Fix: Pages have too much text within title tags | Semrush Solution

How to Fix Long Title Tags in SEMrush

When using SEMrush, you might come across a warning stating that your pages have too much text in their title tags. But what does this mean for your SEO? Should you worry about it? Let's break down the significance of this warning, the impact of long title tags, and how to fix them for optimal SEO performance.

1. Understanding the SEMrush Warning

Firstly, if you see this warning, don’t panic! SEMrush flags it as a "warning" rather than an "error." This distinction is important because it suggests that while a long title tag might not be ideal, it’s not detrimental to your rankings. Google has stated that it doesn’t penalize websites for long title tags directly. In other words, your rankings won’t automatically drop because your title is a bit lengthy.

2. Why Shorter Title Tags Matter

Even though there’s no penalty for long title tags, keeping them concise offers benefits, particularly for user engagement. Here’s why:

• Visibility and Readability: When a title tag exceeds the character limit, Google truncates it, replacing the excess with “...” (ellipsis). For instance, a title that reads “Who is Gary Vaynerchuk and why he is…” doesn’t communicate a complete message, making users unsure of what they’ll find on the page. Compare that to a clear title like “Everything You Wanted to Know About Gary Vaynerchuk.” The clarity of the message can attract more clicks.

• Keyword Focus: Including keywords early in your title tag can enhance SEO. Let’s say your target keyword is "Gary V." If the title tag has only five words, the keyword constitutes 40% of the tag, strengthening its focus. However, if your title tag has, for example, 100 words, the keyword's focus drops to only 2%. A concise title tag keeps your keyword in the spotlight, which is favorable for both rankings and clarity.

3. Fixing Long Title Tags

A common cause of excessively long title tags is automatic appending of the business or website name at the end. Many website platforms—WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, etc.—add this by default. For instance, if your business name is “Meredith Zinner Photography,” it could make a title tag overly lengthy when added to the end, resulting in truncation.

• Adjusting Platform Settings: You can adjust this by accessing the SEO settings on your website platform. In WordPress, for example, use the Yoast SEO plugin to turn off the feature that appends your business name automatically. On Squarespace, you’ll find this setting in the site configuration options.

• Using Business Name Wisely: In some cases, adding your business name is beneficial for branding, but consider the length of your business name and the specific title. If your name is lengthy, turning off this feature can give you precise control over the titles, helping avoid awkward truncations.

Final Thoughts

Although having a long title tag won’t hurt your rankings, it’s good practice to keep them brief and keyword-focused for user clarity and engagement. Taking the time to manually control and craft your title tags can make a difference in click-through rates and overall SEO effectiveness.

For more tips on title tag best practices, check out the additional resources linked below!