SEO Hack: Optimizing Title Tags for Your Business

peggjennae
Aug 5
3 min read

Updated: Sep 18

Okay, real talk? This week I’ve got a SEO hack for all of you out there trying to increase your visibility (without having to dance on TikTok daily).

Let’s dive in! How do people even find your website when they don’t know you exist yet? The answer: keywords, key phrases, and a little thing called metadata.

Understanding Keywords and Their Impact on Visibility

Keywords are the words or short phrases people type into Google when they’re looking for something. Think about it:

“local web designer”
“custom wedding cakes Spokane”
“emergency plumber near me”

When those kinds of words show up in your website content (in smart places), Google goes, “Hey! This site matches what they’re looking for!” and moves you higher up in the search results.

Key Phrases: The New SEO Strategy

Old-school SEO folks used to just throw in a million single keywords like “plumber” or “cake” or “design.” But that’s not how people search anymore. Now we use key phrases—full little chunks that sound natural, like:

“affordable web design for small businesses”
“24-hour plumbing services in North Idaho”
“boho wedding cakes with floral details”

These help your site match how real humans search.

What the Heck is Metadata?

Glad you asked! 😏 Metadata is basically the behind-the-scenes info on your site that search engines read to figure out what your page is all about. The two biggest players are:

Title tags = the name of the page (what shows up as the blue clickable link in search results)
Meta descriptions = the short blurb under the title in search results that explains the page

Example of Effective Metadata

Title Tag: “Custom Cakes for All Occasions | Spokane Bakery”

Meta Description: “Specializing in custom cakes for weddings, birthdays, and events. Located in Spokane, WA. Book your tasting today!”

This tells Google exactly what you do, where you are, and how to show your page to someone who wants exactly that.

Common Mistakes in Title Tags

Most people are not doing this right! I can’t tell you how many sites I see with:

❌ “Home – Mike’s Plumbing”

❌ “About Us – Sarah’s Bakery”

These titles are bland, vague, and Google doesn’t know where to put them.

Better Title Tag Examples

Here’s the better way:

✅ “Emergency Plumbing in Sandpoint | Mike’s Plumbing Co”

✅ “Meet the Baker | Custom Cakes & Cookies in Spokane”

You’re using real search terms AND giving Google a location and service type. Win-win!

How to Fix Your Title Tags and Metadata

Step-by-Step DIY Recipe

Here’s your DIY recipe for better page titles and metadata:

What do you offer?
Identify the main service or product you provide.
Where are you located?
Include your city or region to attract local searches.
What makes you stand out?
Think about your unique selling points.
Combine it into a clear sentence.
Keep titles under 60 characters and meta descriptions under 160.

No fancy tools required!

Let’s Be Real—You Deserve to Get Found

If your website isn’t showing up in search results—or it’s buried under your competitors—it’s probably not because your business isn’t amazing. It’s because your site isn’t speaking Google’s language yet.

But the good news? That’s an easy fix! I’d love to help improve your website's visibility.

If you're ready to stop being invisible online and start attracting the right clients, shoot me a message. I’ll take a look at your site, show you where the gaps are, and help you build an SEO game plan that actually works.

Let’s get your website seen by the people who are already out there searching for what you offer.

📩 Message me to chat about upgrading your SEO today. Spots are open this month!