A title tag should name the page’s topic clearly and accurately. A meta description should summarise the page in plain language so the right person decides to click. Neither has a length limit that Google enforces, but both are shortened to fit the screen, so put the important words first. Google may also replace either one with its own version.
What Google says about titles
Google’s documentation on title links gives these best practices:
- Give every page a title element.
- Keep it descriptive and concise, and avoid vague labels such as “Home”.
- Do not stuff keywords or repeat boilerplate across pages.
- If it fits, add the site name at the start or end, separated by a delimiter.
- Make the main title clearly the most prominent heading, such as the first visible H1.
- Write in the same language as the page.
On length, the page says there is no set limit, but titles are truncated to fit the device width, typically. So concise titles make it more likely that the key words display in full. You may see advice quoting exact character counts; treat those as rules of thumb rather than Google requirements.
Why Google rewrites titles
Google builds title links from several sources, including the title element, the visible main title, headings, og:title and anchor text. It may change what it shows when it detects a problem: an empty or outdated title, one that does not match the page, boilerplate repeated across pages, no clear main heading, a language mismatch, or a site name that is already displayed.
The practical lesson: if your title is being rewritten, the fix is usually to make the title and main heading agree and to make each title specific, rather than to chase a character count.
What Google says about descriptions
Google’s snippet documentation explains that it sometimes uses the meta description when it describes the page better than the on-page text, and otherwise generates the snippet from the content to suit each search. Its best practices:
- Make each description unique.
- Include useful details such as author, date, price or manufacturer where they are not obvious.
- Summarise the whole page in clear, specific, readable language.
- Avoid keyword lists, which are less likely to be shown.
- For large database-driven sites, generate descriptions programmatically, but make them read naturally and vary across pages.
Think of the description as ad copy for the result: its job is to earn the click from the right visitor.
A simple formula
Titles
- Lead with the primary topic in the words a searcher would use.
- Add a differentiator: audience, location, format or year, only if true.
- End with the brand name if there is room.
Hypothetical example: “Commercial Cleaning Brisbane: Services and Quote | Example Co”. It says what, where and who, with the brand last.
Descriptions
- Start with what the page delivers or answers.
- Add one concrete detail (what is included, who it suits).
- Close with a gentle action, if natural.
Write for a person scanning a results page, and promise only what the page delivers. A misleading description may win a click and lose the visitor.
Review checklist
- Does the title say what the page is about in the first few words?
- Is it different from every other page title on the site?
- Does it agree with the H1?
- Is the description specific, not a list of keywords?
- Does the page actually deliver what the description promises?
- Is the most important information early, in case of truncation?
For campaign pages, the same message match applies between your ad and your page, as discussed in landing pages that convert campaign traffic.
When pages change
If you change a title or URL during a rebuild, record the old and new versions so you can monitor impact, and see how to plan a redesign without losing SEO. For the wider set of page-level elements, use the on-page SEO checklist.
Where Radiance Impact fits
Radiance Impact’s Growth and Marketing division handles search visibility and content strategy, working alongside website builds. See /growth, or contact us if you would like a second pair of eyes on your pages.
Sources
- Influencing title links in search results, Google Search Central
- Control your snippets in search results, Google Search Central
