Sam | Last Updated: 2022-05-17T14:28:16 There’s a lot that goes into optimizing a website for search engines. We spend a lot of time talking about keywords and content optimization, both of which can help your web pages rank higher in search engine results.
But most people often overlook the meta title, which is the first thing your audience will see, which will prompt them to click on your link.
This article outlines 8 simple hacks to writing the perfect meta titles for increased traffic and click-through rate.
What is a Meta Title?
A website’s meta title determines the title of each page. It’s the first thing web searchers see on the SERPs. To drive more clicks to your most important pages your meta titles need to be both catchy and compelling.
Looking to increase your CTRs and conversions? Here’s how to optimize your meta titles so you can start winning the SERPs war:
1. Use Numbers In Your Meta Titles
Numbers are visually appealing and intriguing. When you use numbers in your meta title tag, it sticks out in search results. This is due to the fact that our brain chemistry is at play. Numbers are specific objects, and our brain is wired to search for them.
Specific objects provide comfort and a sense of assurance. For instance, when a meta title says ’10 Ways to Grow a Plant,’ you know exactly what to expect from the link. This bias leads to a higher click-through rate and more visitors to your website.
2. Make Your Meta Title Stand Out By Including Dates
It’s also a good idea to use dates in meta title tags. People frequently insert the year (for example 2022) at the end of a search since they’re looking for the most up-to-date information on a specific issue.
When relevant, including the month or year in your meta title tag will convince searchers that your website page contains current information. For instance, if your search result has two different articles with the following meta title:
- 5 ways to lose fat.
- 5 ways to lose fat in 2022.
Which will you choose?
There’s a high chance you’ll be drawn to the latter because you’ll feel it contains the latest information on the topic.
3. Include A Call To Action
Call-to-actions, also known as action verbs, aren’t keywords, but they can prompt consumers to click on your website. When you use these, the user will be excited about the prospect of taking a particular action.
For instance, if your meta title reads “Download 3 Minutes Video Introduction to Fly Fishing,” instead of just “3 Minutes Video Introduction to Fly Fishing,” your audience will be like, “Oh wow, I get to download something,” and this will drive them to click on your link.
Other examples of call-to-action words include buy, find, search, watch, listen, learn, and access.
4. Keep it Concise and Precise
Getting the length of your meta title right can increase your click-through rate. Google recommends keeping your meta title between 150 and 160 characters, but you can make it shorter. Etsy conducted a study in 2016 that analyzed hundreds of URLs, and they discovered that longer meta titles do not improve clicks as much as shorter ones. As a result of their findings, they decided to shorten their meta titles.
5. Optimize Your Website For Referring Keywords
Try to use the target keyword at the beginning of your meta title. This reassures the reader that your content is relevant. Furthermore, the keyword will be highlighted in Google results. Combining your keyword with the right call to action ensures you’re able to grab users’ attention, which will prompt them to click on your link.
6. Ask Questions
Questioning people who are searching for specific answers is a terrific way to pique their interest. For example, if someone searches for the keyword “Apple laptop,” your meta title could be “Should you buy an Apple laptop?” which is more interesting.
Positive or negative information attracts more attention than neutral content. A tag like ‘Apple laptop’ is dull and uninteresting; however, ‘Should you buy an Apple laptop?’ is intriguing and appealing.
Another advantage of using questions in your meta title is the possibility of appearing in the “People also ask” section. This box appears beneath the top search result, displaying the most relevant questions for a particular keyword. If your question appears in the “People also ask” box, you’ll get more traffic and a higher click-through rate.
7. Match the Search Intent
When your meta title matches the intent of searchers, you’ll get more clicks on your website in the search results. If various people type in “mobile phones” into the Google search box, they may be looking for different things.
Being able to identify the search intent for each keyword and tailoring your meta titles likewise will get you more clicks.
8. Make Every Page Meta Title Unique
If you name all of your pages the same thing, Google won’t be able to tell them apart. And if Google’s algorithm is confused by your page name, it will not index them appropriately, which means your pages will not appear for the keywords you desire.
In conclusion, a meta title is just one fraction of search engine optimization. But it plays an important role in informing search engines and searchers what your web page is all about, so it’s important to get it right.