How to write page titles and meta descriptions

Page titles should be 50-60 characters to avoid truncation in search results, though Google will sometimes display longer titles if they're relevant to the query. Place your primary keyword near the beginning—this matters both for rankings and because users scan left to right. Include your brand name at the end if space permits, separated by a pipe or dash. The title should accurately describe the page content while being compelling enough that someone would click it over competing results. For a client selling accounting software, "Accounting Software for Small Businesses | Acme Corp" works better than "Home Page" or keyword-stuffed variations like "Accounting Software, Bookkeeping Tools, Tax Software." Test your titles by searching for your target keywords in Google and asking whether yours stands out and clearly indicates why someone should click.

Meta descriptions run 150-160 characters and appear below your title in search results. While they don't directly impact rankings, they influence click-through rates, which affects your organic traffic. Write a natural sentence or two that describes what the page offers, incorporating your primary keyword naturally. Include a clear value proposition—what problem does this page solve or what will the user learn? For that accounting software example, "Streamline invoicing, expense tracking, and tax prep with Acme's cloud-based accounting software. Free trial for small businesses." This tells users exactly what they'll get without relying on keyword repetition. Avoid duplicate meta descriptions across your site, as each page deserves its own summary. If you're managing multiple client sites, this is worth systematizing into your content workflow rather than treating as an afterthought.

The practical reality is that Google sometimes rewrites titles and descriptions based on the search query and page content, so don't obsess over perfection. What matters most is that your tags accurately represent the page, include relevant keywords without forced repetition, and give users a genuine reason to click. When you're auditing a client's site, this is one of the quickest wins—many sites have vague, duplicate, or missing titles and descriptions that are costing them clicks. Spend 15 minutes per page getting these right, and you'll often see measurable improvements in click-through rates within weeks.