What is a Meta Title?

A meta title (also called title tag) is the clickable headline that appears in search engine results. It shows up in browser tabs and when people share your link on social media.

It's separate from your H1, the main heading visible on the page itself. They can be identical, but they don't have to be.

Why the meta title matters

Your meta title is often the first thing a potential reader sees. It directly affects:

• Click-through rate: A compelling title gets more clicks, even if you're not in position #1
• Rankings: Google uses the title to understand what your page is about
• First impressions: It's your 60-character pitch to convince someone to visit

A weak meta title means fewer clicks. Fewer clicks can mean lower rankings over time.

How long should a meta title be?

Aim for 50-60 characters. Google typically displays up to 60 characters before cutting off with "..."

Shorter is fine. Going slightly over isn't a disaster - just make sure the most important words appear in the first 50 characters.

A title that gets cut off mid-word looks sloppy: "How to Write Blog Posts That Get More Traffic and Conv..."

Meta title best practices

Include your primary keyword

Put your target keyword near the beginning of the title. Google uses this as a ranking signal, and searchers scan results quickly - they'll spot the keyword faster if it's early.

Good: "Blog Post Introduction: How to Hook Readers in 3 Seconds"

Weak: "How to Hook Readers With an Amazing Introduction to Your Blog Post"

Make it specific

Vague titles blend in. Specific titles stand out.

Vague: "SEO Tips for Beginners"

Specific: "7 SEO Tips That Actually Work in 2026"

Numbers, timeframes, and concrete benefits help.

Match search intent

If someone is searching for "how to," your title should signal a how-to guide. If they're searching for "best," your title should signal a comparison or list.

Match what people expect based on their query. Understanding search intent helps you write titles that click.

Don't stuff keywords

Including your keyword once is enough. Cramming it in twice looks spammy and wastes characters.

Bad: "SEO Tips: Best SEO Tips for SEO Beginners"

The difference between meta title and H1

Your meta title is for search results and browser tabs. Your H1 tag is the headline on the actual page.

They often overlap, but they don't have to be identical. The meta title has a character limit and needs to work in search context. The H1 has more freedom.

A common approach:

• Meta title: "How to Write a Blog Post Introduction (With Examples)"
• H1: "How to Write a Blog Post Introduction That Hooks Readers"

Same topic, slightly different framing for different contexts.

How to set your meta title

Most content management systems have a field for this. In WordPress, plugins like Yoast or RankMath add a meta title field to your editor. In static site generators, it's usually in the frontmatter.

If you don't set one, search engines will often use your H1 by default. But it's worth customizing - you have more control over how your page appears in results.