How to write title tags and meta descriptions that get clicks

The title tag is the strongest on-page relevance signal and the headline of your search result. The meta description is the text below it. Together they decide whether searchers click you or the result next to you.

Title tags

• Length: about 50–60 characters (Google truncates by pixel width).
• Keyword first: lead with the main term, then a benefit or differentiator.
• Brand last: add “| Brand” if space allows.
• Unique: no two indexable pages should share a title.

Useful formulas:

• Primary keyword – Benefit | Brand → Invoice Software – Get Paid 2× Faster | Acme
• How to [goal] in [time/steps] → How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization in 4 Steps
• [Number] Best [things] for [audience] ([year]) — only when you really update it yearly.

Meta descriptions

• Length: about 140–160 characters.
• Summarise the page and give a reason to click (free, fast, examples, checklist).
• Include the main keyword naturally — Google bolds matching words.
• End with a soft call to action.

When Google rewrites your title

Google may replace titles that are too long, stuffed with keywords, identical across pages, or that don't describe the page. The best defence is a concise title that matches the H1 and the content.

Check them all at once

The BoostSEO audit reports missing, duplicate, too long and too short titles and descriptions and whether each page's main keyword appears in them. Pro members can generate alternatives with AI Studio.