Is title tag length actually important?

[matt.nails]

Hey Mozzers,

Here are some title tag facts as i see them

1. After 50-60 characters Google shortens your title.
2. You want your most compelling info in the title to be readable and not truncated, so it should be written clearly before the character limit.
3. Most important keywords should be used used as close to the start of the title as possible.

My question is: Does Google still index the words after 50-60 chars? Many SEO graders make such a big deal about length and i am wondering if they are wrong.

Thanks,

Nails

[Alick300]

Hi,

As far as I know yes it is important.

50–60 Characters – This is one of those things where best practices usually is the best way to go because the optimal length is usually 50 to 60 characters.

Check latest whiteboard friday @ https://moz.com/blog/title-tag-hacks-whiteboard-friday

Thanks

[Ian_Lewis]

Hi,

Yes I believe they are important, if the page title is too long, Google will typically truncate the title to fit within the guidelines (Around 50-60 Characters).

If this happens, then you run the risk of losing out on important keywords, or having a page title that doesn't really make sense.

If the page title is too short then you'll be losing out on valuable space where you can include important keywords or your brand name!

Page titles in my opinion will always look better, and entice CTR if they follow a similar fashion to my example below:

Keyword | Brand Name

However, I would say don't be too strict on the page title length, for example if you have one that is 48 Characters or 65 Characters long, I wouldn't worry. It's the page titles that are 20 Characters long, you're under utilizing or 90 Characters long that won't be displayed correctly.

I'm not sure what you mean, if Google index keywords beyond 60 Characters, Google will index pages, and the content within it. Page titles are generally used for the link you click within your search results. Hence why they are so important as they should do everything possible to encourage CTR.

Thinks of the page title as the first thing a user will see/notice when looking through the results page.

Hope this helps!

Ian

[Igor.Go]

As long as it looks good in SERP and hosts your target keyword you're good.

Yes, google will cut the title at 512px or around 50-60 characters, but if the main information fits within the limit you're good. Plus google still reads and accounts for the rest of your title. Sometimes, shortened title ca even improve CTR, it can work like a click bait title. Think of something like: Best practices for titles are keeping them under 60 chars, adding your keyword and...

But, of course, there's a common practice and it is there for a reason, in the most cases title that fits completely in SERP works best.

[matt.nails]

Thanks to everyone for the discussion; i really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

Have a great day,

Nails