What is the best way to handle e-commerce Product title names?

[clickshipcommerce]

Hello,

I'm having a little bit of a conundrum, and I'm hoping someone will be able to help!

We have an ecommerce site, and were trying to figure out what is the most SEO friendly way to handle product titles.  With our ecommerce software, it currently sets the Product title as the H1 tag (which could be changed if needed).  In addition, the product title is what is used as anchor text for any built in links that the ecommerce software builds from the category pages, etc (just like any other ecommerce site).  Here's where I'm stuck.  I'm trying to determine if it makes sense to use the specific keyword we are aiming for as the product title, or to put variations of the title that would be more descriptive.  Here is an example:

We have a Wizard of Oz Dorothy Deluxe Girls Shoes.  According to all accounts, the best keyword to attack for this would be "dorothy shoes".  However, it loses the more accurate description of "Wizard of Oz Dorothy Deluxe Girl Shoes".  But, my thinking is that the H1 tag and anchor text would make more sense to use the term "Dorothy Shoes".

The title tag could go something like this: "Wizard of Oz Dorothy Deluxe Girls Shoes | Dorothy Shoes"

In a situation like this, what do you think would be the "best" way to handle the title tag, product name, H1 tag, and anchor text?  I'm sure there will be many different opinions, so I would like to hear what you think is best - and why.

[AlanBleiweiss]

Chris,

There are many factors to consider that would go into a decision here.  On the one hand, if "dorothy shoes" is truly the best phrase to use to describe the products AND happens to be the best from an SEO search volume perspective, then yes, that's the way to go.

Here's a question though - could such a short phrase actually be searched by people on a large enough volume who are NOT looking to buy those?  That question would need to be asked about every product. It's not just enough to base the decision on search volume.  Intent is critical.

Also, if you do enough other SEO, it could be just as valid to use a longer, more descriptive title.  That scenario allows you to reach a much more diverse group of people searching than that limited to a very short phrase.  You'd need to have quality unique content built up to drive the importance of the shorter phrase, for example.  Then again, the opposite can be achieved - using the short phrase as the product title, then building up the long tail through content and other links, for example.

What I have found personally is product titles should as a general rule, be based on what the product actually is, then using other SEO means to build focus around alternate phrase variations.  So whether that's "Dorothy Shoes" or "Wizard of Oz Dorothy Shoes" (seemingly to me on first pass, the best two alternatives), that just comes across less spammy as "Wizard of Oz Dorothy Deluxe Girls Shoes | Dorothy Shoes".

Given how we need to find balance while avoiding the potential "over-optimization" now more than ever, that's my recommendation.

[EGOL]

People SCAN the SERPs.  They don't read every single word of each and every title.

So, if you want them to read yours you better make it something other than a reallylongtonguetwisterwithapipeandcaboose

If I thought that most people are searchin' for "Dorothy Shoes" ... and some might include "Wizard of Oz" then I would have those in the title and not much else.

You don't need "girls" because very few boys are searching.  And very few people are going to use "deluxe".  Drop the pipe and the repetition.

... and if these shoes are the "ruby slippers" you better get that in there...

Dorothy Shoes: Ruby Slippers from the Wizard of Oz