Should H1 and TITLE tags be the same or different?

by seoquicktop Banned
21 replies
  • SEO
  • |
Should H1 and TITLE tags coincide or should they be different?

This matter seems to be brought about at every meeting with SEO experts. It is difficult to determine the origin of this question. Perhaps one of the reasons could be inadequacy of recommendations in search engines or lack of examples in TOP 10.



Some say, using different tags in H1 and TITLE, the site may be penalized on the grounds of attempting to reinforce it by using the meaning of a keyword twice. Others say, in order for the robot, which analyzes your website, to highlight paramount sections and key pages, it is necessary for TITLE text for the key pages to be consistent with the page header. So, should they, in actual practice, be written identical or different? Generally speaking, there is no difference. However, several factors must be taken into consideration.

First of all, H1 and TITLE must resonate.

If TITLE is about one thing and H1 is about the other, it will be more difficult for search engines to identify what particular keywords the page is relevant to. In addition, users will find it confusing as well. As well as that, these code sections help search engines form special elements in snippet, something like quick links. In other words, H1 and TITLE should not be absolutely different. Let's look at some examples just to demonstrate without preliminary semantic analysis.

The site is a store which sells Italian clothes in New York.

The primary keywords are Italian clothes online store, Italian clothes.

Title: Italian clothes store in New York. Buy genuine Italian clothes/Name of the store.


H1: Welcome

This is not entirely a correct choice as H1 does not contain any keywords which should be promoted. Greetings may be written in text section and H1 could be "Italian brand clothes". This already looks better as tags correlate with each other based on the keywords "Italian clothes". But it might not be found in top-priority search results.



H1: Italian clothes store/Name of the store. This is an average headline with nothing in excess.

As you can see, it's no use writing H1 and TITLE absolutely identical. However, they should be similar, sharing the same keywords. H1 and TITLE are viewed by users on different stages of interaction with the site. TITLE is often viewed first, before users moves on to the website, while H1 is only seen when a user is on the web page. Hence, H1 should be short and sweet, but to the greatest possible extent describing the gist of the landing page. A lot depends on its function, practicality and purpose.

With regard to Title, apart from including right keywords, it should encourage viewers to click on it. Let's look at another example:

A website is an online store which sells and delivers electronics in New York.

H1: Electronics online

Title: Buy electronics with delivery in New York.

Here the word "buy" encourages users to click and "delivery in NewYork" answers a string of questions before clicking.



Another example on an informational topic: how to make a cheesecake.

H1: How to make a cheesecake.

Title: Make a cheesecake: a step-by-step guide with pictures.



In this case, " Step-by-step guide" not only extends semantics but increases the probability of users clicking on this title. A person who searches "how to make a cheesecake" has in mind step-by-step instructions, but does not include it in his search request. Without tweaking the code, when a web page is shared by a user in social networks, a headline is taken from the title.

If a TITLE is brief like H1, it is not a preferable choice either. This point is relevant to informational and news projects. However, many such projects work in social networks, so writing a headline similar to "He could not live like that any longer. And this is what he did..." is not correct for SEO.
Just keep in mind, when writing titles that they may be utilized as headlines in social networking sites.

Title may consist of additional keywords. In order to promote a web page, TITLE most likely include some words from semantic kernel. Naturally, it will be distinguished from H1 tag. For instance, we have a set of requests: installation of shingles, installation of flexible shingles, installation manual, installation technology, video, etc.

H1: Installation of flexible shingles manual

Title: Installation of shingles, stacking technology. Price. Video

Here TITLE and H1 are absolutely different. They are similar only by several words (shingles, installation). Including all words from semantic kernel makes non sensible, moreover, it will look like spam. However, separating words by code sections is an amicable strategy.

So, making TITLE and H1 identical is unnecessary. A lot depends on a landing page, type of search requests and your own expectations. Consider all details and factual information above, approach tasks with good judgment.
#tags #title
  • Profile picture of the author paulgl
    Can't make heads or tails out of what you are trying so say.

    Seems to be just one big spam fest.

    As you mix up English with perhaps Russian.....the confusion goes deeper.

    Paul
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    If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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    • Profile picture of the author seoquicktop
      Banned
      Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

      Can't make heads or tails out of what you are trying so say.

      Seems to be just one big spam fest.

      As you mix up English with perhaps Russian.....the confusion goes deeper.

      Paul
      Russian is my second language, it's only on pictures )
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    I'm not reading this wall of Brian Dean skyscraper filler text but all you have to do is not have a page <title> on the page to see Google will substitute a SERP title with relevant heading text found on the money page.

    See how you can say stuff in one sentence?
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  • Profile picture of the author spazz896
    <title> trumps <h1>, They can be the same, I haven't tested, but assume it if they are the same or slightly different makes no difference...
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    • Profile picture of the author yukon
      Banned
      Originally Posted by spazz896 View Post

      <title> trumps <h1>, They can be the same, I haven't tested, but assume it if they are the same or slightly different makes no difference...


      I've tested it several times and they should not be the same.

      It does make a difference If your goal is generating more traffic.

      Like I said earlier, do the no <title> test, simple proven technique that shows heading tag authority directly on the SERP title.

      It's a waste to aim for ranking a page for a single keyword when a small tweak like unique heading tag text can generate extra traffic with laser focused call to actions (multiple SERP titles per individual page depending on the each search query).
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  • Profile picture of the author Pdomain
    Banned
    The thing is:

    <title>Your web page!</title>

    doesn't show on the page, it shows on the browser tab only.....

    So what will you do for your visitors, will you use one <h1> tag or <h2> tag for the main heading of your web page?
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  • Profile picture of the author prakashmalhotra
    The title tag must contain the keywords in which you are focusing as it could help your website to get crawled by Google quickly whereas the H1 tag of your website can contain different keywords and its nit necessary that you have to include the same keyword which you have used in your title tag. It can vary according to the needs.
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  • Profile picture of the author designblog50
    Same,H1 tag and title tag are same
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  • Profile picture of the author KylieSweet
    I have no time to read this long story. However, the title and h1 must be different, but still related.
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  • Profile picture of the author jaintechnosoft
    It need not necessarily be the same. But it should be similar.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmberWhite
    Title & H1 tag might be different but both should be relevant in what you are trying to say about you site to users.
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  • Profile picture of the author scott g
    Why would you duplicate your <TITLE> on to your <H1> ?!
    Signature
    scott g
    "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve."

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  • Profile picture of the author ryom
    Title Tags: These are what appear in web search tools. The hyperlink searchers will tap on. It additionally appears in the title bar at the highest point of the web program, and is the default title utilized when somebody bookmarks the page. Title Tags DO NOT show up on the genuine website page!

    H1 Tags: This is the thing that clients will see on your website page. It is in huge content and goes about as a title for the page. H1 Tags typically DO NOT show up in web crawlers!
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  • I do not believe that having the same text in h1 and title tag could cause any issues. For example we can see a lot of Wordpress websites rank where the title wasn't rewritten. There in most of the cases H1 and Title tag are exactly the same. (or differ only in a | Brand in the title)

    That's a personal opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author HCDdaking
    I need to read this article again.Very informative about search engine optimization.I dont know H1 tag is this much important.
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  • Profile picture of the author lephonghau
    I think they should be different.But both of them should be include your keyword
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  • Profile picture of the author mommywriter
    nice work bro. i like the examples part. though every piece of the information may not be as valid as other but still a lot conveys a lot of sense
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    • Profile picture of the author dburk
      Originally Posted by mommywriter View Post

      nice work bro. i like the examples part. though every piece of the information may not be as valid as other but still a lot conveys a lot of sense

      Hi mommywriter,

      Please stop encouraging this horrible practice of article dumping on this forum.

      p.s. You should have a computer technician take a look at your keyboard, apparently your shift-key is broken.
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  • Profile picture of the author angelx
    If they are identical the site usually looks like a simple spam site.
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  • Profile picture of the author dburk
    Hi seoquicktop,

    Good grief, learn to be more pithy, no one wants to read a 5 page article that makes one simple point.

    It does not matter if they are they same it only matters that they are relevant and useful to users.

    see... just one sentence to replace your 5 pages. Get it?
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