The short answer: your title tag is the blue link people see in Google, so treat it like an ad. Lead with what you do, then where, then your business name, and give every page its own title.
This is episode 1 of SEO in 60 seconds, our series of one fix per episode for small business websites. The full series sits in our on page SEO basics overview.
Why does your title tag matter?
The title tag is the blue headline people see in Google and the text in the browser tab. It is the first thing people read on a results page, and it decides whether they click.
Google builds that blue link mainly from your page’s title tag. Its own guidance says vague titles like “Home” don’t help anyone. Google may also rewrite a title that is missing detail, repeated across pages, or doesn’t match the page.
How do you write a title tag in WordPress?
- Open the page in WordPress and scroll down to the Yoast SEO box.
- Clear the SEO title field and write it in this order: what you do, where, then your business name.
- Check the preview. Google sets no hard limit, but it cuts long titles to fit the screen. Our rule of thumb is about 50 to 60 characters, with the important words first.
- Do the same for every page that matters: your home page, each service page and your contact page. No two pages should share a title.
- Update the page. Google can take days to weeks to show the new title, so check back the following week.
Using Rank Math instead of Yoast? The field works the same way.
What does a good title tag look like?
For an example kitchen fitter in Galway:
| Page | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Home | Kitchen Fitters in Galway | Burke Kitchens |
| Service | Services | Fitted Kitchen Prices in Galway | Burke Kitchens |
| Contact | Contact Us | Book a Free Kitchen Survey | Burke Kitchens |
Another made up example, for a plumber: Emergency Plumber in Drumcondra, Dublin 9 | Murphy Plumbing.
What are the common title tag mistakes?
- The same title on every page. Often just the business name. Google asks for distinct text that describes each page.
- Stuffing. “Kitchens Galway Kitchen Fitters Galway Cheap Kitchens”. Google says there is no reason to repeat the same words in a title.
- Your name first on service pages. Lead with the service and put the name last.
- A year that goes out of date. “Best kitchens 2023” looks stale by spring.
- A title the page doesn’t back up. Google may swap it for text from the page.
Read the transcript
“Your title tag is an ad. It’s the blue link people see in Google. Too many sites just say home. Lead with what you do, then where, then your name. And a different title on every page. More SEO tips every week. And something new for small businesses is coming soon. Follow so you don’t miss out.”
Want a hand?
Running Google Ads too? Ad headlines work the same way. Our SEM in 60 seconds episode on headlines is coming soon.
Want us to check your titles? Book a free 20 minute call.
Sources
- Influencing title links in Google Search, Google Search Central. Checked 27 October 2026.
Next episode: one page, one main search. Back to the series overview.