✕ Error SEO

Missing <title> Tag — The Most Important On-Page SEO Element

The HTML <title> tag is the most important on-page SEO element for search engines.

What is the title tag?

The <title> tag defines the title of your HTML document. It appears in:

  • Browser tabs — The text shown in the tab
  • Search engine results — The clickable headline in Google, Bing, etc.
  • Social media fallback — When og:title is missing, platforms use this
  • Bookmarks — The default name when users bookmark your page

Why is it critical?

The <title> tag is widely considered the single most important on-page SEO element:

  • Google uses it as the primary signal for understanding page content
  • It's the first thing users see in search results
  • It directly impacts click-through rate (CTR) from search
  • Pages without a title may be poorly indexed or ranked

How to fix it

Add a <title> tag inside your <head>:

<head>
  <title>Your Compelling Page Title — Your Brand</title>
</head>

Best practices

  1. 50-60 characters — Google displays approximately 50-60 characters in search results
  2. Unique per page — Every page should have a distinct title
  3. Front-load keywords — Put the most important words first
  4. Include your brand — Add your brand name at the end with a separator (| or —)
  5. Be descriptive — Accurately describe what the page is about

Examples

Good titles:

  • How to Build a REST API with Node.js — DevBlog
  • Premium Wireless Headphones | Free Shipping | TechStore
  • Contact Us — Get Help in 24 Hours | YourBrand

Bad titles:

  • Home — Too vague
  • Untitled Document — Default placeholder
  • Empty or missing — Worst case
Check your Open Graph tags

Related articles

✕

Missing og:title

The og:title tag is essential for social sharing. Without it, platforms will use the page title or URL.

 ⚠

og:title Is Too Long

Titles longer than 60 characters may be truncated on social platforms.

 ℹ

og:title Is Too Short

Short titles may not be descriptive enough for social sharing.

 ✕

Missing og:description

The og:description tag provides a summary of the page content for social platforms.

 ⚠

og:description Is Too Long

Descriptions over 160 characters may be truncated on social platforms.

 ℹ

og:description Is Too Short

Short descriptions miss the opportunity to engage users.