Identifying the Titles of Documents and Webpages
Best Practices for Metadata for
Wisconsin State Agency Web Writers and Administrators

Shiela Pollock (shiela.pollock@dpi.wi.gov), (608) 224-5395
Abby Swanton (abbigail.swanton@dpi.wi.gov) (608) 224-6174
Reference and Loan Library, Dept. of Public Instruction

Title

Example: <title>Wisconsin guidelines for writing a good HTML title metatag</title>

Definition: The name of the document or web page given to the page by the Creator or Publisher.

How used: This element appears in the users' bookmark and at the top of the browser. The state's search engine uses the title metatag when searching and displaying search results, as do commercial search engines.

Importance: Very important. The state portal's search engine gives a term appearing in the title considerable weight.

Format: Text string. Should be long enough to be descriptive, but not too long. A 30-character title might be a good target for most circumstances.

Page titles should:

• Provide a clear and accurate description of the page content
• Be concise
  • Aim to restrict the page title to less than 30 characters
  • Omit unnecessary words
  • Do not use 'a', 'an', 'the'
  • If you need to identify the organization or author, keep the identification as brief as possible
• Be easy to scan
• Not use jargon, acronyms, or abbreviations (unless widely known by the general public)
• Be unique, remember the goal to convey the distinct nature of this page vs. similar ones
• Put important/unique words at the beginning of the title
• Use mixed (sentence) case

Write a distinct title for each of your pages. Focus on the unique content and purpose of that particular page.

• Each of your pages is different.
• Each page has or should have a special item of importance
• Look at your pages and think of the special part that the page plays in your overall service.

Example: State of Florida's Adoption Program webpage

Last updated on 6/22/2009 10:13:03 AM