Title Tag Optimization

The Title Tag Should Contain your Most Important Keywords

The title tag (the words that show up in the top of browser window) is the most important feature on a webpage where keyword ranking is concerned. If your most important keywords will not fit in the title you will have a harder time ranking for them.

Use phrases in the title tag instead of single words as they are easier to rank for. Arranging the words so they make multiple keywords will help even more, i.e., I use Professional Web Design Services as the title on my home page which gives me 2 phrases in one (professional web design and web design services).

You should also put your most important keywords in your file name, the headers on the web page and in the text of first paragraph on the page and several times in the body of the page are the most important onsite areas to achieve high keyword ranking in search engines. If you have keywords in your domain name or the file name, that will help also but the keywords in the title tag are the most important.

Length of Title Tag

Most search engines and directories allow 50-60 characters for the title but some will use it all and others will cut off the words on the end so put the most important words up front, i.e., the main keywords that describe the content on the page. Too many words in the title will water down the importance of your most important keywords so only use keywords related to the content of your page.

If your company name is in your domain name you don't need your company name in the title except for the home page, about page and any other page describing your business because you will always rank #1 for your domain name unless your site has been penalized or there are other companies using the same name.

Overoptimization of Title Tag

Google will not allow you to rank very well for your title if you use it in multiple places on the web page so very it slightly from the text on the page.

Changing the Title Tag

Only change your title tag if you really need to because it can cause a temporary drop in rank for that page.

Choosing the Right Keywords

To find out which terms are the most popular keywords for your web site check out Wordtracker. However, be aware the highest ranking keyword is not necessarily the best one to focus on as it will have the most competition.

If you put your main keyword in strategic places mentioned above you have a good change for high keyword ranking in the search engines. Getting Good Backlinks with your main keywords in the link text is also important.