A page title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. A direct ranking factor in search engine results (SERPS), they allow Google to understand what a web page is about, the keywords used form a strong signal during the ranking of results. As they are displayed directly in the search engine result page title tags are also the first impression many people have of your web.
A good, optimised title tag will help encourage clicks which results in site traffic.
Google typically displays the first 50-60 characters of a page title tag e.g Careers support | Alumni | Sheffield Hallam University
Note: | Sheffield Hallam University is auto populated, you only need to populate the text before this
Create unique title tags, this will help search engines understand the unique nature of your page which will help to avoid any dilution in content performance
Place important keywords first. Like humans, search engines crawl and parse content from left to right, keywords used earlier on will typically be given more importance
A strong brand can help boost CTRs so the brand term should be included where appropriate
Ensure the title tag effectively describes the content of the web page, inappropriate keyword usage will reduce dwell time and increase bounce rates
Meta descriptions
Meta descriptions are HTML attributes that provide a clear overview of the contents of web pages. Unlike title tags, meta descriptions are not a direct ranking factor. The metadata title and description field in a Sitecore content item should always be completed when building a page.
Used by search engines for the line of text displayed under the page title in a results page, they should be viewed as a way of advertising your pages content. Although they are not a direct ranking factor, they can indirectly affect rankings by improving the chances of your result being clicked (SERP engagement)
Google typically displays the first 150-160 characters of a meta Beyond this, Google will truncate the meta description or amend it based on the rest of the content on the web page
Create unique meta descriptions, this will help search engines understand the unique nature of your page e.g Our MSc Accounting courses help students gain a detailed knowledge of accounting and
economics and a wider understanding of the corporate and business world.
If a meta description isn’t declared Google will typically auto-generate these based on the rest of the page content
A readable, engaging description can improve click-through-rates which can directly impact site traffic
Keyword usage is still important despite meta descriptions not having a direct impact on ranking. Meta descriptions that include the targeted keyword typically result in a higher click-through-rate
