Blogging is a great way to get your content out into the world and build an audience. But writing for the web has its own set of rules, and that means knowing how to write a good title and meta description for your blog posts.
In this guide, I’ll introduce you to all of the basics of creating great article titles and meta descriptions, including how they differ from each other, and why they matter (including their impact on SEO).
What makes them effective (or not), plus some tips and tricks that will help make sure your blog articles are seen by more readers and generate more traffic in Google search results.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Crafting catchy blog article titles is crucial for engagement. |
| 2. Writing effective meta descriptions improves search ranking. |
| 3. Combine creativity and clarity for compelling meta tags. |
| 4. Tailor meta descriptions to entice users to click. |
| 5. Optimize meta descriptions for around 150-160 characters. |
Figure Out What Your Blog Readers Are Searching For
As we’ve already discussed, the title of your article is the first thing that people see and it should give them an idea of what they can expect to read. The meta description, on the other hand, gives them a more detailed overview of what they’re going to get from reading your article.
That’s why it’s so important for you to know exactly what kind of articles are being searched for by potential readers.
You need to know what keywords people are using when they search for information about those topics so that you can make sure those keywords are included in at least one part of your blog post (either in its title or in its meta description).
To figure out which keywords people are searching for when looking for information about your topic(s), there are a few different tools available:
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Include The Main Keyword In The Article Title
It is important to include the main keyword in your title and URL. This will help Google understand what your page is about, which helps it rank higher in search results.
Make Sure That The Title Is Easy To Read And Understand
A good blog title should be easy to read, understand and remember.
Ideally, a good blog title will have the following characteristics:
- Short (10 words or less)
- Easy to read, understand and remember
- Gives you an idea of what the post is about
You can achieve these goals by making sure that your title has the following attributes: Is not too long (more than 10 characters).
Does not contain too much punctuation (commas, periods, exclamation marks). Is written in full sentences without fragments or incomplete phrases. For example: “The importance of…” instead of “Importance…”.
Does not include numbers unless they are part of the title itself; for example: “10 Tips For Writing Great Blog Posts” would be acceptable.
While “Top Ten Ways to Write Better Blog Posts” would not be acceptable because it contains more than one number but also uses a plural form which might confuse readers as well as being unnecessarily wordy due to unnecessary repetition between “top ten” and “ways”.
Are you struggling to write captivating blog article titles and meta descriptions? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our comprehensive guide on how to write a blog article. Master the art of crafting engaging content.
Create Curiosity In The Article Title
The goal of your title is to create curiosity and intrigue in the reader’s mind.
If you can do this, they will be more likely to click on your article than if you were using a bland title.
So how do we accomplish this? Here are some tips:
Use a question in the title. This is a great way to get people thinking about what they want to know more about.
For example, “How Do I Write Great Blog Article Titles and Meta Descriptions?” would be much more enticing than something like “A Guide To Writing Great Blog Article Titles & Meta Descriptions”.
Use a number in the title (1-5). People love lists so if you have five simple tips for writing better blog titles then include them all as part of your headline!
The key here is that it should always be included within brackets so that it looks like an actual list item rather than just taking up space at the beginning of your sentence (see my example above).
Also, make sure that each tip has its line so that people know what order they should read them in!
Keep Your Titles Under 60 Characters
The title of your article is where you’ll be able to fit most of your keywords, so the title must be short, snappy, and easy to read.
Your readers should be able to understand your article without having to search for a definition of every word. The title should also be easy to remember and share with others, as well as searchable by Google (or whatever search engine you’re using).
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Create SEO-Friendly, Short Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are very important in the context of SEO. The search engine bots use these short summaries to determine what a web page is about and what it contains, so they can rank it appropriately.
If you want your content to be found by relevant people using search engines, then you need good meta descriptions that accurately describe your blog post or website.
It’s recommended that meta descriptions should not exceed 160 characters (including spaces) since this length maximizes the likelihood of being displayed in Google searches.
The first line should contain a maximum of 70 characters; for subsequent lines, use 55-55-55-55 characters respectively.
Write Natural Sounding Meta Descriptions
Keep it short. The meta description is a summary of your article, so if you’re able to express your entire article in just a few words, you may be okay. (But if not, it may be time to rethink your content.)
Use natural-sounding language rather than overly promotional language or keywords that don’t make sense together! Don’t use too many keywords either; Google doesn’t like keyword stuffing and will penalize you for doing so.
Don’t repeat any part of the title. You want this separate from your title because they serve different purposes: the meta description helps readers decide whether or not they want to click on an article when searching for something else (or even when scrolling through search results).
While titles are meant to entice readers into clicking on an article by making them curious about what’s inside it! So don’t repeat any parts of either one!
Write Unique, Compelling Meta Descriptions For All Articles/Pages On Your Blog
Meta descriptions are a great place to get creative and make your content stand out from the competition.
Unlike titles, which should be unique and different from everything already on your blog, meta descriptions can be used across multiple articles/pages on your blog.
They are also the first thing people see when they Google search an article title or visit the page in their browser’s search bar.
Use these tips to write compelling meta descriptions:
Use keywords that describe what your article is about but don’t overdo it with keywords or misspellings; if you do this, Google will penalize you by lowering your rankings on their search engine results pages (SERPs).
You may want to use Moz’s Keyword Explorer tool to find relevant keyword ideas for each of your pages before writing them (this is optional).
Formatting matters! Make sure that all of your meta descriptions are formatted correctly with HTML formatting tags like bold, italic, and header 2.
And don’t forget about paragraph breaks text with no breaks won’t show up as a separate entry for some reason! Be sure that every piece of text has at least one paragraph break somewhere within it so Google knows what belongs together.
I’ve seen some weird things happen where only half the word counts were showing up because they weren’t separated by paragraphs (thanks again, G!).
Use keywords to make sure that people find what they’re looking for when searching through SERPs using specific terms related
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Use Formatting To Create Better Looking Meta Descriptions In Google Search Results
This is where you can use formatting to create better-looking meta descriptions in Google search results.
- Bold, italics, and underline: Use these to highlight key points in your content.
- Bullet points: These are also great for easily breaking down ideas that go deeper than a paragraph of text.
Subheadings/headings: Using subheadings or headings to break up the article makes it easier for readers to find what they are looking for on the page and helps you rank higher on Google search pages because it shows Google that users enjoy reading your site (because they spend more time there).
This gives an SEO advantage as well as making sure users stay engaged with your website longer by providing them with more information about the topic at hand (the one being searched for).
Images: Adding images can help make your article look visually appealing and interesting which will keep people from clicking away from your blog post quickly after arriving at it from a search engine result page (SERP).
Don’t Hesitate To Optimize Your Old Posts Too!
Sometimes, you may have written a blog post back in the day without thinking about search engine optimization. However, it’s still important to ensure that your old posts are optimized for SEO as well.
This is because Google wants to show the right content to its users, so if they find your site with a title/meta description full of keywords they’ll know they’re in the right place and click through!
There are two ways you can go about this:
You can use “rel=canonical” tags on all redirects from older versions of an article to its most recent version (in case someone goes directly to the older version).
This tells Google which pages should be considered first when showing search results related to each other (e.g., showing both versions as separate results when searching for “best essay writing service”).
Learn How To Use Keywords, Formatting, And A Bit Of Creativity To Write Great Blog Article Titles And Meta Descriptions
This is the part of your article where you have a chance to make an impression on readers.
The headline and meta description are the first thing people see before they decide to click on your article or not. They also play an important role in search engine optimization for your blog posts, so you must write them carefully.
The headline is one of the most important things when writing a blog post because it’s what grabs the reader’s attention and determines whether they will read more or move on. Headlines should be short, descriptive, easy-to-read, and active rather than passive voice (avoiding “was”).
But most importantly: relevant! If someone searches for [how] then don’t use [which]. Also, avoid cliches like “You Should Know This!” as these headlines get ignored by both humans and search engines alike!
If you aspire to be a prolific blogger, improving your blog post writing is a must. Check out our expert tips on improving your blog post writing and unleash the power of impactful content.
Conclusion
The key to a great blog article title and meta description is to make it compelling, informative, and interesting.
If you can do this, then you’ll have a much better chance of getting your blog posts shared on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, which means more exposure for your brand!
Further Reading
How to Write a Meta Description – HubSpot Learn valuable tips and best practices for writing compelling meta descriptions that drive clicks and improve search engine visibility.
How to Write Meta Titles and Descriptions – Exposure Ninja Discover the essential elements of crafting effective meta titles and descriptions to optimize your website’s search engine performance.
Meta Description Examples – Themeisle Explore a collection of real-world meta description examples that will inspire you to create engaging and click-worthy meta tags.
FAQs
What is a meta description?
A meta description is an HTML tag that provides a concise summary of a webpage’s content. It appears in search engine results below the page title and influences click-through rates.
Why are meta descriptions important for SEO?
Meta descriptions impact search engine ranking and user engagement. A well-optimized meta description can attract more clicks and improve organic search performance.
How long should a meta description be?
An ideal meta description length is around 150-160 characters. It should be descriptive, compelling, and relevant to entice users to click on the link.
Can I use the same meta description for multiple pages?
It’s best to avoid using the same meta description for multiple pages. Each page should have a unique and tailored meta description that accurately reflects its content.
How often should I update meta descriptions?
Regularly reviewing and updating meta descriptions is essential, especially when there are changes to your content. Keeping them fresh can positively impact search engine visibility.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.