A meta title should be 50-60 characters long, and a meta description should stay under 155 characters. Anything longer gets truncated in Google search results, cutting off your message mid-sentence. Use the free checker tool below to preview exactly how your title and description appear in search results before you publish.
Key Takeaways
- Title Length: Keep meta titles between 50-60 characters (approximately 580 pixels wide) to avoid truncation
- Description Length: Meta descriptions should be 150-155 characters for full display on desktop search results
- Mobile Difference: Mobile search results truncate titles at roughly 55 characters and descriptions at 120 characters
- Pixel Width Matters: Google measures titles in pixels, not characters — wider letters like W take more space than narrow ones like i
- Click-Through Impact: Well-crafted meta titles and descriptions increase click-through rates by 20-40% compared to auto-generated snippets
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What Is a Meta Title and Why Does It Matter for SEO?
A meta title is the clickable blue headline that appears in Google search results for every page on your website.
Search engines use your meta title as the primary ranking signal for what your page covers. When someone searches "best running shoes 2026," Google scans meta titles to find the most relevant matches. Your meta title directly influences two things: where you rank and whether people click.
The meta title sits inside your page's HTML as a <title> tag. It appears in three places: the search engine results page, the browser tab, and when shared on social media. Each location has slightly different display rules, but Google's SERP is where it matters most.
Pages with optimised meta titles earn 20-40% higher click-through rates than pages using auto-generated titles. That translates directly to more traffic without any change in rankings. A page ranking #3 with a compelling title can outperform a #1 result with a generic one.
How Long Should a Meta Title Be?
Keep your meta title between 50 and 60 characters for consistent full display across desktop and mobile search results.
Google does not actually measure titles by character count. The search engine uses pixel width, with a maximum display width of approximately 580 pixels on desktop. However, character count remains the most practical guideline because most letters average 8-10 pixels wide.
Titles under 30 characters waste valuable space. You have room to include your primary keyword, a benefit statement, and your brand name. Titles over 60 characters risk truncation — Google replaces the cut-off text with an ellipsis (...), which looks unprofessional and hides important information.
The sweet spot is 55 characters. This length displays fully on both desktop and mobile, gives you enough room for a complete message, and avoids the truncation risk entirely. Test every title in the checker tool above before publishing.
What Is the Ideal Meta Description Length?
Write meta descriptions between 150 and 155 characters to maximise the space Google gives you without risking truncation.
Meta descriptions appear as the grey text below the blue title link in search results. Google allocates approximately 920 pixels width for descriptions on desktop, which translates to roughly 155-160 characters. On mobile, that drops to about 120 characters.
Unlike meta titles, descriptions do not directly affect rankings. Google confirmed this in 2009. However, descriptions massively influence click-through rate — they are your sales pitch to the searcher. A description that clearly states what the page delivers and includes a call to action outperforms vague summaries every time.
Front-load your description with the most important information. If Google does truncate it, the critical message still gets through. Include your target keyword naturally since Google bolds matching terms in the description, drawing the eye to your result.
How Does Google Decide to Truncate Your Title?
Google truncates meta titles that exceed 580 pixels in display width, replacing the overflow with an ellipsis.
The pixel-based measurement means character count is an approximation. A title reading "WINNING WITH WIDE WORDS" takes more pixel space than "elite tips" at the same character count because uppercase letters and wide characters (W, M, G) consume 10-12 pixels each, while narrow characters (i, l, t) use only 4-6 pixels.
In 2024, Google also started rewriting meta titles more aggressively. If Google determines your title does not match the page content well, it may generate its own version using your H1, page headings, or anchor text from backlinks. This happens on roughly 33% of search results according to a Zyppy study of 80,000 titles.
To prevent Google from rewriting your title: match it closely to your H1, include the primary keyword, keep it under 60 characters, and avoid keyword stuffing. Pages with clear, accurate titles see far fewer rewrites.
What Are the Most Common Meta Title Mistakes?
The five most frequent meta title errors are keyword stuffing, duplicate titles, missing brand names, exceeding length limits, and using vague descriptions.
Keyword stuffing looks like this: "SEO Tips | SEO Guide | SEO Strategy | Best SEO." Google penalises this pattern and often rewrites the title entirely. Use your primary keyword once, naturally.
Duplicate titles across multiple pages confuse search engines about which page to rank. Every page needs a unique meta title that accurately describes its specific content. Run a site audit with Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to find duplicates — most sites have 10-20% duplicate titles without realising it.
Missing brand names waste recognition. Place your brand at the end, separated by a pipe (|) or dash. "SEO Guide for Beginners | JI Digital" uses 37 characters and includes both the keyword and brand. Established brands see 5-15% higher click-through rates when the brand name appears in the title.
Does Meta Title Length Differ on Mobile vs Desktop?
Mobile search results display shorter titles and descriptions than desktop, truncating at approximately 55 characters and 120 characters respectively.
Over 60% of Google searches happen on mobile devices. If you only optimise for desktop display widths, the majority of searchers see a truncated version of your title. This is why 55 characters is the safest target — it works across both screen sizes.
Mobile SERPs also display titles in a slightly larger font, which means fewer characters fit before truncation kicks in. The description gets hit even harder on mobile. A 155-character description that looks perfect on desktop loses 35 characters on a phone screen.
Write your meta title and description in two tiers. The first 55 characters of the title and 120 characters of the description should deliver a complete, compelling message. Everything after that is a bonus for desktop users. The checker tool above shows both desktop and mobile previews simultaneously so you can verify both.
How Do You Write a Meta Description That Gets Clicks?
Write meta descriptions that state a specific benefit, include a number, and end with a clear call to action.
The highest-performing meta descriptions follow a simple formula: what the page covers + specific proof + what to do next. For example: "Learn the 7 SEO strategies that increased organic traffic by 312% in 6 months. Free step-by-step guide." That description hits 107 characters, includes a number (7), proof (312%), and an implied CTA (free guide).
Avoid starting descriptions with "This page" or "In this article." These phrases waste 15-20 characters on words that add zero value. Start with a verb or the key benefit. "Discover," "Calculate," "Compare" — action words create momentum.
Include your primary keyword within the first 100 characters. Google bolds keyword matches in descriptions, which creates a visual highlight that draws attention to your result. Pages with keyword-matched descriptions see 15% more clicks in A/B tests run by search marketing agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my meta title affect rankings?
Yes, changing your meta title can affect rankings because Google uses the title tag as a ranking signal. A more relevant, keyword-focused title can improve rankings for target terms. However, changes take 2-4 weeks to fully reflect in search results. Avoid changing titles on pages already ranking well unless you have strong data supporting the update.
Can I use the same meta description on multiple pages?
Technically yes, but you should not. Duplicate meta descriptions signal to Google that pages have similar content, which can cause ranking confusion. Google may also choose to ignore duplicate descriptions entirely and generate its own snippet. Write unique descriptions for every indexable page on your site.
What happens if I leave the meta description blank?
Google generates a snippet automatically by pulling text from your page content that best matches the search query. This means different searches show different descriptions for the same page. While Google's auto-generated snippets are sometimes surprisingly good, you lose control over your messaging. Always write your own descriptions for important pages.
Should I include my brand name in every meta title?
Include your brand name on key pages like your homepage, service pages, and main category pages. For blog posts and deep content pages, brand names are optional — use the character space for keywords instead. If your brand is well-known in your industry, including it boosts click-through rate by 5-15%.
How often should I update meta titles and descriptions?
Review and update meta titles and descriptions quarterly. Check Google Search Console for pages with high impressions but low click-through rates — those are your biggest opportunities. A title or description rewrite on a high-impression, low-CTR page can increase traffic by 20-50% without any ranking change.
Do meta keywords still matter for SEO?
No. Google officially stopped using the meta keywords tag as a ranking factor in 2009. Bing confirmed the same in 2014. Do not waste time adding meta keywords to your pages. Focus exclusively on meta titles, meta descriptions, and on-page content for SEO impact.
What is the difference between a meta title and an H1 tag?
The meta title appears in search results and browser tabs, while the H1 appears on the page itself. They can be identical, but best practice is to make them slightly different. Use your primary keyword in both, but the meta title should be more click-focused (like an ad headline) while the H1 should be more content-focused.
How do I check my current meta titles?
Right-click any page and select "View Page Source," then search for the <title> tag. For a full site audit, use free tools like Screaming Frog (up to 500 URLs free) or Google Search Console's Performance report, which shows your actual displayed titles alongside click-through data.
Start Optimising Your Meta Tags Today
Every page on your website has a meta title and description. Most site owners set them once during publishing and never revisit them. That leaves significant traffic on the table. Use the free checker tool above to audit your most important pages right now. Start with your homepage, top 5 service pages, and your highest-traffic blog posts.
Paste each title and description into the tool, check both desktop and mobile previews, and rewrite anything that truncates or wastes space. This single optimisation takes 30 minutes and can increase your organic click-through rate by 20-40% across your site.
Need help with a full technical SEO audit? Get in touch with JI Digital for a free website review.
Free tool by: John Isaacson, Digital Marketing Strategist
Last Updated: January 2026
