How to Write Title Tags That Rank for Local Searches
Title tags are the clickable headlines that appear in Google search results. They’re one of the most important ranking factors for local searches, and writing them correctly can dramatically improve your visibility.
A dental practice in Sandton had terrible local rankings despite offering great service. Their homepage title tag said “Welcome to Our Practice.” That’s useless. They changed it to “Sandton Dentist | Family & Cosmetic Dentistry | Dr Smith” and jumped from page three to the top five within weeks.
What Makes Title Tags So Important
Google uses title tags to understand what your page is about. The words in your title tag carry more weight than words anywhere else on your page. Get them right and you rank. Get them wrong and you’re invisible.
Title tags also appear as the blue clickable link in search results. They’re often the first thing potential customers see. A compelling title tag gets clicks. A boring one gets ignored.
Your title tag is limited to about 60 characters. After that, Google cuts it off with “…” That means every word counts. You need to pack maximum information into minimum space.
The Basic Formula for Local Title Tags
The most effective title tags for local searches follow a simple pattern: [Service] in [Location] | [Business Name]. This formula tells Google and customers exactly what you do and where you do it.
“Plumber in Durban | Quick Fix Plumbing” works better than “Quick Fix Plumbing – Your Trusted Partner.” The first one targets a search term people actually use. The second wastes space on fluff.
You can flip the order if your business name is more recognizable than your service. “Dr Smith Dentistry | Sandton Family Dentist” works when your name carries weight in the community.
When to Include Your Business Name
Not every page needs your business name in the title tag. Your homepage should definitely include it. But service pages and blog posts can sometimes skip it to save characters for more important keywords.
A law firm in Cape Town uses their name on the homepage but not on service pages. Their “Divorce Lawyer Cape Town | Free Consultation” page performs better than when it included the firm name and got cut off.
Test both approaches. Sometimes brand recognition matters more than extra keyword space. Other times, the keyword space wins.
Adding Location to Your Title Tags
Your location should appear in every title tag for pages targeting local searches. But be specific. “Cape Town” is vague if you only serve certain suburbs. “Camps Bay Restaurant” targets better than “Cape Town Restaurant.”
Use the location name your customers actually use. If everyone calls it “Jozi” but you write “Johannesburg,” you’re missing searches. If locals say “East Rand” instead of listing specific towns, use that phrase.
You can target multiple locations in title tags, but it gets tricky. “Plumber Randburg, Sandton & Fourways” works. “Plumber Randburg Sandton Fourways Roodepoort Northcliff” looks spammy and gets cut off.
Targeting Suburbs vs Cities
Suburbs often have less competition than cities. “Plumber Stellenbosch” competes with fewer businesses than “Plumber Western Cape.” The suburb-specific title tag usually ranks faster.
Create separate pages for each major suburb you serve. Give each page its own title tag with that specific suburb name. This strategy works better than trying to rank one page for ten different locations.
An electrician serving northern Johannesburg suburbs created individual pages for Sandton, Randburg, and Fourways. Each page has its own title tag with that suburb name. All three pages rank on the first page for their respective searches.
Using Modifiers to Capture More Searches
Modifiers are words people add to searches to find exactly what they need. “Best,” “cheap,” “emergency,” “near me,” “24 hour” are all common modifiers. Including them in title tags can capture these searches.
“Emergency Plumber Pretoria | 24/7 Same Day Service” targets both “emergency plumber” and “24/7 plumber” searches. It also tells customers exactly what they get.
Don’t stuff random modifiers hoping to rank for everything. Choose modifiers that accurately describe your service. “Best Cheapest Fastest Plumber” looks desperate and won’t rank for any of those terms properly.
Year Modifiers for Fresh Content
Adding the current year to title tags signals freshness. “Best Restaurants Stellenbosch 2025” ranks better than “Best Restaurants Stellenbosch” for year-specific searches.
This works well for guides, reviews, and seasonal content. Update these title tags annually to keep them current. A stale year makes content look outdated even if it’s still accurate.
Common Title Tag Mistakes
The biggest mistake is writing title tags for yourself instead of for searchers. “Welcome to Bob’s Plumbing” might sound friendly, but nobody searches for that. They search for “plumber [location]” or “emergency plumbing [suburb].”
Keyword stuffing kills your rankings. “Plumber Plumbing Services Emergency Plumber 24/7 Plumber Affordable Plumber Sandton” looks terrible and Google knows it’s manipulation. You’ll rank worse than if you’d written a simple, clear title tag.
Using the same title tag on multiple pages confuses Google. Each page needs a unique title that describes that specific page’s content. Duplicate title tags waste opportunities to rank for different keywords.
Being Too Vague or Too Specific
“Home Services” as a title tag is too vague. Google doesn’t know what you actually do. Neither do potential customers. “Plumbing Services Durban” is clear and specific.
But you can also be too specific. “Geyser Installation Repair Replacement Maintenance Servicing Durban North Suburb Only” tries to say everything and ends up saying nothing clearly. Pick your primary service and location.
Title Tags for Different Page Types
Your homepage title tag should include your main service, location, and business name. “Sandton Dentist | Family & Cosmetic Dentistry | Dr Smith” covers all the bases.
Service pages should focus on that specific service. “Root Canal Treatment Sandton | Pain-Free Dentistry” targets people looking for that exact service in that location.
Blog posts need compelling titles that include your target keyword. “How to Handle a Plumbing Emergency in Johannesburg” works better than “Plumbing Tips” because it’s specific and includes location.
Location Pages Need Local Focus
If you’ve created separate pages for different service areas, each needs its own location-specific title tag. Don’t use “Our Service Areas” as the title. Use “Plumber Randburg | 24/7 Emergency Service.”
These location pages compete directly with your competitors in those specific areas. Your title tag needs to be as strong as theirs. Study what ranks currently and create title tags that match or improve on what’s working.
How to Check Your Current Title Tags
View the source code of any webpage to see its title tag. Right-click, select “View Page Source,” and look for the <title> tag near the top. That’s what Google sees.
Google Search Console shows all your title tags and flags problems like duplicates or tags that are too long. Check this regularly. Fix issues as they appear.
Sometimes Google rewrites your title tags in search results if it thinks it can do better. This usually happens when your title tag is too vague or doesn’t match the page content well.
Testing and Improving Your Title Tags
You can change title tags anytime. Google recrawls pages regularly and updates rankings based on new titles. Don’t be afraid to test different versions.
Track your rankings before and after title tag changes. Give Google a few weeks to recrawl and adjust rankings. If rankings improve, keep the new title. If they drop, revert or try something else.
A cafe in Port Elizabeth tested three different title tag variations for their homepage over six months. The version with “Coffee Shop Port Elizabeth | Fresh Breakfast & Lunch” performed best and they kept it.
Title Tags and Click-Through Rate
Ranking high means nothing if nobody clicks your result. Your title tag needs to be compelling enough to earn clicks over competitors.
Include benefits when possible. “Emergency Plumber Durban | 30 Min Response Time” is more clickable than just “Emergency Plumber Durban.” The specific benefit makes it stand out.
Numbers and specifics increase clicks. “7 Best Hiking Trails Stellenbosch” gets more clicks than “Hiking Trails Stellenbosch.” The number makes it concrete and scannable.
Businesses that treat title tags as an afterthought lose massive amounts of traffic. The ones that spend time crafting clear, keyword-rich, location-specific titles see dramatic improvements in both rankings and clicks. It’s one of the simplest SEO improvements with the biggest impact.