Beyond describing your content, great meta titles boost your click rates and help search engines understand what your pages are about. In other words, they’re pretty important.
With that in mind, we’ve put this guide together explaining what a meta title is and how you can use it to optimise your content for SEO.
What is a meta title?
A meta title, also called a title tag, lives in your webpage's HTML code. Search engines like Google display it as the main headline in their search results.
Think of it as your page's name tag at a networking event. It needs to catch attention while accurately describing what you do. When someone searches online, your meta title competes with dozens of other results for their click.
Beyond search results, meta titles show up in browser tabs and when people share your content on social media. A strong title tag helps search engines understand your page's topic while compelling humans to click through.
Why meta titles matter for SEO
Meta titles send strong signals to search engines about your page's content. A well-crafted title tag can boost your rankings for target keywords and draw more clicks from search results.
Studies show pages with optimised meta titles often rank higher than those without. This makes sense, as search engines rely heavily on title tags to determine what a page is about and whether it matches someone's search.
But meta titles aren't just for search engines. They're your first chance to grab a searcher's attention. A compelling title tag can double or triple your click-through rate compared to a basic one.
Here's what a weak vs. strong meta title looks like in search results:
- Weak: "Homepage - Smith's Bakery"
- Strong: "Fresh sourdough bread & pastries | Smith's NYC Bakery"
A good title tag works for both robots and humans, helping you rank while encouraging clicks.
The history of meta descriptions
Meta titles were born in the early 1990s (yes, they’re that old) when search engines needed a way to understand web pages. Before Google, early engines like AltaVista and Yahoo! relied heavily on these tags to rank and display search results.
When Google launched in 1998, it made meta titles even more important. The search giant's algorithm gave significant weight to title tags, turning them into important ranking signals.
Through the 2000s and 2010s, meta titles evolved from basic descriptors to marketing tools. SEO specialists discovered their impact on click rates and started crafting them to attract clicks while maintaining keyword relevance.
Some old title tag tricks—like stuffing them with keywords—stopped working as search engines got smarter. But meta titles remain one of the strongest SEO elements, now balanced between optimisation for both algorithms and human readers.
Meta tag stats you need to know
Google rewrites a substantial portion of meta titles in search results. A 2020 Portent study found Google rewrites meta descriptions for 71% of first-page mobile results and 68% of desktop results (more on that shortly).
Meta titles need to stay under 60 characters to avoid truncation. Google displays titles based on pixel width rather than character count, with desktop showing about 580 pixels.
Compelling meta titles can boost click-through rates significantly, though specific numbers vary by industry and context.
What do you mean Google rewrites meta titles?
Sometimes Google changes your carefully crafted meta title in search results. This happens when Google thinks a different title would help users better understand your page.
Here's what triggers these rewrites:
Your title is too long and gets cut off or you've stuffed too many keywords in. It might be because the title doesn't match what's on your page, or your title is too vague or generic. Perhaps you're using the same title across multiple pages
A common example might be:
- Your title: "Best Coffee Beans | Fresh Roasted | Organic | Fair Trade | Premium Coffee Shop Portland"
- Google's version: "Fresh Roasted Organic Coffee Beans | Portland Coffee Shop"
Google typically pulls the new title from:
- Your page's main heading (H1)
- Text within the page
- Links pointing to your page
- Your brand name
While you can't stop Google from rewriting titles, writing clear, relevant ones matching your content reduces the chances it'll happen.
Can AI write meta descriptions for me?
AI tools like ChatGPT can help create meta titles, but they need human oversight. They're good at following formatting rules and including keywords, but might miss brand voice or current marketing goals.
Testing shows mixed results. While AI writes technically correct titles, they often lack the creative hooks that make people click. They also can't check if titles match your latest content updates.
AI does well at following character limits (for the most part), basic keyword placement and creating variations to test. But humans still need to handle brand tone, marketing strategy, local market understanding and competitive positioning.
The best approach? Use AI as a starting point, then edit the titles to match your exact needs. This combines AI's speed with human marketing know-how.
Remember to always check AI-generated titles against your actual page content to ensure accuracy.
Learn how to write a well-crafted, human meta description
Let’s get meta
Meta titles might seem simple, but they're a fundamental part of any SEO strategy. By writing clear, engaging titles that serve both search engines and users, you'll boost your visibility and click rates. Just remember to keep them concise, relevant to your content, and focused on what your audience is searching for.
And if you’re looking for top content with excellent meta titles, we’re here to help with our human writers though know everything about writing articles that rank and engage. Give us a shout.
