4 min read#page-titles#meta-descriptions#local-seo

Page Titles and Descriptions for Business Owners

The title and description are the first words a stranger reads about your page. Here is what they are, how to write them and how to check them.

When someone searches for a service, each result shows a title and a short description. Those two lines are your first impression, long before anyone sees your photos or your prices. They are easy to write and easy to neglect, and a little care goes a long way.

What they are

The page title is the clickable headline in a search result, and it also appears on the browser tab. The description is the short summary underneath. Search engines may rewrite either one, but a clear starting point gives them something good to work with. Every page on your site can have its own, and they should differ from page to page.

Write for the person, not the machine

A good title tells a stranger what the page is and who it is for, in plain words. A good description adds one more helpful detail, such as where you work, what is included or how to get started. Avoid stuffing in a list of keywords. If you read it aloud and it sounds odd, a customer will feel the same way.

Think about length too. Titles that run long get cut off in results, so put the important words first. Descriptions are cut off as well, so lead with the most useful sentence and keep the whole thing to a short sentence or two.

An example, page by page

Here is an example for a fictional business, shown as before and after wording.

Before: Home | Example Plumbing After: Plumber in Example City: Repairs, Leaks and Water Heaters

Before: Welcome to our website. We offer many services at great rates. After: Licensed plumber serving Example City and nearby areas. See our services, check our hours and call to ask for a quote.

The second version says what the business does, where it works and what to do next. It does not claim anything it cannot support.

Different pages, different words

Your services page, your contact page and your about page should not share the same title. Give each one its own, based on what a visitor would be looking for there. For a contact page, “Contact Example Plumbing: Phone, Hours and Service Area” tells the reader exactly what they will find.

How to check what you have

Look at your own pages the way a stranger would. Search for your business name and for a service plus your city, then read each result slowly. Does the title say what the page is? Does the description make you want to click? Many website tools have a simple field for each page where you can edit them, so you rarely need to touch any code. After you change one, give it time to be picked up again, and do not be alarmed if the search engine shows its own wording for a while.

Common mistakes

Leaving the default text, such as “Home” or “Untitled”, is the most frequent one. Others include using the same title on every page, repeating your business name three times, stuffing in a string of keywords and writing a description that is a copy of the first paragraph on the page.

Another is making claims you cannot back up, such as “the best in town” or “unbeatable.” Visitors notice, and so do search engines.

Try this today

  1. Search for your own business name and read the title and description that appear.
  2. Rewrite the title for your home page so it says what you do and where.
  3. Write a one-sentence description for each main page, and check that none of them repeat.

Field notes

  • The title and description are a first impression in search results.
  • Say what the page is, who it is for and what to do next.
  • Give every page its own title and description.
  • Put important words at the beginning.
  • Skip keyword lists and unsupported claims.

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