SEO

Title tags and meta descriptions: how to write ones people actually click

5 min readSPOT Agency

Type your business name into Google and look at the blue link that comes back. That line is your title tag. The grey sentence underneath is your meta description. On most of the sites we audit, nobody has ever touched either one.

That's a shame, because those two snippets are the entire pitch you get in search results. Google can rank you first all it likes. If the title is dull and the description is blank, people's eyes slide right past you to the listing below.

The good news: fixing them takes about ten minutes per page, and you don't need a developer.

What these two tags actually are

Both sit in the <head> of your page, where visitors never see the raw code:

<title>Handmade Leather Bags, Free UK Shipping | Oakfield</title>
<meta name="description"
  content="Small-batch leather bags, hand-stitched in Bristol.
  Free UK shipping and 30-day returns.">

The title becomes the big clickable headline in Google (and the label on your browser tab). The description is the summary line below it. Think of the pair as a tiny advert you get to run, for free, every time someone searches.

Google doesn't always use your description word for word. Sometimes it grabs a sentence from your page that fits the search better. Write a good one anyway. It's used most of the time, and it's the only version you control.

Writing a title people click

A few habits separate a title that works from one that doesn't:

  • Stay under about 60 characters. Go longer and Google chops the end off mid-word.
  • Front-load the useful words. Lead with what the page offers. Your brand name can wait at the end, after a pipe or a dash.
  • Give every page its own title. Five pages all called "Home" tell a searcher nothing and tell Google even less.
  • Use the words people type. If your customers search "emergency plumber Bristol," that phrase belongs in the title. Not five times. Once, naturally.

Here's the trap to avoid. "Plumber Bristol Cheap Emergency 24/7 Plumbing Repairs" looks like spam, and these days Google treats it that way. "Emergency Plumber in Bristol, Available 24/7" reads like an actual business someone would phone.

Writing a description that earns the click

Treat the description like ad copy, because that's what it is. Say what the page gives someone, then nudge them to act:

  • 120 to 155 characters. Enough to be useful, short enough to survive on a phone screen.
  • Name the payoff. What will they get if they click? Say it plainly.
  • End with a small push where it fits: "See the range," "Book a call," "Read the guide."
  • Mention the search term once. Google bolds matching words in the snippet, and bold text catches the eye.

A real before and after

We audited a pizza place in Leeds last year. Their homepage title was literally the word "Home." No description at all. Here's what we changed it to:

Title: Wood-Fired Pizza in Leeds | Dough Bros

Description: Naples-style pizza from a proper wood oven, in the middle of Leeds. Walk in, or book a table online in under a minute.

Same shop, same kitchen, same ranking. But now the listing tells a hungry person exactly what they'll get before they click. That's the whole difference between getting scrolled past and getting chosen.

The cheat-sheet

If you remember nothing else:

  • Title: under 60 characters, important words first
  • Description: 120 to 155 characters, with a reason to click
  • Both: different on every page

Start with your homepage and your three or four most important pages. That's an afternoon's work at most, and it's the kind of change you'll see in your click numbers within a few weeks.

Common questions

How long should a title tag be?

About 50 to 60 characters. Past 60, Google cuts it off, so put the words that matter at the front.

How long should a meta description be?

Roughly 120 to 155 characters. Long enough to describe the page and add a nudge, short enough that it won't get trimmed on a phone.

Do meta descriptions affect rankings?

Not directly. They don't push you up the page. But a better description gets more people to click, and the extra visitors are the real prize.

Why does Google rewrite mine?

Usually because it's too long, repeats a keyword, or doesn't match what someone searched. Honest, tight tags get rewritten far less.

Want to know which of your pages are missing these?

SPOTlight scans your site and flags weak or missing titles and descriptions in a few seconds. No signup, no catch.

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