Google Not Pulling The Right Title Tag & Meta Description
-
Hi guys.
We've found Google is pulling the wrong information for our title tag and meta description.
Instead of pulling the actual title tag, Google is pulling the menu name you click on to get to the page: "Bike Barcelona" instead of "Barcelona Bike Tours | ...."
Also, we've found that, instead of pulling the meta description we wrote, Google is using text from the pages copy.
Any tips?
-
Just to update on this i too know about Google doesn't always use our Meta tags. But its very weird when i see another meta tags when i search for mydomainname.com. But when i search for the keywords the SERP shows the meta tags i have used in my page. Weird !
-
Most of the time it's because Google thinks your tag doesn't match what the user is looking for e.g.
if a site is about cars and your tags about teddy bears its going to ignore the tag.
sometimes Google can just be plain stubborn though. Make sure you also give Google enough time to crawl your new META tag before you panic!
-
I find it amazing that we all strive to acquire rank in Google using suggested SEO standards to avoid their dreaded updates, yet they themselves cannot even get it right!
-
Thanks guys!
-
Just want to echo Chris's response and also point you to a link from Matt Cutts (lead engineer @ Google) talking about just this subject. http://searchengineland.com/googles-matt-cutts-look-title-match-query-190039
Hope it helps!
Don
-
Hello,
Unfortunately Google doesn't always use your Meta tags there is a helpful Moz blog post on the subject here - http://moz.com/blog/why-wont-google-use-my-meta-description
Sometimes it can be a matter of giving it some more time others it can be back to the chalk board to tweak it some more.
Try some of the suggestions in the above post.
hope it helps & good luck!
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Google SERPs displaying Tracking Tags
Hello, I'm hoping someone can help me! Can you tell me why Google would be displaying the tracking URLs in the SERPs (screenshot - http://i.imgur.com/gbskD26.jpg)? I'm thinking it may have to do with the canonical URLs, but I'm not sure.. Thanks in advance! gbskD26.jpg
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | Mindstream_Media0 -
Google local pointing to Google plus page not homepage
Today my clients homepage dropped off the search results page (was #1 for months, in the top for years). I noticed in the places account everything is suddenly pointing at the Google plus page? The interior pages are still ranking. Any insight would be very helpful! Thanks.
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | stevenob0 -
Canonical tag
Hi all, I have an ecommerce client and on the pages they have a drop down so customers can view via price, list etc. Natrurally I want a canonical tag on these pages, here's the question. as they have different pages of products, the canonical tag on http://www.thegreatgiftcompany.com/occassion/christmas#items-/occassion/christmas/page=7/?sort=price_asc,searchterm=,layout=grid,page=1 is to http://www.thegreatgiftcompany.com/occassion/christmas#items-/occassion/christmas/page=7. now, because the page=7 is a duplicate of the main page, shouldn't the canonical just be to the main page rather than page=7? Even when there is a canonical tag on the /Christmas/page=7 to the /Christmas page? hope that makes sense to everyone!
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | KarlBantleman0 -
Google Places
If you rank on google places, I have noticed that you do not rank on the front page as well. I have a site that ranks on front page for it's keywords; however, because they are (1) on google places, they don't show up when someone is localized to that area. They show up on google places but not on front page. If you turn of localization, they are first in serps. How can I get around this? Two separate sites? One for Google+ (Places) and one for SERPS?
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | JML11790 -
Canonical Tag Uses Source Title and Meta Data?
When optimising a regional same language micro site within a sub folder of a .com it dawned on me that our use of the hreflang and canonical meta elements will render individual elements such as H1 and title obsolete. As a canonical tag takes the canonical source title and meta right? It would still have value in optimising localised headings though? Appreciate any thoughts, suggestions (o:
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | 3wh0 -
GOOGLE Rankings
We built a site for one of our clients about 3 years ago and added Meta tags to each page of the site. But when you do a google search on the keywords the site still does not come up. I thought it would be spidered into the system by now. Web Site - www.specialtysealgroup.com Let me know what we can do to improve our GOOGLE rankings.
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | thine1230 -
Meta Revisit?
Hi there, We have just migrated to a new website with a new design etc and I have noticed that we now have this code on our website: From my understanding this is telling search engines to come back to your website in 10 days time to crawl the website? I'm sure I have read on serveral occasions that you should not does this and let search engines crawl your site when it see's fit to do so? Hope someone can help me out on this Kind Regards,
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | Paul780 -
Best SEO META Description for forum topics
What would be the best SEO META Description tag for forum topics on a forum type website? I can think of a few options so far Snippet of first post. Title of the topic with templated trailing text Remove description tag completely Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | Peter2640