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SEO title length: how long a title tag should be

Google sets no character limit on the title element, but it truncates title links to fit the device width. Keep the important words in roughly the first 60 characters, lead with what the page is about, and put the brand at the start or end after a hyphen, colon or pipe. Google rewrites titles that are vague, stuffed or boilerplate.

The rule: Write a unique, descriptive <title> per page with the brand at the start or end

Impact Evidence Applies to Last checked
High Official guidance Google, Bing Oct 30, 2026

Why it matters

Google builds title links mainly from the title element, but also uses the visible H1, og:title, anchor text and WebSite structured data, and it rewrites titles that are vague, stuffed or boilerplate. There is no character limit, but long titles get truncated to the device width. Distinct titles make each page easier to pick for a specific query.

How to do it

  1. Lead with what the page is about, then add the brand after a hyphen, colon or pipe
  2. Make the H1 and title say the same thing in slightly different words
  3. Remove repeated boilerplate that differs by only one word across many pages
  4. Keep the important words in roughly the first 60 characters so truncation doesn't cut them

Example

Topic first, brand last
<title>Soft 404 Errors: Causes and Fixes | Example</title>

Questions

Why does Google change my title tag?

Google rewrites titles that are vague, keyword-stuffed or repeated boilerplate. It builds title links mainly from the title element, but also from the visible H1, og:title, anchor text and WebSite structured data, so a title that matches the page's main heading is the safest.

Should I put my brand name in the title tag?

Yes, at the start or end, separated by a hyphen, colon or pipe. On inner pages keep the brand short, since a long brand line repeated on every page wastes the visible part of the title.

Should every page have a unique title?

Yes. Titles that differ by only one word across many pages are hard to tell apart, and Google may replace them. A distinct title makes each page easier to pick for a specific query.

How many times should a keyword appear in a title tag?

Once. Google says there is no reason to have the same words or phrases appear multiple times, and repetition can make the result look spammy.

Sources

Change history

Date Change What changed
Oct 30, 2026 Added Added to the rulebook.

Checked against its sources every Monday. Only content changes are listed.

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