What Are Title Tags? Writing SEO-Standard Title Tags for 2024

Vũ Khôi

Author at Wotech Electronics Blog

‍On-page SEO is the umbrella term for the work items that optimize on-page content to serve readers and achieve their goals. Optimizing the content of the title tag is an important item that lets users determine whether an article matches their needs right from the Google search results page.

In this article, join Markdao to learn where the title bar appears, what SEO Title means, and how to optimize them!

What Is a Title Tag?

The Title Tag (also called the title tag) is a piece of HTML code in the section that briefly describes the main content of a web page. It plays an important role in getting users to click on your article. Each page has exactly one title tag, and it typically appears as code:

How to write an "<strong>SEO-standard title</strong>" — 2024 update

March 2024 update: Thanks to advances in AI, Google has rolled out new updates. The title that appears in search results is now decided by Google, no longer following the declaration in the HTML . This action helps limit websites manipulating keyword rankings. The Title content will be taken from your content — it may be a heading, or Google may choose a sentence from the article itself.</p> <p>So avoid writing article titles (especially Heading 1) longer than 60 characters, as it will diminish the content you want users to click through to your page. Also, your content must match the headings and <strong>Title Tag</strong> — otherwise Google will classify your page as content spam manipulating keyword rankings.</p> <h3><strong>Where Does the Title Tag (SEO Title) Appear?</strong></h3> <p>The <strong>title tag</strong> appears as declared in browsers and on social media. For search results, the Title may not match what we programmed in the HTML code. Typically, the <strong>title tag</strong> appears in 4 places:</p> <h4><strong>The tab name in the web browser</strong></h4> <p>The <strong>title tag</strong> can be seen in the web browser when you open the page in a new tab. Optimizing SEO Title Tags is especially useful when users have many tabs open at once and want to return to a particular page. For this reason, a <strong>title tag</strong> optimized for <strong>on-page SEO</strong> needs to be unique, easy to recognize, and completely distinct from other pages.</p> <p><img alt="seo onpage title tag" src="https://files.catbox.moe/i2x35g.jpg" /></p> <p>‍</p> <h4><strong>Bookmarks in the web browser</strong></h4> <p>Bookmarks in the Chrome browser are displayed by default under the page's title, unless the user deliberately changes them. Because of the limited space, the title will not display in full in the bookmarks bar — which is also why you should keep the title tag short, containing the main keyword and content that attracts readers.</p> <p><img alt="seo onpage title tag bookmarks" src="https://files.catbox.moe/tvrorl.png" /></p> <p>‍</p> <h4><strong>The title shown when shared on social media</strong></h4> <p>You know those little descriptions displayed in Facebook and Twitter posts when someone shares a link, right? Your <strong>title tag</strong> will also appear in these spots, so users will know what your page is about and what kind of content they can expect to find when they click the link to your page.</p> <p>Some website-building platforms let you customize the <strong>title tag</strong> specifically for how it appears on that platform. If you build your website on WordPress, you can customize the Title Tag with ready-made <a href="https://www.markdao.com.vn/blog/top-21-plugin-wordpress-seo-tot-nhat">WordPress SEO plugins</a> like Yoast or All-in-One SEO Pack.</p> <p>‍</p> <p><img alt="seo onpage title tag on social media" src="https://files.catbox.moe/aesek1.png" /></p> <p>‍</p> <h4><strong>The title of results displayed on SERPs</strong></h4> <p>The SERPs (Search Engine Result Page) on search engines such as Google, Bing, Safari, Yahoo, etc. are the most important display position for anyone doing <strong>on-page SEO</strong>. Here the title tag appears as large blue text attached with a link to the destination page, appearing above the meta description or summary lines.</p> <p>‍</p> <p><img alt="title on serps" src="https://files.catbox.moe/cem5cl.png" /></p> <p>‍</p> <p>When someone finds your website by entering a search query with <a href="https://www.markdao.com.vn/blog/tu-khoa-seo-la-gi"><strong>SEO keywords</strong></a> relevant to you, the title tag is the first element to impress the user — and if you do it right, you can absolutely persuade them to click through to your website just by optimizing the <strong>on-page SEO</strong> title tag.</p> <p>‍</p> <h2><strong>Why Are Title Tags Important in SEO?</strong></h2> <p>Although, as presented in the March 2024 update above, the Title Tag will be chosen and cross-checked by Google against the article's overall content, the title tag is still the main character for the browser to display the page's name, helping users shape the brand and know which page they are on.</p> <p>The best practice is for the <strong>title tag</strong> to match Heading 1 and contain the keyword. This is currently the most complete solution for Google to evaluate your website as consistent in content. But don't trade that for a Heading 1 that is unfriendly to readers and hide it — that would violate <a href="https://www.markdao.com.vn/blog/thuat-toan-google-2024-cap-nhat-dieu-khoan-xac-dinh-spam-moi-nhat">Google's spam rules</a>.</p> <h3><strong>The Title Tag Helps Search Engines Understand Content and Rank Appropriately</strong></h3> <p>Title tags are written to serve the end user — knowing that, we can't forget that if a page doesn't make the top 10 search results, no matter how user-focused it is, your website can't reach anyone. The SEO Title is still the first means for Google Bot to determine the main content of your website before the Bot reads the entire site.</p> <p>So when writing SEO Titles, content creators still need to pay attention to using keywords as naturally as possible and making the title as attractive as possible.</p> <h3><strong>Attracting Users to Click Your Title Tag (CTR)</strong></h3> <p>Users not clicking your results even when you're in the TOP 10 is also one of the reasons your <strong>title tag</strong> may lack appeal. CTR stands for Click Through Rate — the proportion of users who click your title instead of others.</p> <p>To achieve that, you need to make sure your content is concise and hits exactly what they need; you can use emojis to stand out. Most importantly, avoid titles that are too long, so readers can see the full content. ‍</p> <h2><strong>Guide to Writing Google SEO-Standard Title Tags for 2024</strong></h2> <ul> <li> <p>The content in the title tag must contain the main keyword the content creator is targeting.</p> </li> <li> <p>Avoid stuffing in too many keywords, which prevents Google from identifying the main keyword to prioritize your article. The main keyword should be placed at the beginning, and the Title Tag should include the brand name.</p> </li> <li> <p>The content must be concise, under 60 characters long, to ensure it displays fully in search results. Use grammar and wording that is succinct to convey the website's main message.</p> </li> <li> <p>Use emojis to attract users to click your Title Tag. A higher CTR and more interaction sessions on the landing page are factors that push your website up the rankings.</p> </li> <li> <p>Use questions to help Google identify the content more easily.</p> </li> <li> <p>Use the year to help Google determine how recently the article was updated.</p> </li> <li> <p>Continuously update the Title and publish new articles.</p> </li> <li> <p>Ensure the uniqueness of the Title Tag — the more distinct it is from competitors and the better it matches user needs, the more it will be prioritized.</p> </li> <li> <p>Use call-to-action words such as: compare, best, top picks, plenty of.</p> </li> <li> <p>Research keywords and competitors before setting the Title Tag — this helps you do all of the above quickly and accurately.</p> </li> </ul> <h3><strong>On-Page SEO Is Really About Creating Title Tags for Users, Not for Google</strong></h3> <p>One of the most common mistakes when creating content for the <strong>title tag</strong> is focusing too much on search engines, when users are the true audience of websites. So consider how your title tag will persuade users.</p> <p>The <strong>title tag</strong> is the bridge that creates the first interaction between a website visitor and your brand, so it should accurately convey the content of your website. Keep continuously tracking your competitors' latest updates and user search needs for keywords to update your Title.</p> <h2>Related Articles</h2>