When Google rewrites a title tag, do you get the SEO impact for the original version?

[Kevin_P]

Let's say you're writing a homepage title tag like this:

KEYWORD | BRAND

and Google rewrites it as

BRAND | KEYWORD

From Moz and best practices, we believe that keywords closer to the beginning of a title tag may have more impact on search rankings. So, when Google rewrites the title tag, do you get the impact you would have made with the keyword being closer to the front? Or, does Google give you the impact you would have received with the keyword being at the end?

[Stevejcr]

When Google rewrites a title tag, the impact on search rankings is difficult to predict with certainty. However, it's generally recommended to place the most important keywords closer to the beginning of the title tag, as this is often seen as a stronger signal to Google about the content of the page.

If Google decides to rewrite the title tag and places the brand name first, it's possible that the SEO impact of the original version may be reduced. However, it's also possible that the rewritten title tag may actually improve the page's search visibility by making it more relevant to certain search queries.

Ultimately, it's important to remember that Google's algorithms are constantly changing, and there's no guaranteed way to predict the exact impact of any particular change. However, by following best practices for title tag optimization, such as placing important keywords closer to the beginning of the tag, you can help ensure that your page is well-optimized and likely to perform well in search results.

[yabesh143]

No, you do not get the SEO impact for the original version when Google rewrites the title tag. The rewritten version is the one that will be used for SEO purposes.

[tir17]

@Kevin_P

If Google is rewriting the Page Title (not the title tag), it is directly in relation to the content of the webpage.

The reason why the page title has been changed is because Google either feels that the content is not relevant or doesn't justify the webpage content OR Google is prioritizing brand name so that it is easier for the user to recognize the brand in SERPs.

You must focus on the on-page content rather than just the position of the keywords in the title tag.

Relevant content on the webpage and good user experience will be rewarded over keyword positioning in the page title.

The position of the keyword won't matter that much as there are way more ranking signals that Google considers before ranking a webpage today.

To summarize, the SEO impact will be negligible irrespective of the position of the keyword in the page title.

Bonus Tip: You can utilize the H1 Tag to optimize keyword positioning in this case.

[Alaa_shahin]

@Tomalaweb said in When Google rewrites a title tag, do you get the SEO impact for the original version?:

When Google rewrites a title tag, it's possible that you may not get the full SEO impact of the original version.

Google may rewrite a title tag for a variety of reasons, such as to better reflect the content of the page or to make it more user-friendly. However, if the new title tag is significantly different from the original, it could potentially impact the search engine optimization (SEO) of the page.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Title tags are an important on-page SEO element that can impact rankings. If Google changes the title tag, it may affect how the page is perceived by search engines.

Google's algorithms are designed to show the most relevant and useful content to users. If Google feels that a new title tag better reflects the content of the page, it may prioritize it in search results over the original.

However, if the new title tag is less relevant or optimized for the target keywords, it could potentially hurt the SEO of the page. In this case, it may be worth updating the title tag to a version that is more effective.

In summary, while Google may rewrite a title tag to improve the user experience, it's important to monitor the impact on SEO and make changes if necessary.

[Tomalaweb]

When Google rewrites a title tag, it's possible that you may not get the full SEO impact of the original version.

Google may rewrite a title tag for a variety of reasons, such as to better reflect the content of the page or to make it more user-friendly. However, if the new title tag is significantly different from the original, it could potentially impact the search engine optimization (SEO) of the page.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Title tags are an important on-page SEO element that can impact rankings. If Google changes the title tag, it may affect how the page is perceived by search engines.

Google's algorithms are designed to show the most relevant and useful content to users. If Google feels that a new title tag better reflects the content of the page, it may prioritize it in search results over the original.

However, if the new title tag is less relevant or optimized for the target keywords, it could potentially hurt the SEO of the page. In this case, it may be worth updating the title tag to a version that is more effective.

In summary, while Google may rewrite a title tag to improve the user experience, it's important to monitor the impact on SEO and make changes if necessary.

[Kevin_P]

@Kateparish Thanks for your response! I'm trying to determine whether Google gives you "credit" for having keywords earlier in the title tag when Google rewrites that title tag.

A similar question might be, "Does Google give you 'credit' for using a specific keyword in the title tag if Google rewrites that title tag without the specific keyword?"

Are you saying that you believe Google gives weight to the rewritten version of the title tag?

[Kateparish]

When Google rewrites a title tag, it does so to match the content on the page as closely as possible to the search query. As a result, the rewritten title tag may contain different keywords than the original version and may be more suited to the search query. This can have an impact on the page’s search rankings, as it make the page more relevant to the search query.