Challenge: Missing Optimization Opportunities in Title Tags
Google alters how title tags are displayed about 76% of the time, and 63% of these changes involve removing brand names in favor of including more descriptive, useful keywords related to the page intent.
We observed this happening in our self storage client’s blog, which included “| Client Brand Name” at the end of title tags. Google was often removing this text string in search results, and the brand name was taking up valuable pixel width in title tags.
Solution: Remove Client Brand Name From Title Tag
We tested removing the pipe and brand name from 23 different blogs’ title tags, optimizing the remaining pixel width with additional keywords. We also assessed the H1 page title for additional optimization opportunities based on keyword research. Through these on-page optimizations, we hoped to increase the total number of keywords, average positions for target keywords, impressions, clicks, and CTR for the 23 blog posts.
SEO Strategist Aubrey Boles explains how the initial test group was chosen:
“The posts tested hadn’t been updated in the past few months and were not scheduled for updates for at least three months after implementing the new title tags and H1s. Posts were pulled from a variety of categories across the client’s blog to help monitor whether certain categories performed better than others after the changes.”
Results: 57.1% Increase in Clicks & 63.5% Increase in Impressions
In one month, the posts within the test group saw a 57.1% increase in clicks and a 63.5% increase in impressions on average. During the test period, a Google algorithm update positively impacted the client’s blog overall, leading to a 38% increase in clicks and a 52% increase in impressions across the entire blog. Due to the test group’s higher margin of improvement, we classify the title tag optimizations as a success.
Top performing blogs for these optimizations include:
Apartment Neighbors Blog Post
- Clicks: +63.4%
- Impressions: +70.7%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +45%
- All Keywords: +7%
- SERP Features: +342%
Airbnb Blog Post
- Clicks: +20.8%
- Impressions: +44.1%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +0%
- All Keywords: +17%
- SERP Features: +13%
In-Law Suite Blog Post
- Clicks: +139.9%
- Impressions: +40.1%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +225%
- All Keywords: +22%
- SERP Features: +141%
Cat Room Blog Post
- Clicks: +228.6%
- Impressions: +308.4%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +1200%
- All Keywords: +19%
- SERP Features: +550%
Storing Wine Blog Post
- Clicks: +427.3%
- Impressions: +342.6%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +100%
- All Keywords: +37%
- SERP Features: +1900%
Antique Shopping Blog Post
- Clicks: +500%
- Impressions: +717.1%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +0%
- All Keywords: +17%
- SERP Features: +3460%
Landscape Design Blog Post
- Clicks: +628.6%
- Impressions: +702.4%
- Position 1-3 Keywords: +0%
- All Keywords: +70%
- SERP Features: +763%
Key Takeaways From Title Tag Test
By reworking our self storage client’s blog title tags rather than leaving it up to the search engine, we were able to better control which target keywords would be featured, allowing our client to more effectively rank for the correct target search intents.
Looking to level up your marketing strategy? Hurrdat is proud to offer comprehensive marketing services like on-page SEO and content marketing to boost your brand’s search rankings and get found by more of your customers online. Get started today!
