Anatomy of an Effective Page Title and Meta Description

To create a compelling page title and description, it is important to follow a systematic approach. Below are the steps we take when creating these for client or our own internal sites.

Anatomy of an Effective Page Title and Meta Description
  • Analyze Word Frequency: Begin by running your article through a reliable tool like wordcounter.net. This will help you identify the most common 2, 3, and 4-word phrases used in your content.
  • Select Targeted Keyword Phrases: Based on the frequency of occurrence and search volume, determine which keyword phrases to focus on. Utilize SEMRush to find the monthly search volume for potential keywords.
  • Optimize Content: If necessary, rephrase certain sections of your content to incorporate the target keywords. Aim to mention each chosen keyword at least three times throughout the piece.
  • Craft the Meta Title: Your meta title should be concise, containing a maximum of 60 characters. It should also include your target keywords. Choose the first and second keywords that have sufficient search volume to justify their usage. While some keywords may have a lower search volume, they may still be important to include on your site.
  • Avoid Keyword Conflicts: Ensure that the keywords you select are not already targeted by other pages on your website. If there is an exact match, opt for a similar yet distinct keyword that also has adequate search volume.
  • Distinguish from H1 Tag: Make sure your meta title is not identical to the H1 tag, which is typically the title of your article. In this example, the title of the blog post is “Website Security: WaaS Solutions for Digital Security.”
  • In the article I am using as an example, which can be found here, I have selected the keywords "Digital Security" and "Website Security." Additionally, I have managed to naturally incorporate the phrase "WaaS Solutions" in the title, description, and content of the article. Although I am not including it in my keyword research since it is the target keyword for a different page on the website, its presence further reinforces that this website is highly suitable for search engines to display to users seeking WaaS Solutions. Below is the search volume for the other two key phrases I am targeting:
  1. Website Security: 1.6k searches per month
  2. Digital Security: 2.4k searches per month
  • The title must appeal not only to search engines but also to people. It should captivate your target audience, resonate with them, and effectively convey your intended message while incorporating the target keywords.
  • Moving on to the meta description, it is essential to include the target keywords and keep it within 160 characters. Rather than simply duplicating content from the article, it is advisable to craft a unique meta description.
  • For the article I am using for this example I wrote the following meta description, which is precisely 150 characters in length and encompasses both of the aforementioned keywords:
    • “WaaS Solutions for Digital Security from Always Fresh to safeguard your business. Understand managed website security and how Webflow handles threats”.

ARTICLE LINK: Website Security: WaaS Solutions for Digital Security

PAGE TITLE: WaaS Solutions for Digital Security | Website Security & Solutions

META DESCRIPTION: WaaS Solutions for Digital Security from Always Fresh to safeguard your business. Understand managed website security and how Webflow handles threats.

TARGET KEYWORDS: website security, digital security, WaaS solutions

The above accurately depicts the key points mentioned by making sure the target keywords are mentioned more than once on the page, they have a substantial monthly search volume, and are included in the page title and description. The target keywords do not conflict with other pages on the site and the meta title is not identical to the H1 tag. Mission accomplished!

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