How long should a title tag be?

Google sets no official character limit for title tags, but search results cut off titles that are too wide. A practical target is about 50 to 60 characters, which usually fits. Put the most important words first, write one clear title per page, and treat the length as a guide, because the display limit depends on pixel width.

Why it matters

The title tag is the clickable headline of your page in search results and the label on a browser tab. If it is cut off in the middle of a phrase, readers may miss the point. If it is stuffed with keywords, it reads poorly and Google may replace it with text of its own choosing.

How to check

List the title of each important page. View the page source and look for the <title> element, or use your content management system's SEO field.
Count the characters. Titles in the 50 to 60 range are a common safe zone, but wide letters such as W and M take more room than narrow ones such as i and l.
Preview the title in a search result preview tool or by searching for the page and looking at how it appears.
Move the main topic to the front. If the end gets cut off, only the less important words are lost.
Check that no two pages share the same title.

A clear pattern works for most pages:

<title>How to Create a Sitemap.xml File | Example Co</title>

Here the topic comes first and the brand name sits at the end, where it can be cut without harm.

Google's documentation says titles are generated from several sources, including the title element and the main heading, and that it may rewrite a title that is too long, empty, generic or repeated. A good title element makes a rewrite less likely, but cannot rule it out.

Common mistakes

Repeating the same title across many pages.
Stuffing several keyword variations into one title.
Putting the brand name first on every page, which pushes the topic off the end.
Leaving a default title such as Home or Untitled in place.
Treating 60 characters as a hard rule, then cutting a clear title into a vague one.

Crawvix's scan checks that every page has a unique title of sensible length.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a penalty for a long title tag?

Google does not describe a penalty. Long titles are shortened in the display, and Google may choose a different title.

Does the title length affect rankings?

Google does not publish a length-based ranking rule. Clarity and relevance matter more than the exact count.

Should the title match the H1?

They do not need to be identical, but they should clearly describe the same topic.

To see your own titles checked, Try the free website sample.