What is a title tag
The title tag is an HTML element <title> that defines the title of a web page. It appears in the browser tab, in the search results snippet (SERP), and when the page is saved to bookmarks. The title is the most important and direct on-page SEO signal.
<head>
<title>Купить ноутбук Apple MacBook Pro — Каталог | Магазин</title>
</head>Why the title matters
The title affects three key SEO metrics:
- Ranking — Google uses the title as the primary on-page signal
- CTR — an appealing title increases the snippet's click-through rate
- Snippet — Google usually displays the title in search results (but may rewrite it)
Guidelines for writing a title
Length
- Optimal: 50–60 characters (600 pixels)
- Google truncates titles longer than 600 px
- A title that's too short doesn't provide enough information
Keywords
- Put the main search query at the beginning of the title
- Don't repeat keywords (keyword stuffing)
- One page — one search query
Structure
Popular formats:
Ключевой запрос — Описание | Бренд
Купить [Товар] в [Городе] — Цены и наличие | Магазин
[Что такое Term]: полное руководство — Бренд
Uniqueness
Every page on the site should have a unique title. Duplicate titles are a low-quality signal to search engines.
Examples of good and bad titles
# Хороший:
Купить iPhone 16 Pro в Москве — цены от 89 990 руб | TechShop
# Плохой (слишком длинный):
Купить iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB 512GB 1TB в Москве дёшево недорого цена телефон смартфон Apple
# Плохой (нет ключевых слов):
Главная | TechShop
# Плохой (дубль):
Главная ← одинаковые title на 50 страницах
Title in Next.js
// app/layout.tsx — шаблон
export const metadata: Metadata = {
title: {
template: '%s | Бренд',
default: 'Бренд — описание'
}
};
// app/page/page.tsx — конкретная страница
export const metadata: Metadata = {
title: 'Ключевой запрос' // станет "Ключевой запрос | Бренд"
};Check your title with reChecker
Use the Meta tags checker to analyze your page title. The tool checks:
- Title length in pixels and characters
- Whether a title is present or missing
- Duplicate titles
- Whether keywords appear at the beginning
FAQ
Is it normal for Google to rewrite my title in search results? Yes. Google rewrites titles in ~15% of cases if it considers the original low quality: too long, spammy, or irrelevant to the content. Follow the recommendations for length and relevance.
Should the title and H1 match? Not necessarily. The title is optimized for search, while the H1 is for readers. They can differ, but should be thematically similar.
Should I include the brand name in the title? It is recommended. Putting the brand name at the end of the title (separated by | or —) increases brand recognition in the SERP. The main thing is not to do so at the expense of length or keywords.