners concentrates less on title tags and meta descriptions.
Title tags and descriptions inform search engines and users what your site is about. They show how the information on each page of your website relates to a user's search query. When used correctly, they can also serve as a "hook" for your advertising in search engine results.
The better optimised your title tags and meta descriptions, the higher the chance they’ll be clicked.
Sometimes, improving the metadata of an already well-ranking URL is all that’s needed to increase visits to a page by several multiples.
If you're not sure what title tags and meta descriptions are, why they're important, and how to write them so that more prospects click on your links in search engine results, this brief article will explain everything.
Let's get this party started.
What are Title Tags and Meta description?
Title tags and meta descriptions are pieces of HTML code that appear in a web page's header. They assist search engines in understanding the content of a page. The title tag and meta description of a page are typically displayed whenever that page appears in search engine results. (We'll go over other examples later.)
Meta tags that are well written and captivating can attract more users to click on your website from search engine results.
Title Tag:
The title tag is a web page title element that summarises the content found on a page. It will be visible in three places: browsers, search engine results pages, and external sites like Facebook and Twitter. We'll look at some title tag samples later.
There is one important point to remember. Search engines believe that a title tag will include relevant keywords and phrases that describe the content of the page.
So, if the title you create is irrelevant to the page, Google may display a different title instead. That is something you do not want to happen.
Why? Because title tags are a terrific way to convince prospects to visit your website, be sure they are accurate, brief and compelling summary of what the page is about.
Here’s how the code looks:
<head>
<title>Your title here</title>
</head>
The Meta Description
The description element is designed to be a quick description of the web page's content. While the title tag is quite limited, a meta description allows you to tell readers what you're giving in a bit more detail, and it's an opportunity to give them a compelling reason to click through to your page.
This is what the description tag looks like:
<head>
<meta name=”description” content=”This is where you add your meta description. Make it count.”>
</head>
Tips to write meta tags and description that gets clicks
Including details of special offers.
Encourage the reader to take action and introduce a sense of urgency, especially if there’s a time-limited special offer.
Use emotional and psychological triggers.
Focus on what the reader will get from clicking. Favour “your” over “our”.
Follow our LinkedIn page @brahmastratechnosolutions for future blogs in general suggestions on writing copy for your website. You can use what you've learnt to improve your title tags and meta descriptions.
Things to keep in mind while writing Title Tag
• The title must be highly relevant to the information on that particular page.
• Put relevant keywords and phrases near the top of the title tag so they stand out.
• Avoid keyword spamming and write naturally for visitors.
• Prevent duplication. Each page will cover a different topic, hence each must have its own title.
• Include your brand name at the end of the title tag if appropriate, but focus on getting your point out first.
• Keep it between 60 and 64 characters long, or as much as a 512-pixel display will allow. If you write a lengthier title, it will be clipped off, leaving an ellipsis "...."
• Make it interesting. Your title tag should compel people to click to learn more about what you have to offer.
Things to keep in mind while writing Meta Description
• Have individual descriptions for each page on your website.
• Write a convincing description that includes relevant keywords. Make certain that what is described is what the searcher will receive.
• Arouse curiosity. Provide just enough information to convey what the page is about without spoiling the content suspense.
• Include a call to action in your meta description to clearly guide your reader on what action to do and what's in it for them.
• Your meta descriptions should be between 150 and 154 characters long. Search engines will remove extra characters if they are too long.
QUICK NOTE:
Although we've offered a general approximation for the length of title tags and meta descriptions, the reality is a little more complicated because Google decides how much to display based on pixel size rather than character length. As a result, it's a good idea to run your titles and descriptions via a tool like this one from To The Web.
Things to do for Meta Data Optimization in future
So, how do you ensure that your title tags and meta descriptions continue to function properly? It's all about looking at the data and seeing what works with SEO, like with most things.
The simplest approach to accomplish this is to monitor click through rates in Google Search Console and identify pages with a high traffic but a low click through rate (CTR).
Using the procedures outlined above, optimise the meta data for these pages.
Make sure you don't ignore your meta data and keep an eye on what's going on. But don't make too many adjustments - it can take time for any modification to take effect, and if you're continually swapping things about, you won't know if what you're doing is working.
Finally, while CTR is an important statistic, it is not the only one to consider here. A high CTR but a low Average Time on Page may indicate that, while your meta data is appealing, your webpage isn't providing what visitors want or expect.
This is an example of clickbait, and it should be avoided. The objective is to convince them to visit your website rather than mislead them into clicking.
If you need more ideas for what language to use in your meta data, look at the AdWords ad individuals in your niche are running and see what kind of copy they're prepared to spend money on marketing.
Conclusion
While title tags and meta descriptions do not directly affect your site's ranking in search engines, they are crucial for user engagement and directing users to your website. Don't dismiss them because they're the only thing standing between a search result and a visitor.
Commentaires