The Title tag is Number #1 over the other two tags for helping your website achieve high search engine rankings.  It’s right up there in importance next to the need for writing quality content for each and every one of your website’s pages.  Do you know why you should NEVER ignore the Title tag? Let me educate you why …

The Title Tag Serves Two Purposes

First, let’s touch upon the basics.  The Title tag is an HTML code snippet that does two very important things.  One, it creates the words that appear in the top bar of your web browser (the blue bar that runs the length of your computer screen, up at the very top). Two, it also shows up in the SERPs (search engine results pages) when someone enters in keywords that also appear in your Title tag.

**Let me digress for one moment. Depending upon the search engine rankings for the specific keyword(s) used in your Title, combined with other SEO factors, you could find your web page listed on the first SERP, or maybe the hundredth SERP. Remember, the Title tag is but ONE contributing factor to search engine rankings.

Now, the HTML code for a title tag looks like this (very simplified):
‹HEAD›
‹TITLE›Title of Your Web Page Shows Up Here ‹/TITLE›
‹/HEAD›

The Title tag belongs in the ‹HEAD› section of your source code, and is generally followed by your Meta Description and Meta Keyword tags.  The order of these tags is not critical.  (Some web building programs or WYSIWYG editors place them in a different position.)

The Significance of the Title Tag to the Search Engines

All search engines use the Title tags to gather information about your web page’s topic.  What you put in this tag is critical.  It’s a major factor in which search queries you will be found for; and what ranking positions the web page will hold.

Every Title you write ends up as the clickable link on the SERP.  Are you aware of this?  Thusly, you want that web-surfing, possible visitor to want to click on your Title. You want their eyes to gravitate to YOUR Title … not your competitor’s Title!  Make it jump right out at them because it’s interesting, compelling and gets right to the point of what your web page is all about.

Make excellent use of this small piece of “search engine real estate”.  It is GOLD to your potential high rankings and to effectively enticing the searcher to click on your site, rather than a competitors.

Your Keywords MUST Be Integrated Into Your Title Tag

Whatever keywords, or keyword phrases, you are targeting for the web page you’ll be writing MUST be worked into the Title tag.  Why?  Again, to satisfy the hungry spiders AND because it helps let the potential visitor know what they will be reading when they land on your web page.

Also, I highly suggest you use “Title Case” for this tag, i.e. “SEO Strategy for the Small Business Owner”, or “Ten Reasons You Should Not Prepare Your Own Tax Return”.  This format looks clean and has a professional appearance to it.  Please don’t use all capital letters as you’ll look like you’re shouting and it’s poor internet etiquette.

Your Title Tag Should Clearly Reflect What The Page’s Content Is About

What comes first, the Title tag or the written text?  Many SEO consultants will recommend you write the copy first, then figure out what the Title tag should be.  I say whatever works for you!  Just don’t forget to remain focused on the primary keyword phrase you will be writing about and again, make sure you have effectively incorporated that keyword phrase into the Title tag. 

Remember:  you want that potential visitor to say to themselves when reading your Title “Hey, this sounds interesting.  I want to see what this page has to say.”  And click … here they come to your website.

Bottom line … make darn good use of the Title tag. You’ll be glad you did!

The “Big Three” are what some SEO consultants call them.  There is a unique “Title”tag, and two Meta tags which are the “Description” and “Keyword” tag.  These three tags are part of each individual web page on a website.  The Title and Meta tags are definitely important factors in achieving high search engine rankings.  Are you aware of this?  If not, you ought to be and in this article I’ll explain the reasons why.

OK … so what are these tags and what do you do with them?

Briefly, these three tags are snippets of HTML code that belong inside the HEAD section of each web page.  Two of the three tags hold information that is very important for search engine result queries.  All three tags are very important “food” for the little search engine spiders.  Simply stated, the Title, Description and Keyword tags help the spiders learn what your web page is all about.

Let me explain each one so you’ll understand the role they play in search engine optimization strategy.

#1:  The Very Important, Don’t Ignore It “Title Tag”

The Title tag serves a very important SEO purpose.  Every web page on your website NEEDS to have this tag keyword optimized and well written with eye-grabbing information.  It’s important SEO role is to enticie people to click on it when they’re viewing the SERP’s (search engine result pages).

The Title tag is also very important in helping you achieve high rankings.  To learn more about the Title tag, please read this article:  Using the Title Tag — Search Engine Ranking Significance

#2:  Also Very Valuable For Your Rankings:  The Description Meta tag

The Description Meta tag also plays a very important role.  It’s right up there with the Title tag.  It should be optimized in the same fashion as the Title tag so I won’t repeat that here.   And it also is potential eye candy in that it may help to grab a potential visitor’s attention when they are scanning over the search engine results page.

Between a well written and concise Title tag, and an informative Description Meta tag that gives a good overview of what that web page is all about, you may just get the click from the web surfer who has been searching for the information your web page contains.

There are a few small differences in how the search engines utilize it, and you do need to become aware.  To learn more about the Description Meta tag, please read this article:  Understand the Description Meta Tag — How the SE’s Do and Don’t Rely Upon It

#3:  The Keyword Meta Tag

Ah, the used and abused poor Keyword tag. Unethical spammers misused this tag way back when the search engines weren’t as savvy as they are now. Spammers stuffed every conceivable keyword they could think of into it. And many websites were able to rank highly for these “stuffed” keywords, even though there may NOT have been one little bit of content on the web page pertaining to the keywords.

So, Google and all the others quickly became aware of this problem and sure enough the algorithms for page ranking changed. Today this tag is really not worth its weight in search engine gold.  As a matter of fact, many people totally ignore it.  But nevertheless I don’t, and I do make use of it, not only on my own websites, but also on my client’s websites.

To learn more about the Keyword Meta tag, please read this article:  The Keyword Meta Tag — Should You Even Bother With It?