Product title length: write titles that show fully in Google results
Search results cut long page titles. Write product titles short enough to show in full and put the important words first.
2 min read
Area
CRO & UX
Severity
Medium
Fix effort
Small
Stores failing
17%
Of 84 stores we scanned where this check applies, 17% fail it and 83% pass. See all benchmarks.
Google cuts page titles that are too long, so a title that carries the product name, a long modifier and the store name may show only half. Shorter titles with the important words first display fully. This check looks at your product title tag.
Why it matters
The title is the headline of the search result. If the product name or key detail is cut off, the click is less likely. A tight title also reads better in a browser tab.
What the audit looks at
The audit looks at whether the product page title is short enough to show in full in search results.
What usually causes it
- Titles built from the full supplier name plus keywords
- A template that appends a long store tagline
- Variant options added into the title
- Duplicate words repeated for emphasis
How to fix it
Shorten the product page title so Google shows all of it. The effort is small, usually a setting or a paste and under 30 minutes.
- Google shows about 60 characters of a title. Put the product name and the main differentiator first, and the brand last.
- Write the SEO title separately from the on-page product name: they do not have to match.
On Shopify
- Products > open the product > Search engine listing, choose Edit, and set a Page title of about 60 characters or fewer.
On WooCommerce
- With an SEO plugin, edit the SEO title field on the product; without one, the title is the product name, so shorten that.
How to check it yourself
- Search for your product and read the title as shown.
- Check how many characters the title tag has.
- Compare with competitors.
Frequently asked questions
What is a safe length?
Around 50 to 60 characters is a rough guide, but Google measures width in pixels.
Should the brand go first or last?
Usually last, unless the brand name is what shoppers search for.
Related checks
Check your own store
See whether your store passes this check
Paste your store URL. The audit loads your pages in a real browser and shows the result for this check with the evidence behind it.