Free tool
Blog title checker
Paste a blog title, and a focus keyword if you have one. The checker counts its characters and shows where Google is likely to shorten it, tells you which article format it reads as, where the keyword sits, and whether a year, capitals or punctuation get in the way. It also suggests a clean URL slug.
It runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent anywhere or saved. No sign-up.
84 characters. 1 thing to look at.
What the checker found
- Look at this:
84 characters
Over 65 characters, so Google is likely to shorten it. The preview shows roughly where it may be cut.
- Fine:
Reads as: How-to guide
Starts with "How to", so searchers can tell what kind of page they will get.
- Fine:
Fits a how-to guide
Starts with "How to", as a how-to guide title should.
- Fine:
Keyword included
It starts at word 5 of 17, in the first half.
- Note:
Names 2026
A year signals the page is current. It also dates it: update the article and the title when the year turns, or leave the year out.
How it may look in Google
How to Write a Blog Title That Gets Clicks: 9 Tips for Small...
An estimate: Google shortens titles to fit the screen's width, and this preview cuts at 65 characters.
Suggested URL slug
/how-to-write-blog-title-gets-clicks-9-tips-small-business-ownersLeft out: a, that, for, in, 2026
Words of your focus keyword are always kept.
The starting title is an example. Replace it with yours; the report updates as you type.
What the checker looks at
- Length. Characters as a reader counts them: runs of spaces count once, and an accented letter or an emoji is one character. Under 15 characters says too little; 40 to 60 fits most titles; over 65 is likely to be shortened.
- Format. Whether the wording signals a kind of article: a how-to, a list, a comparison, a cost guide and so on (the table below). Pick the format you are aiming for and the checker says whether the title reads as one.
- Focus keyword. Whether it appears as a phrase (plurals and accents allowed), at which word it starts, whether it ends before the likely cut-off, and whether it is repeated. If only some of its words are there, it lists the missing ones.
- Year. A year earlier than this one (2026) is flagged: it tells searchers the page may be out of date.
- Capitals and punctuation. A title mostly in capitals, long words in capitals (short acronyms such as SEO are fine), repeated marks such as "!!" or "?!", several exclamation marks and stacked separators such as "Shoes | Running | Brand".
- Slug. Lowercase words joined by hyphens, accents folded (crème becomes creme), with short words and the year left out if you choose. The words of your focus keyword always stay.
Title shapes by article format
Searchers see the title before they click, so a title that signals the kind of page it is (steps, a list, a verdict between two options) sets the right expectation. These are the shapes the checker recognises in English titles:
| Format | How the title reads | Example |
|---|---|---|
| How-to guide | Starts with "How to" | How to Photograph Shoes for Your Store |
| Explainer | Asks the question, or says "What is ..." or "... explained" | What Is a Canonical Tag? |
| Complete guide | Says it is a guide ("complete guide", "everything about") | Sourdough Baking: The Complete Guide |
| List post | Starts with the number of items | 12 Window Display Ideas for Small Shops |
| Comparison | Names both sides with "vs" or "versus" | Heat Pump vs Furnace for a Cold Climate |
| Alternatives | Says "alternatives" | 7 Alternatives to Spreadsheets for Tracking Stock |
| Best-of list | "Best ... for ..." or "Top 10 ..." | 9 Best Espresso Machines for Small Cafes |
| Buyer's guide | "How to choose ...", "... buying guide" or "What to look for in ..." | How to Choose a Running Shoe for Flat Feet |
| Cost guide | Says "cost", "price" or "how much" | How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost? |
| Troubleshooting | Names the problem: "Why is my ...", "How to fix ..." or "... not working" | Why Is My Dishwasher Not Draining? |
| Checklist or template | Names what you get: "... checklist", "... template" | Moving House Checklist |
| Data or report | "... statistics", "We analyzed ..." or "... report" | Small Business Website Statistics |
| Case study | Names a result ("How a ... doubled ...") or "case study" | How a Bakery Doubled Its Online Orders |
| Ideas and uses | "N ways to ...", "How to use / wear / care for ..." or "... ideas" | How to Care for a Linen Shirt |
When a title fits more than one shape, the most specific one wins: "9 Best Espresso Machines" is a best-of list before it is a list post, and "How to Choose a Running Shoe" is a buyer's guide before it is a how-to. Local guides, opinion pieces and seasonal posts have no fixed shape, so the checker doesn't judge them.
How long should a blog title be?
Google doesn't set a character limit. Its guidance says there is no limit on how long a title element can be, but the title link is truncated as needed, typically to fit the device width, and it asks for descriptive, concise titles without keyword stuffing or repeated boilerplate.
Because the cut depends on the width of the letters and the screen, any character limit is an estimate. The checker uses 65 characters, the limit BlogAmplify's Site Health audit applies to every page, and suggests 40 to 60 so the important words are safely visible. Wide letters (W, M) and capitals take more room than narrow ones (i, l), so a title near the limit can still be cut. For a preview with your meta description, try the search result preview tool.
Writing the URL slug
Google's URL structure guidance recommends readable words rather than long ID numbers, words in your audience's language, and hyphens rather than underscores between words. It also says Google treats /APPLE and /apple as different addresses, which is why the suggested slug is all lowercase.
Two more choices are yours. Leaving out short words (a, the, of, for) gives a shorter address; the checker keeps "how to", "vs" and question words because they carry the meaning. Leaving out the year lets you update the article next year without changing its address. Once a page is published, keep its slug: a new address needs a redirect from the old one.
What the checker doesn't do
- It doesn't predict clicks or rankings. A title that passes every check can still miss what people search for.
- It doesn't look up your keyword's searches or the pages ranking for it. It reads only the words you type.
- It doesn't measure pixel width, so the cut-off preview is an estimate.
- Its format shapes are for English titles. Length, keyword, year, capitals and slug work in any language.
How BlogAmplify titles its articles
The format shapes above are the ones BlogAmplify's content planner checks its own titles against, except checklists and templates, which it no longer plans as articles of their own. Every topic in a plan has a format, checked against the titles ranking for its search, and a title in that format's shape. A title that doesn't read as its format is rewritten while the plan is made.
For the titles already on your site, Site Health checks every page: a missing title, one over 65 characters or under 15, and one used on more than one page. For each, it can write a suggested title of 40 to 60 characters from what the page says, ready to copy. If you write your own briefs, our SEO content brief template covers the title along with the rest. To check the length of the article itself, use the word counter, or browse the other free tools.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a blog title be?
Long enough to say what the page is about, short enough to show in full. Google sets no character limit: it shortens title links to fit the screen's width. BlogAmplify's Site Health uses 65 characters as a stand-in for that width, and 40 to 60 is a comfortable target.
Will Google show my title exactly as I wrote it?
Not always. Google builds title links automatically from several sources, including the title element, the main title shown on the page, headings, og:title, other prominent text on the page, the text of links pointing to the page and WebSite structured data. Its advice is a descriptive, concise title element.
Should the keyword come first in the title?
It doesn't have to be the first word, but it should come before the point where a long title gets shortened, or searchers won't see it. Use it once: Google advises against repeating the same words in a title. The checker shows where the keyword starts and whether it ends within 65 characters.
Should I put the year in a blog title?
Only when the article is about that year or you update it every year. A current year tells searchers the page is fresh, and an old one tells them it may be out of date. The checker flags an earlier year, and the suggested slug leaves the year out so the address can stay the same.
What makes a good URL slug?
Readable words in your audience's language, separated by hyphens, in one case. Google recommends hyphens rather than underscores between words, and its URL handling is case sensitive, so lowercase avoids two addresses for one page. Short words such as the and of can usually go.
Is my title sent or saved anywhere?
No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to BlogAmplify or anyone else, and nothing is stored. Reload the page and the example comes back.
Sources
- Influencing your title links in search results, Google Search Central. Last updated December 10, 2025. Checked October 19, 2026.
- URL structure best practices for Google Search, Google Search Central. Last updated December 10, 2025. Checked October 19, 2026.
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