It’s worth a closer look at how Google displays titles in search results.
The Way Titles Appear in Google Search Results is Changing
Google announced it’s changing the way it displays titles in search results for some pages, a shift toward more readable and accessible titles for users.
While the search engine still leverages title tags in more than 80% of its search results, there are changes to the way titles appear in search results for the remaining percentage. To be specific, Google says when it rewrites a title, it is now:
No longer based on a user’s search query
Based on what a user sees visually on the page itself
Truncated if the current title tag is too long
If Google decides to display its own title, rather than a title tag already assigned or when there is no existing title tag, it chooses to base the title on what a user sees visually on the page itself. Typically, this will reflect the main title or header, such as an H1 tag, on a page.
Again, this change reflects the search engine’s intent to make titles appear more readable and accessible. So, if you’re noticing your title tags aren’t appearing in search the way you intended, then it may be Google rewriting the title on your behalf. You may also want to take a closer look at headers being used on your website pages.
Hopefully, if your titles are being amended by Google, it also means you’re getting more traffic as a result!
Check Your Website Titles and Headers
If you’re curious about the title tags and header tags being used on your website pages, let us know. We’re happy to help you navigate a website audit to see if any updates would be helpful for search results and website traffic.
