What is a ‘Search Title’?
The Search Title tells search engines which title you want to be displayed on search engine result pages (SERPs). It can be a simplified version of the headline that appears in your article. The Search Title also sets the page title for display in browser tabs and when the page is shared on social media.
Including a Search Title for your web pages makes it easier for search engine crawlers to read, classify, and rank your content.
What is a ‘Search Description’?
A search description summarizes the content of the article for search engine crawlers and internet users. It usually appears below the title on the search engine results page.
Interested in learning best practices? Check out this article for Best Practices for Search Information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where can I find Search Title and Search Description in Bertie?
A: Navigate to a story in Bertie, click the 'Publish' button and you will see Search Title followed by Search Description. For reference, review the screenshot below:
Q: What's the difference between my Search Title and the Headline above the body copy in my story?
A: The Headline is what will appear on Forbes.com and on social media when shared. The Search Title is used for search engine results only, so you can follow SEO guidelines (Google, Bing, etc.) but also have a Headline that is editorially driven.
Q: What are the recommended character counts for Search Title and Search Description?
A: Our SEO experts recommend for best performance your Search Title should be between 40 and 70 characters. Your Search Description should be between 110 and 160 characters.
Q: Why is Google (or another Search Engine like Bing) displaying a different Search Title than what I wrote in the search results?
A: Search engines like Google may choose to display a different search title for your story due to several reasons.
Q: What are some reasons why search engines would use a different Search Title?
A: There are a few possible reasons:
Relevance: Search Engines aim to provide the most relevant and useful information to their users. If Google believes a different title better represents the article's content or matches the user's search intent, Google may modify the Search Title accordingly.
Length: Search engines like Google have specific character limits for search headlines displayed in search results. If your original Search Title exceeds the limit, the search engine might shorten it or select a more concise version to fit the space.
Duplicates: If multiple articles have identical or very similar titles, search engines may choose to display a unique search title to differentiate the articles and improve user experience.
User Query Matching: Search engines strive to match the user's search query with the most relevant information. If the search engine finds a better match in your article, it may select a search title that aligns closely with the user's query.
Q: Should I be concerned if Google uses a different search title for my article?
A: Not necessarily. While it can be surprising to see a different search title, search engines aim to provide the most relevant and compelling information to users. If the displayed search title accurately represents your article's content and aligns with search intent, it can still drive traffic to your article.
Q: Why are search titles important?
A: Search titles are important for SEO because they help search engines understand the content of the page, which can influence the page's visibility and ranking in search results. They also play a role in encouraging clicks from potential visitors.
Q: Do search titles directly affect my article’s search engine rankings?
A: Yes, search titles can directly affect your article’s search engine rankings. A well-crafted search title that accurately reflects the content of the page and includes relevant keywords can help improve the article’s visibility and ranking in search results.
Q: Why are search descriptions important?
A: Search descriptions are important for your article because they help potential readers decide whether or not to click on the article link. They also help search engines understand what the article is about, which can improve its visibility in search results.
Q: Do search descriptions directly affect my article’s search engine rankings?
A: As with other articles, search descriptions do not directly affect search engine rankings. However, they can indirectly impact rankings by influencing click-through rates (CTR) from search engine results pages (SERPs). A higher CTR can lead to increased traffic and engagement, which can help improve your search engine rankings over time. Search descriptions also drive the “People Also Ask” snippets in SERPs. (Example below)