Definition
A title tag is the HTML <title> element that names a page. Search engines read it as the page's name, and Google uses it as the main source for the clickable title shown in search results, which Google calls the title link, but it can build that title link from other text instead.
Example. A <title> element reading "Canonical Tags Explained | Hawk Academy" is what a browser tab shows, and usually what Google shows as the result's title.
You can find the pages Google shows but nobody clicks, and get rewritten title tags for them, with the free Title Tag Optimizer skill.
Is a title tag the same as a title link?
A title tag is not the same as a title link. The title tag is what you write; the title link is what Google shows, and Google generates it from several sources: the <title> element, the main visual title on the page, headings such as the H1, the og:title meta tag, anchor text on the page, and the text of links pointing to it.
Most of the time the title link matches the title tag. When it does not, Google has usually decided the tag describes the page badly, which is the next question.
Why does Google rewrite title tags?
Google rewrites title tags most often for four reasons it names: half-empty, obsolete, inaccurate, and micro-boilerplate titles. A half-empty title is just the brand. An obsolete one carries a past year. An inaccurate one no longer matches the page. Micro-boilerplate is the same text repeated across a set of near-identical pages, such as every page of a forum section.
How long should a title tag be?
A title tag has no length limit from Google. Google states that there is no limit on how long a <title> element can be, and that the title link is truncated as needed to fit the device width. Character counts in SEO tools are a guess at where the cut falls on a typical screen, not a rule, so put the words that matter first and let the end fall where it falls.
What makes a good title tag?
A good title tag is unique, descriptive and concise, with the brand kept short. These are the practices Google lists for the <title> element.
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Give every page its own title | Keyword stuffing |
| Describe the page in clear, concise text | Repeated or boilerplate text across pages |
| Brand the title briefly | A title that is only the brand, or outdated |
Sources
- Google Search Central: Influencing your title links in search results
- Google Search Central: Visual elements gallery
Last checked against these sources on 26 October 2026.