The issue: An empty title tag might seem like a small oversight, but it’s a critical issue that can impact both your search engine rankings and the way users perceive your site in search results.
If your audit has flagged this, here’s what it means, why it matters, and how to fix it.
What Is an Empty Title Tag?
In simpler terms, the title tag is there—but it’s doing absolutely nothing.
Why Is This a Problem?
1. Lost SEO Opportunities
The title tag is one of the most important on-page SEO factors.
It signals to search engines what your page is about, helping them rank your content for relevant queries.
Without a title tag, search engines are left guessing.
2. Poor User Experience in Search Results
Your title tag is what users see as the clickable headline in search engine results.
If it’s empty, search engines might auto-generate one (often pulling random text from the page), which can confuse users and lead to lower click-through rates.
3. Signals a Bigger Problem
An empty title tag often points to a larger issue—whether it’s a misconfiguration in your CMS, a broken template, or an error in your page setup.
Why Does This Happen?
Here are the most common causes of empty title tags:
- Template or CMS Issues: The title tag isn’t being dynamically generated correctly.
- Plugins or Scripts: A plugin might be interfering with how the title tag is populated.
- Human Error: Someone accidentally left the title tag blank when creating or editing the page.
Next Steps: How to Fix Empty Title Tags
If your audit has flagged this issue, here’s how to address it:
1. Identify the Affected Pages
Start by reviewing the list of pages with empty title tags.
Focus on high-priority pages first, such as those with significant traffic or targeting competitive keywords.
2. Investigate the Root Cause
- If your site uses a CMS, check whether the title tag is being pulled dynamically from page data.
- Look for broken templates, conflicting plugins, or script errors that might be interfering with title generation.
3. Set a Unique Title for Each Page
Manually add meaningful, keyword-optimized titles for the affected pages. A good title tag:
- Includes the primary keyword for the page.
- Clearly communicates what the page is about.
- Stays concise (50–60 characters is ideal).
For example, instead of an empty title, a page about wireless headphones could use:
- Best Wireless Headphones for 2024 | Brand Name
4. Fix the Underlying Template or Script
If this issue affects multiple pages, it’s likely a systemic problem with your templates or CMS settings.
Work with your developer to:
- Ensure title tags are generated dynamically based on page content.
- Set up fallback logic to prevent title tags from being left blank (e.g., defaulting to a site-wide format like “Page Name | Brand”).
5. Monitor for Recurrence
Once fixed, implement regular checks (via ongoing audits or automated tools) to catch and resolve any future instances of empty title tags.
Wrapping It Up
An empty title tag isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s a glaring SEO and usability issue.
Your audit has already flagged the problem, so now it’s time to take action or higher an SEO expert to do it for you.