One of the first things I look at when I visit any site is the title tag.  And, yes, I realize I’m in the minority.  Most people, including developers, don’t realize the impact of the title tag outside of the code.  The search engines apply a lot of weight to keywords used in tags.  Because of this, everyone who has a website should follow this rule of thumb:

Effectively use title tags to your advantage.

This means you need to purposely title your pages in a consistent, relevant & keyword-rich manner.  This can typically be accomplished in the following template as a guideline:

[Keyword you want to rank for] – [Page description] – [Site name].  Feel free to replace the hyphens with pipes or whatever. That’s simply aesthetics.  Here is why I recommend this set up:

1. Words closest to the front get a heavier weight, so know & use the keywords you want to rank for.

2. Page description section can still be seen in a search results page so the user knows what they are clicking

3. Site name just for good measure.  This can be excluded for the purpose in #4.

4. Too many words dilute the overall affectiveness of the tag.  Don’t cram everything into the title.  only the core terms.

5. Avoid simple terms like “Welcome!” or “Home”.  These tell the user nothing about that page.  Give them the information they need pre-click.

If you lack the ability to customize title tags, talk to your developers or look into your CMS and figure out a way to gain this ability.  Title tags are often cast aside by developers without knowing the incredible power they have over how the site ranks.