Published on April 2, 2021
The advancement of modern technology allows tech-savvy users to acquire almost any piece of information with just a few clicks, granting instant gratification. However, it has also drastically reduced the average human’s attention span from 12 seconds down to a meager 8 seconds.
As a digital marketer, how would you catch the reader’s attention within that short time frame? The answer: by creating a compelling, eye-catching page title. Page titles are HTML elements that represent web pages in the snippet section of a search result. They’re clickable headlines featured along with the meta descriptionA brief summary of a web page’s content, shown in the SERP. and URL link.
Titles differentiate Google search result page (SERP) entries apart from each other, so they’re very crucial to increasing click-through rates (CTR) and improving conversion rate optimization (CRO)The systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, s... statistics—in this case, the desired action is to get readers to click on your page.
There’s more to writing SEO title tags than just grammar and semantics. The key to increasing your brand’s CRO through title tags is to adhere to Google’s ever-changing algorithm, use easy-to-understand words, and target the reader’s pain points (e.g., why they are searching for specific topics).
Here’s a simple guide to writing compelling title tags that guarantee high CTRs.
Use unique page titles. Repeating the same title tags on multiple pages will drastically hurt your chances of ranking on Google SERPs. Remember: You’re also competing against your own pages. If you keep reusing the same keyword, Google will think that your site is spammy and only has repetitive content.
Creating unique title tags might be easy for SMBs with small websites. For larger brands that run hundreds or thousands of live web pages, however, manually keeping track of every single title tagAn HTML element that specifies the title of a web page, displayed on the SERP and browser tab. is nearly impossible—especially if the pages were made by different writers.
The best approach here is to use a reliable content management system like WordPress. They have an SEO tool that alerts users whenever they reuse specific keywordsWords or phrases that users type into search engines to find information. or page titles. It's a simple, inexpensive, and time-efficient fix.
Google only allots a specific number of pixels per search result. If your page title, meta description, and URL link exceed the set amount, Google will have to cut out pieces of your blurb to fit the snippet. To prevent this issue from happening, keep your page title within 50 to 60 characters—including spaces.
As we mentioned earlier, the attention span of the average internet user is very short. That’s why you have to entice and draw them in right away by addressing their pain points and search intentThe purpose behind a user’s search query..
Simply put, the user’s search intent is the reason why your reader is researching the specific keywords and topics you’re ranking for. Put yourself in their position and assess what you would want to see. Then, use your findings as a general guide for writing the page title.
For a more data-driven approach, scout the competition. See what page titles your competitors use and assess what pain points they address. As much as possible, you want to create a unique title tag that gives readers the impressionWhen an ad is displayed on a user’s screen. that the web page it links out to contains far more informative and useful content.
SEO keyword plotting is important when creating any element of your web page, from the blog content down to the meta description. That being said, it’s best to insert the main keyword into the title as well. Choose a short, concise word/phrase so you’ll have enough characters left for anything else you’d want to use in your title tag.
Pro Tip: To find out what keywords are ranking, competitive, and highly searched, use professional keyword generator tools such as the Google Keyword Planner.
Always use an active voice because it’s concise, direct to the point, and easy to understand. An active voice is when there’s a subject performing an action, while a passive voice is where actions are being performed by a subject.
Passive Voice (Wrong): This page should be checked out by readers who are willing to learn more about digital marketing.
Active Voice (Correct): Check out our page to learn more about digital marketing.
Title tags are crucial to conversion rate optimization (CRO). In fact, the first thing your prospects will see are your title tags. Even if you’ve secured a good spot on the Google SERP you’re ranking for, readers might still skip your web page if the page title representing it is not compelling or enticing enough.
Ideally, this 60-character blurb should have enough authority to hint what your web page talks about, address the user’s general search intent, and entice prospects into taking action (e.g., clicking on your link).
Here’s how title tags affect the way internet users and Google crawlers see your website:
Google bots crawl through title tags to determine the relevance of a web page to different topics and search results. That’s why it’s important to use the correct phrases in your titles. If your title tag contains a different set of keywords from the ones primarily used and optimized in your web page, Google won’t be able to categorize your link accordingly.
There are multiple reasons why you need a unique title tag. Firstly, they set your page apart from other Google SERP results. You have one shot at making a good, solid impression, so don’t waste it with a weak, generic page title. Address the user’s search intent, use strong verbs, and assume an active voice.
Secondly, title tags summarize web pages. Page titles might be only 60 characters long, but you can already tell a lot just by looking at them. Studies even show that 6 out of 10 internet users share links simply after scanning the page title or headline.
Lastly, title tags are crucial to getting readers to stay. Research suggests that most internet users only read about 20% of a web page before leaving. That means you have to capture the reader’s attention using just your title tag and intro. Eye-catching page titles leadA potential customer referred by an affiliate who has shown interest in the product or service but h... readers to your first paragraph, while a compelling, informative intro encourages them to stay on your page and continue reading.
Web browser navigation becomes more difficult as you open multiple tabs. In some cases, users even forget that they’ve opened a specific page. The only way to tell a tab’s contents is by referring to the placeholder at the top, which is often the page’s designated title tag.
Considering that the average internet user has at least two to four tabs open at a time while browsing, it’s important to have a unique, distinguishing page title to avoid having your page piled on as the user browses.
Title tags are a major factor when Google crawlers assess your page’s relevance to specific keywords, topics, and phrases. If the page title contains weak keywords, does not provide a good idea of what the web page talks about, and primarily consists of passive verbs, there’s a very low chance you’ll secure a top spot on the Google SERPs you’re trying to rank for.
A good SEO page title should:
Statistics reveal that 6 out of 10 internet users would readily share blogs and articles without reading the actual page content. Their engagementThe interactions that users have with a brand’s content on social media. was solely based on the page title.
A study shows that the attention span of the average human has dropped from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds—shorter than the attention span of a goldfish.
Research shows that internet users only read about 20% of a page’s content before moving onto another site or link.
Creating a compelling page title is crucial to improving CTR and generating high-quality, organic trafficVisitors who come to a website through unpaid search engine results. to your site. Remember: no matter how informative, navigable, and converting your web content is, it won’t mean much if you fail to catch the reader’s attention right from the start. Your first goal should be to get readers to click on your page.
Don’t beat around the bush. For maximum results, make sure to pair your page title with a solid intro. Drawing in readers to your page is one thing, but keeping them interested is another. Address the user’s search intent within the first two paragraphs and hint that reading further into the article will address whatever other issues they have on the topic you’re discussing.
Struggling to get readers to visit your web pages? Bliss Drive is a full-service digital marketing team that helps SMBs drastically improve click-through rates through a combination of high-level SEO techniques. Reach out to the Bliss Drive team to see how we can boost site performance. If you have more questions you can visit our FAQ Page.
