HOWTO: Optimize the Title tag
Introduction.The title tag is displayed in the browser title bar. It is displayed, as a link to your web page, in search engine results.How important is the title tag? Think of it like this - it is the single most important element on the page, bar none. If not, it sure feels like it is. Effective titles.To demonstrate how to create an effective title, consider a widget manufacturer in Florida.Platinum Widgets - Wholesale Prices from Florida Widget Manufacturing This title has 72 characters, including spaces. It is between 70 and 80 characters, which is desirable. There is no formally ideal limit, only suggested limits. This is from experience (research and testing). Okay, now strip out all the fluff (ignored words). What is left has 65 characters (including spaces). Platinum Widgets Wholesale Prices Florida Widget Manufacturing Quite a few phrases are targeted with the above title. The combination of terms achieved is pretty amazing, if you really sit and think about it. Now, our favorite search engine is able to combine these words in lots of different ways. It means writing effective titles is very important to search engine visibility. Consider this. For a 3 word search, watch the results hit every keyword for your web page title. Why? It is due to the optimized title tag. Plus, every keyword, for your listing, is bold in the search engine results. For a five word query, see all five bold. Title tips.You want a title targeting the primary phrase of the web page. Use unique titles, for each page.There are sites where the same title was shared across many pages. Guess what? Only one of those pages really did well in the search engines. Of course, it was usually the home page. The other pages were virtually invisible. Examine your titles.Do they captivate? Are they scan-friendly? Are they search engine friendly? Are you always looking to improve, when results are unsatisfactory?Other suggestions.Use separators, to break a title into sections. Try hyphens. Use proper upper- and lower-case. Make the title attractive to search engines, users, and yourself.Cautions for title tags.If a page is doing well (top ten), don't touch it. Leave it until it slips to page two. Even then, be careful about making changes. Usually, a slight tweak is the only thing needed to bump it back into place. Another thought, add a second keyword, if not already there.Do not duplicate titles.This wastes an opportunity to target search engine results. On every web page, the title needs to reflect the web page content. With duplication, this opportunity is lost. It means fewer qualified visitors.Do not use a singular word, use plural.Many search engines recognize the singular and plural versions of a word, when a plural one is used. This is not the case when only the singular form is used. For example, 'DVDs players' is better than 'DVD player'.Don't stuff a bunch of keywords in your title separated by commas.This is unsightly. Besides, it doesn't do well for scan-friendliness.DON'T USE ALL CAPS FOR YOUR TITLES.It is very difficult to read for many (proven statistic). Many users think you are shouting at them.Don't put the company name at the beginning of every title.Of course, if the company name happens to be the primary keyword phrase, use it. If this is the case, you need woven titles. Insert the company name in the front, middle, and back of the remaining keywords.For example, 1st level pages may have the company name first. Second-level pages place it in the middle. 3rd level pages, and so on, place it at the end. Don't repeat keywords back to back.Never, ever do this! Be sure there is balance and separation. Get at least one word between repeats. Possibly, include a separator.If it doesn't read well to you, it is not effective. Break it apart. Repat this, until you have something which reads well, and is enticing to both user and bot. Conclusion.Your title tag is the very first thing the visitor sees, when using a search engine. Be sure it leaves a clicking impression.free pics images 32 inch LCD TV | good credit score | lamp projection TV | LCD vs Plasma |