SEO Tip #30: Should I tweak my titles and descriptions to improve my CTR
Matt Cutts: You want to think about rankings and then you want to think about maximizing your click through, which means making your title and your snippet very, very compelling. Not deceptive but something that invites users to click on it because they know they’ll find what they want.
Then you want to think about conversion rates and you want to get good ROI. So title and description tags absolutely can increase your organic click-through rates. Try to optimize for that because it doesn’t really matter how often you show up.
It matters how often you get clicked-on and then how often you take those clicked on visits and convert those to whatever you really want, sales, purchases or whatever it is you are trying to optimize for. So I wouldn’t think of it in terms of, “Oh yeah I get more visitors and it helps me in terms of personalize search.” Just think about it in terms of I get more visitors and they can work better.
So do spend some time looking at your title, looking at your URL, looking at your snippet that Google generates and see if you can find ways to improve that and make it better for users because then they’re more likely to click. You’ll get more visitors; you’ll get better return on your investments.
About the Author
Andy Johnson has been on the Internet since the its dawn(ie his first computer program was recorded on cassette tape) and his first hard drive cost about as much his current MacBook. His first byline was in 1993 for a local newspaper rag he eventually helmed, and his last “real job” was at a computer start up which ended when it ended. Throughout it all he’s freelanced and blogged. Now he is mesmerized by Search Engine Optimization forever trying to “rise to the top” for the right reasons. He’s been married to his wife Julia for as long as he can remember and has two lovely, wonderful children. He looks forward to sharing the latest in the technical best for all the online entrepreneurs.