onpage
Optimal title length
MetricSpot checks that your page title is between roughly 40 and 65 characters. Too short and you waste a ranking slot; too long and Google truncates it in search results.
What this check does
Counts the characters in your page’s <title> element. Hits the “good” range when the title is roughly 40–65 characters — fitting comfortably in a Google search result on both desktop and mobile.
Why it matters
The title is the single biggest on-page signal for what your page is about. It appears as the blue link in search results, as the browser tab label, and as the default text when someone shares the page. Three failure modes:
- Too short (under 30 chars): you’re not using all the keyword real estate. A title like “Pricing” tells Google nothing — “MetricSpot pricing - free, Premium, Pro plans” tells it everything.
- Too long (over 70 chars): Google truncates the title in search results with an ellipsis. The truncated tail is wasted; the click-through rate drops.
- Same title on every page: if your title is
"<Site Name>"everywhere, every page competes with itself for rankings.
How to fix it
Aim for: Primary keyword | Secondary keyword - Brand, around 50–60 characters.
Examples:
| Bad | Good |
|---|---|
Home | `Free SEO and AI-readability audit |
Welcome to Our Site | White-label PDF SEO reports for agencies - MetricSpot |
Article | How to write a meta description that ranks - MetricSpot blog |
Framework helpers:
- Astro: in your Layout —
<title>{title}</title> - Next.js (App Router):
export const metadata = { title: 'Page-specific title' } - WordPress: Yoast / Rank Math both let you template per-post titles with placeholders.
Google does override titles ~15% of the time when it thinks yours is misleading. You can’t force it, but writing accurate, query-matching titles minimizes overrides.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google count characters or pixels?
Pixels, really — but characters are a close enough proxy. The Google SERP layout fits roughly 600 pixels of title text on desktop, ~580 on mobile. Capital letters and wide characters (W, M) eat more space.
What about “title-length” tools that say I should use 50–60?
50–60 is the safest range. 40–65 is the “won’t trigger a warning” range. Closer to 60 = more keyword room; closer to 50 = more visual breathing room.
Should I include my brand name?
Yes, on all pages except maybe the homepage (which is implicitly the brand). The brand at the end of every title builds recognition across the SERP, even when users don’t click.
Sources
Last updated 2026-05-11