Web standards for page and file titles

In this section:

Page title length

Keep your page titles to under 80 characters, including spaces. Tips to help:

  • Use minimal words to describe page content best
  • Use part of a long title as the first heading (H2) on the page

Example

  • Too long - "Road Safety Forum agenda and minutes of the meeting held at the Runnymede Centre on 12 October 2017"
  • Better - "Road safety forum meeting 12 October 2017".

Reason for this web standard

Google only displays the first part of a title and as over 80% of our customers come through Google, a short title means your page will be found easily.

Long page titles impacts our accessibility rating.

Unique and meaningful page titles

Meaningful titles tell the main subject of the page and act as a teaser for users.

Tips to help:

  • Use the words your customers put into search engines in your title.
  • Don't use jargon, abbreviations and acronyms.
  • Read your title out to someone who doesn't work for the council. If they know what the page is about from the title alone, you got it.

Examples

  • 'Inspections' - this is too vague. Be more specific: eg 'Vehicle safety inspections'.
  • 'Contact SCC' – Surrey Cricket Club? Specialist Computer Centres? Spell it out: 'Contact Surrey County Council'.

Reason for this web standard

Improves usability and search ranking results. Also helps people find the information they want quickly and easily.

Use of capital letters in page titles

  • Use capitals letters only for the first word of a page title unless proper nouns or publications are included in the title.

Example

  • Wrong: Winter Maintenance Schedules
  • Correct: Winter maintenance schedules

Reason for this web standard

The British Dyslexia Association tells us it is easier for users to read.

Symbols and punctuation in page titles

Only include:

  • Apostrophe '
  • Brackets (for acronyms and initialisms only)
  • Comma ,
  • Colon :
  • Pound £

Reason for this web standard

Punctuation and symbols in page titles can cause problems with a web address (URL)