What Is a Meta Title?
A meta title (also called a title tag) is the HTML element that defines the title of a web page. It appears in three key places: the browser tab, Google search results as the blue clickable headline, and social media shares. It is written as <title>Your Page Title</title> in the page's <head> section.
Meta Title vs H1 Tag
| Element | Where It Appears | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Title (title tag) | Browser tab, search results, social shares | Tells search engines and users what the page is about |
| H1 Tag | On the page itself | Main visible heading for readers |
They should be related but do not need to be identical. The meta title is constrained by pixel width (~580px / 60 characters) while the H1 can be longer and more descriptive. Learn more about writing H1 tags.
How to Write a Good Meta Title
- 30-60 characters — Google truncates longer titles
- Primary keyword first — front-load the most important words
- Unique per page — no two pages should share the same title
- Brand at the end — separated by | or -
- Compelling — make users want to click
For detailed guidance, see how to write title tags for SEO. Check your titles with the title tag checker or preview them in the SERP snippet generator.
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Last updated: March 2026