How to Optimize SEO Metadata: Titles and Descriptions

Updated 13 October 2026: this guide now includes worked examples, current Google guidance, and a way to measure a change without mistaking a ranking problem for a snippet problem.

Start with the page, then write its search metadata. A useful title tells a searcher what the page helps them do. A useful meta description gives a specific, honest preview. Both should match the visible page. Google may show a different title link or snippet for a particular search, and better wording cannot make an unhelpful page rank on its own.

This workflow works for a blog post, product category, service page, or tool landing page. You can use it in any CMS. I’ll show where the fields live in Ghost near the end.

Know which field does which job

• HTML <title>: the browser-tab title and an important source Google may use for a search result’s clickable title link. A CMS may label its editor field “SEO title” or “Meta title,” though the output is normally a <title> element.
• Meta description: a page-specific summary in <meta name="description">. Google primarily creates snippets from the page itself and may use this description when it is a better preview. Google says the description tag is not used for ranking; it is an opportunity to explain the page to a potential visitor.
• Visible heading and opening: what the reader actually sees. Google can also use prominent on-page text to form a title link or snippet, so these should support the same page promise.
• Open Graph and X cards: title, description, and image for social sharing. They are separate from the search title and meta description. You can keep the message consistent while writing for the different context of a shared link.

Google documents the sources it can use for title links and how it creates search snippets. A preview tool can show whether your HTML is present, but it cannot promise the exact words Google will display for every query.

A five-step writing workflow

1. Pick one URL and define the reader’s task

Write one sentence: “This page helps someone _____.” Look at the page’s actual offer, examples, and next step. If it is already receiving search impressions, filter Google Search Console’s Performance report to that URL and read its Queries tab. Our Search Console content-map guide explains how to group those queries. The page’s promise matters more than forcing every variant into the title.

2. Draft a title that distinguishes this page

Put the main topic in natural language, then add the specific outcome or scope. Ask whether the title still makes sense if it appears beside five similar results. Avoid repeating the same keyword, adding a year that will soon be stale, or appending the brand mechanically when it crowds out the useful words. Keep it concise, but do not treat “60 characters” as a Google limit. Google says a title link may be truncated to fit the device width; there is no fixed character cap for the <title> element.

3. Write a description that earns its space

In one or two sentences, say what the visitor will actually find: a process, comparison, tool, product range, or answer. Include a relevant detail that distinguishes this URL. A call to action is useful when it fits the page, but “click now” does not replace a clear summary. Make important information understandable early in case the snippet is shortened. Google sets no fixed meta-description length; its displayed snippet is truncated as needed, often according to device width.

4. Match the visible page and social cards

Check the H1 and first screen of the page. If your new title promises a checklist, the checklist should be easy to find. If it promises prices, show current prices or a clear pricing path. Set a suitable social image and social title/description for shared links; do not assume those fields will force Google’s search snippet. Keep the existing canonical URL when you are improving the same page.

5. Publish, verify, and record the change

Check the rendered page’s <title>, description, canonical, and social tags, then view it on a narrow screen. Record the edit date and the previous completed 28-day page/query baseline. Search Console’s Performance report lets you inspect a page’s queries, clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position. Give Google time to recrawl before judging what it displays.

Worked examples: change the promise, not just the character count

Example A: a practical article

Imagine an article that actually contains a step-by-step workflow and before/after examples.

Weak title: SEO Metadata Guide | Example Site
Better title: SEO Metadata: Write Titles and Descriptions

Weak description: Learn everything about metadata and boost your SEO.
Better description: Write page-specific SEO titles and descriptions with a five-step workflow, before-and-after examples, and a Search Console review plan.

The revision names the task and what the article contains. It removes the unearned promise to “boost” rankings. If the article lacks the examples or review plan, fix the page before using this copy.

Example B: a fictional product category

Imagine a store category with trail running shoes, filters for grip and fit, and a size guide. “Northline” is a fictional brand for this example.

Weak title: Running Shoes | Northline
Better title: Trail Running Shoes: Grip, Fit & Sizes | Northline

Weak description: Shop our amazing range of shoes today.
Better description: Compare trail running shoes by terrain, grip, and fit. Check sizes and find the pair that suits your next route.

The second version helps a shopper choose. It would be misleading for a category without those filters and size information. This is a writing example, not a claim that a specific title will win a ranking or click-rate test.

What if Google shows different words?

First check the HTML you actually published. If Google has recrawled the page and still shows a different title, compare your <title> with the H1, prominent text, anchors, and the searcher’s query. Google can generate title links from several sources and can choose page text for a query-specific snippet. A difference is not automatically an error. If the displayed wording is more accurate, consider whether the page or your proposed metadata is the part that needs revision. Do not repeatedly change the title based on one isolated search result.

Where to set this in Ghost

In Ghost, open the existing post and use Post settings → Meta data for the search title and description. The separate X card and Facebook card panels hold social copy. Preview, save, then check the live page. Ghost’s post-settings guide describes these fields. The publication-wide settings are for the site’s own metadata; they do not replace a thoughtful page-specific description. Ghost already supplies canonical tags and structured data for posts, so adding generic schema to Code Injection is not a routine metadata step.

If the page already has a useful feature image, confirm its alternative text and the image used in social cards. Keep the existing post URL when refreshing its copy. Our Search Console quick-wins guide helps you decide which existing page deserves attention first; an AI-assisted draft can be a starting point, but review every claim against the page.

Measure the result without overclaiming

After at least 28 completed days, compare the same URL and relevant non-branded queries with the earlier period. Read clicks and impressions alongside average position, CTR, country, and device. A page averaging position 80 has little chance to earn clicks regardless of snippet polish; improving the page’s usefulness and relevance is the main task. If position or the query mix changes, a CTR difference alone cannot isolate the effect of your wording. Search Console also omits some low-volume query rows, so do not expect every table sum to match the page total.

Keep a small change note: URL; reader task; current title and description; proposed title and description; visible H1 check; edit date; completed 28-day baseline; and review date. Make one coherent change, verify the live HTML, and revisit the page with enough data to make a decision. The goal is a result and a landing page that tell the same, useful story.