The title is too long or too short

Why it matters

Google sets no limit on a title's length, but it cuts the title link "as needed, typically to fit the device width", which in practice is around 60 characters on a desktop result. Whatever comes after that, often your brand name or the town you work in, is replaced by "…". A very short title ("Home") wastes the most-read line you have and tells nobody what the page offers.

Source: Influencing your title links in search results, which asks for titles that are "descriptive and concise". The 30 and 60 character marks are a widely used rule of thumb, not Google's numbers: the real cut is by pixel width.

How to fix it

Aim for 30 to 60 characters, with what the page is about first and the brand last, so that a cut loses the least important part:

<title>Wedding cakes in Leeds | Flour & Co</title>

Examples

These are the rule's own test pages, and what it says about each. They are run on every change to the rule book.

<title>Wedding cakes, birthday cakes, cupcakes and celebration bakes in Leeds | Flour &amp; Co</title>

WarningThe title is 83 characters. Search results cut it at about 60, so the end won't be seen.

fail-long

<title>Home</title>

Asked for: https://www.example.com/cakes

NoticeThe title is only 4 characters. There is room to say what the page offers and where.

fail-short

<title>Wedding cakes in Leeds | Flour &amp; Co</title>

Asked for: https://www.example.com/cakes

PassedThe title is 35 characters, which fits a search result.

pass-35