How do you write titles and meta descriptions? Templates and examples based on Google documentation

A title tag is written as short text that describes the page’s subject in a few words, puts the most important information first, and differs on every page; a meta description summarizes the page’s content in one or two sentences and tells searchers what they will find there. Both are the first points of contact visitors see in search results and directly influence the decision to click.

The second half of how to write titles and meta descriptions is the fact that Google does not always display these texts exactly as written. Google can recreate titles and descriptions according to page content and the search. This guide covers how title links and snippets are generated according to Google Search Central documentation, the reality behind the character limit debate, templates for page types, pros and cons of phone numbers in titles, and common mistakes.

What are title tags and meta descriptions?

The title tag is the <title> element in HTML’s head section, used as the page’s name in browser tabs, shares, and search results; the meta description is the content of the <meta name="description"> tag in the same section and does not appear on the page. Google documentation calls the heading in a search result a “title link” and the summary below it a “snippet.”

The title and a page’s H1 heading are not the same, but should support one another. The H1 is the main heading readers see on arrival and may be longer and more explanatory; the title is a tighter version that must fit a narrow space in the results list. Describing completely different topics in the two is one reason Google rewrites a title.

Why does Google change the title?

Google generates title links entirely automatically and may produce a better title from other sources if the title tag does not accurately reflect page content, is missing, or repeats on every page. According to the title links documentation, Google consults these sources for this task:

• <title> element content
• The main visual title displayed on the page and heading elements such as H1
• The og:title meta tag
• Other text made large and prominent through styling, and other writing on the page
• Text on the page and in links pointing to the page
• WebSite structured data

The document also lists the situations Google corrects most often: half-empty titles (such as “| Site name”), outdated titles with unchanged years, inaccurate titles not reflecting page content, boilerplate repeated across a group of pages, unclear main headings, and titles written in a different language from the page. After a change, Google may take a few days to a few weeks to recrawl and process the page.

Is there a character limit for titles?

Google’s documentation sets no title length limit; however, title links in search results are shortened as needed according to device width. The widespread recommendation of 50–60 characters is a practical habit adopted to avoid truncation on most screens rather than a Google rule.

The actual consequence of truncation is that information at the end becomes invisible. The real question should therefore be “which information comes first” rather than “how many characters”: if the page’s subject and distinctive feature appear in the first words, truncation affects only the brand name or a secondary detail. The same documentation also recommends avoiding unnecessarily long or detailed titles; even without a fixed limit, concise titles are safer for readability and the risk of rewriting.

How do you write a good title?

A good title clearly names one subject of the page, adds the information distinguishing it from similar pages, and places the brand name at the end with a separator. Steps to follow while writing include:

1. Put the main subject first: Place words closest to the phrase searchers will use at the beginning.
2. Add distinguishing information: Information such as city, product type, year, or the content format provided (guide, comparison, price list) distinguishes the title from similar ones.
3. Connect the brand with a separator: Add the website name at the beginning or end separated by a hyphen, colon, or vertical bar; use the same position on every page.
4. Avoid repetition: Repeating the same word with different suffixes does not strengthen a title; it creates a spam impression.
5. Leave out exaggeration: Putting a promise the page does not fulfill in the title causes Google to change the text and visitors to return quickly.
6. Check uniqueness: Make sure no two pages across the website retain the same title.

Titles containing dates require additional monitoring. If a title contains a year, change it when the content is genuinely updated; if content remains the same, do not use a year at all. Google may correct the title itself when the visible date on the page does not match it.