Why Google measures pixels, not characters
Google doesn't cut off titles after a fixed number of characters. It cuts them when they no longer fit the available width on the screen. A capital W is much wider than a lowercase i, so two titles with the same character count can take up very different space.
This tool renders your text in a font similar to Google's and measures its width with your browser. The limits it uses are approximations based on how results typically look:
| Element | Approx. limit | Roughly in characters |
|---|---|---|
| Title (desktop) | about 580 px | about 50–60 |
| Description (desktop) | about 920 px | about 150–160 |
| Description (mobile) | about 680 px | about 120 |
On mobile, titles can wrap onto a second line, so the cut-off point differs from desktop. Google also changes its layout from time to time. Treat the warnings as a guide, not a hard rule: a title that is a few pixels over is not a problem if the important words come first.
Put the words that matter in the first part of the title and description. Then it doesn't matter much where Google cuts.
How to write a good title
The title (the blue, clickable headline in search results) is the first thing people read. It's also one of the clearest signals for Google about what a page is about.
- Front-load the main term. Start with what people actually search for, such as the service and the town.
- Put your brand at the end. “Haircuts in Austin | Studio Mila” works better than “Studio Mila – Welcome to our website.”
- Make every title unique. Your home page, services page and contact page each need their own title. Duplicate titles make it hard for Google to tell pages apart.
- Match the search intent. Someone searching “plumber near me” wants to call someone now, not read a history of your company.
- Keep it honest and readable. Don't stuff in keywords or repeat the same word. Write it for a person scanning results.
Example: bakery
Home | Welcome
Sourdough Bread & Pastries in Portland | Hearth Bakery
Says what you sell and where, with the brand last.
Example: plumber
Plumber, Plumbing, Plumbers Denver, Best Plumber Denver, Cheap Plumber
24/7 Emergency Plumber in Denver | Smith Plumbing
One clear message instead of repeated keywords, which Google often rewrites anyway.
How to write a good meta description
The meta description is the short text below the title. Google says it is not a direct ranking factor, but it strongly affects whether people click your result. A good description is a small advertisement for the page.
- Name the benefit. What does the visitor get? Fast appointments, fresh bread every morning, free quotes?
- Add concrete details. Opening hours, area served, prices from, years of experience.
- End with a call to action. “Book online,” “Call for a free quote,” “See the menu.”
- Write one per page. A generic description copied across all pages helps no one.
Example: physiotherapist
We are a physiotherapy practice. We offer many treatments. Contact us for more information about our practice.
Physiotherapy for back pain, sports injuries and rehab in Leeds. Appointments within 48 hours, evening slots available. Book online today.
Specific services, a clear benefit and a next step.
To estimate what a better snippet could be worth in clicks, try the CTR calculator.
Why Google rewrites titles and descriptions
Google doesn't always show what you wrote. It often replaces the title with text from your page, such as the main heading, and it frequently picks a different description, especially when another passage on the page fits the search better. Google's documentation explains when this happens for title links and snippets.
Common reasons for a rewrite:
- The title is very long, very short or just the company name
- The title is stuffed with keywords or repeated words
- The same title or description is used on many pages
- The title doesn't match what's actually on the page
- The description is missing, so Google takes text from the page
How to reduce rewrites
- Keep the title close in meaning to the page's main heading (the H1).
- Write a unique, descriptive title and description for every page.
- Stay roughly within the length limits shown in the preview.
- Update titles that mention old years, prices or offers.
You can't fully prevent rewrites, and that's fine. A clear title and description still give Google a good option to choose.
Dates, rich results and sitelinks
Some search results show more than a title, URL and description:
- Dates: for articles and blog posts, Google may show a date before the description. It takes up space, so the visible description gets shorter.
- Rich results: star ratings, prices, opening hours or FAQs can appear when the page has structured data. You can create it with the structured data generator, but Google decides whether to show it.
- Sitelinks: extra links below the main result, usually for searches of your brand name. You can't set them directly. A clear menu and well-named pages help Google pick good ones.
If your page is shared on social media or in messengers, a different set of tags controls the preview. Check those with the Open Graph preview.
Quick checklist before you publish
- The main search term is near the start of the title.
- The title fits on desktop without being cut, or at least the key words are visible.
- The brand name is at the end, not the beginning.
- The description names a benefit and ends with a call to action.
- No other page on your site uses the same title or description.
- The URL is short and readable, for example
/emergency-plumber-denver/.
For more detail and examples, read the full guide on writing title tags and meta descriptions. To find pages with missing titles or descriptions, run the SEO check.