Title Rewrites: How to Rewrite your Title with 20 Tips
Title Rewrites: How to Rewrite your Title with 20 Tips
As explained at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, Google has been rewriting titles before displaying them on the SERP since 2012. In August 2021, however, Google updated its guidelines on how to rewrite page titles, and it now rewrites title tags by combining information on the webpage, rather than just making simple changes. As a result, the title that displays on the SERP and the title tag in your source code may differ significantly, which might affect your click-through rate significantly. To help prevent that, we have curated a list of scenarios in which Google is likely to rewrite your titles, along with strategies to beat them.
Title length matters
As per RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, title length causes more Google rewriting than any other reason. Google’s desktop results have a display limit of 600 pixels, and if your title reaches longer than that, Google will almost certainly rewrite it – often simply cutting it off in an awkward place.
Short titles are also affected
When it comes to title length, people only think that only those that are too long are affected. However, what many don’t realize is that Google also tends to rewrite short titles as well. Google rewrites both extremely short titles and long titles alike over 95% of the time according to research.
Know the sweet spot when it comes to title length
It is important to get your title length right according to RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, as not only do shorter titles help prevent Google rewriting, but they also appear to help with traffic as well. To prevent Google rewriting based on length, aim for between 51 to 60 characters. This seems to be the “sweet spot” where Google rewrites the fewest number of titles based on length.
Match the title tag to the H1
When formulating title links, Google claims to start with your HTML title tag up to 8% – 7% of the time. However, Google may also use other HTML elements, especially any H1 headings it may find. When the title is different than the H1, Google may choose to use the H1 instead, especially if Google thinks the title tag isn’t as relevant. Matching your H1 to your title typically will drop the degree of rewriting, across the board, often dramatically.
Don’t break the title into sections
It is common to break your title tag into sections, as this strategy makes the title great grabbing the user’s attention. However, breaking your title into sections also creates an opportunity for Google to break the title up and rewrite it.
Write the title without breaking it up
From the previous point, Google is much more likely to rewrite titles that are broken up into sections than those that aren’t as articulated at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. If Google is rewriting your titles by separating them into easily discernible sections, simply try writing the title without breaking it up.
Be careful when using separators
In many cases, it is practical to break your title into sections using separators (such as – — : * | > among others). What many people don’t realize is Google prefers certain separators over others and is more likely to replace and rewrite certain separators.
Use the right title separator
If Google prefers certain separators over others, it is important to know which ones are the right ones to use. As captured at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, Google’s favorite separator appears to be a simple dash “-“. Research has shown that Google only rewrote and removed the dashes 19.7% of the time. By comparison, when pipes “|” were used, Google rewrote and removed the pipes a whopping 41% of the time. Therefore, the simple dash is typically your best bet when choosing title separators.
Parenthesis over brackets
Along with separators, Google also seems to prefer (parenthetical) text to [bracketed]. Studies have shown that Google rewrites titles with [brackets] a staggering 77.6% of titles. Worse still, Google completely removed the bracketed portion of text 32.9% of the time. On the other hand, Google only rewrote titles with (parenthesis) 61.9% of the time, completely removing the parenthesis section of text only 19.7% of the time. To be on the safe side, always favor using (parenthesis) instead of [brackets].
Use keywords that match user search queries
Google is more likely to rewrite titles it finds irrelevant or generic. That is because it wants titles that accurately describe the page, and match what the user is looking for. If Google is rewriting your title, check the top keywords users search to find the page, and be sure to include them in your title.
Tools to help you find these keywords
As already mentioned, the simplest way to ensure your titles are relevant is by using keywords that closely match how users find your page in Google search results as covered at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. For established Pages, you can simply use Google Search Console Performance Report to find these keywords for every URL.
Avoid repeating keywords in the title
Google calls it “stuffing”, but traditionally we know that “stuffing” refers to cramming the keyword into a piece of text over and over again in ways that appear spammy. Now, Google is more likely to rewrite your title if you repeat even a single word.
How to avoid repeating keywords in the title
If your brand name contains a crucial keyword and Google keeps removing your brand from the SERPs, it is often better to use variations and synonyms for your main keywords to get past Google filters. As described at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, try to avoid repeating any keywords, including your brand if possible, in your title.
Avoid irrelevant boilerplate in your titles
“Boilerplate” is any non-unique text used again and again across multiple pages. When Google finds that your boilerplate is irrelevant or clouds the main message of the page, it is more likely to rewrite it, which is something to consider.
How can you tell if the boilerplate text is relevant?
Continuing from the discussion on the previous point, one way to tell if the boilerplate text is relevant to your title is simply to see if it contains keywords your visitors are looking for. While boilerplate text itself isn’t bad, try to avoid it when it is irrelevant to what your users are searching for or is overly long and repetitive.
Make sure no part of the title is missing
While this seems like a no-brainer, it is surprisingly common as discussed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. This is because, when the titles are autogenerated using boilerplate, it is not unusual to see incomplete or even missing titles altogether. This is why it is important to make sure every title is unique and descriptive. Don’t publish half-empty titles.
Keep your titles up-to-date
Another surprisingly common scenario is where you completely update your page’s content but forget to update the title, something that will lead to a rewrite of your title. This is why you must check and possibly update the title anytime there is a significant content update.
Make sure each page is focusing on just a few core keywords
Since Google does not rewrite titles based on individual queries as outlined at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, try to make sure each page is focusing on just a few core keywords that closely match the page’s main theme.
Know that Google ignores important keywords even when specified in the query
Since Google sometimes ignores important keywords even when specified in the query, if a certain keyword is important and relevant to the page, you should make sure the keyword is present both in the title tag and in the main heading of the page to make sure the keyword will be displayed if being rewritten.
For e-commerce sites, Google sometimes ignores some spec or attribute in the title for product page
Given this pattern, while you should list all relevant specs on your product pages to help your customers make an informed decision, you should not expect all specs will be displayed in Google’s rewritten title.
If you are looking for more information on this topic, or want to optimize your titles for increased traffic, then the top-rated RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com have got you covered.
