The page title (title tag) and the meta description are the two lines Google shows in the results list. Google truncates by pixel width, not by character count, but as a rule of thumb, titles up to around 60 characters and descriptions up to around 155 characters usually remain fully visible. The title names the topic and location, the description the concrete benefit, both without strings of keywords.
In the results list, searchers see exactly two lines from your page: the blue page title and the description below it. That's it. These two lines decide whether someone clicks or scrolls on to the next result. Yet on many SME websites, pages are named "Home", "Services" or "Welcome", and the description is missing altogether.
What these two lines technically are
The page title sits in the source code as a title tag in the page's head section. Google treats it as the main source for the title link in the results list, but also draws on the main heading and link text if the tag isn't usable. The meta description is a second entry in the head section. Google uses it as a suggestion for the snippet, the grey text under the title. According to Google, the description is not a ranking signal, it only affects the click.
Every common CMS lets you manage both fields per page, in WordPress via an SEO plugin, for example, in Wix and Shopify in the page settings.
Length: pixels, not characters
Google truncates based on available width, not character count. A "W" needs more space than an "i", capital letters more than lower case ones. That's why Google doesn't give a fixed character count. As a rule of thumb, not a Google figure: titles up to around 60 characters and descriptions up to around 155 characters are usually shown in full on desktop, often somewhat less on smartphones. This gives a simple rule: put the most important part first, the company name at the end. Then a truncated title only loses what's dispensable.
Formulas that work in practice
| Page type | Title formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage | Company, location: three core services | "Muster Joinery Weinfelden: kitchens, built-in cupboards, interior fitting" |
| Service page | Service, location: what it includes | "Installing a heat pump in Thurgau: process, costs, grants" |
| Guide | The question, phrased as it's searched | "How much does a facade renovation cost? Prices per m2 and examples" |
| Comparison | A or B: decision criterion | "Heat pump or gas heating: what pays off in older buildings" |
For the description, one formula is enough: first sentence the concrete benefit or the answer, second sentence what's special or the next step. No strings of keywords, no sentences like "Welcome to our website".
Ten before-and-after examples
The businesses are fictional, but the patterns are typical of Swiss SME websites.
| Page | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Joinery homepage | "Home" | "Muster Joinery Weinfelden: kitchens, built-in cupboards, interior fitting" |
| Plumbing services page | "Services" | "Installing a heat pump in Thurgau: process, costs, grants" |
| Trust company blog | "Taxes 2026" | "Tax return Thurgau 2026: deadlines, deductions, extensions" |
| Restaurant homepage | "Welcome to our website" | "Restaurant Seeblick Kreuzlingen: fish cuisine on Lake Constance, reservations" |
| Dentist homepage | "Dr. med. dent. Example, practice" | "Dentist Frauenfeld: anxious patients, implants, Saturday emergency" |
| Driving school pricing page | "Prices" | "Driving lessons Kreuzlingen: price per lesson and plan deals" |
| Property management services page | "Services" | "Managing condominium ownership: what a management company handles" |
| Garage services page | "Tyres" | "Tyre change Amriswil: book online, storage included" |
| Painter blog | "Blog post 12" | "Painting a facade: what it costs and the best time to do it" |
| Shop category | "Products" | "Work trousers for tradespeople: sizes, standards, shipping from Switzerland" |
The same for three descriptions:
- Before: "We're your competent partner for all questions relating to plumbing and heating." After: "Heat pump in a detached house: process from viewing to commissioning, guide prices and funding grants in Thurgau. Quote within 48 hours."
- Before: empty (Google picks a sentence itself). After: "Extending the deadline for your tax return in Thurgau: when to apply, what it costs and when a reminder threatens."
- Before: "Welcome to the website of Driving School Example." After: "Driving lessons in Kreuzlingen from your very first lesson with a learner's licence. Prices per lesson, plans and exam preparation at a glance."
What Google rewrites and why
Google itself documents when it replaces titles: when the title tag is missing, too long, made up of strung-together keywords, identical across many pages (for example just the company name), or doesn't match the content. In that case, Google builds the title from the main heading or from link text. The same applies to the snippet: Google pulls text from the page if the description doesn't match the search query or is identical on every page. So a good description isn't guaranteed to be shown, but a poor one is almost certainly replaced.
The conclusion: the title and main heading should match but not be identical. The title is more concise and includes the location, while the heading can form full sentences. How the title fits into the rest of the SEO checklist for blog posts is explained there step by step.
What to do with this
- Export all pages with their titles and descriptions, either in Search Console or with a crawler. Tackle empty, duplicate and generic entries first.
- Write a title for each page using the right formula and check whether it matches the search intent.
- Write the description as an answer, not as a greeting.
- After four weeks, check the click-through rate per page and rewrite any outliers that are performing poorly.
Frequently asked questions
Is the meta description a ranking factor?
No. Google explained back in 2009 on the Search Central Blog that the description isn't used for ranking. However, it does influence whether someone clicks on your result, and therefore the click-through rate. Good descriptions are still worth writing, just for a different reason.
Why does Google show a different title to the one I entered?
Google generates the title link automatically from several sources: the title tag, the main heading, anchor texts and other page content. It's usually rewritten when the title is too long, made up of strings of keywords, identical across many pages, or doesn't match the content. A short title that matches the H1 is replaced least often.
Does the company name have to appear in every title?
Yes, on the homepage and contact pages, because that's where people search for the company. On guide pages it's usually unnecessary, since nobody is searching for you there, they're searching for the answer to their question. If you do add it, put it at the end after a separator so Google can cut it off if there's not enough space.
How do I check whether my titles are working?
In the Google Search Console's performance report, you can see impressions and clicks per page. Pages with many impressions but a low click-through rate are the first candidates for a new title. Change a page, wait three to four weeks and compare the click-through rate with the period before.