What it means
The title is the text inside <title> in the page’s <head>. It isn’t shown on the page itself, but browsers use it for tabs and bookmarks, and Google uses it as the main source for the clickable headline of a search result, the title link.
An empty <title></title> counts as missing.
Why it matters
Without a title, Google builds the title link from other text, such as the main heading or link text pointing to the page, and the result may not describe the page the way you would.
A title also matters for accessibility: WCAG 2.2 success criterion 2.4.2 requires pages to have titles that describe their topic or purpose, since screen readers announce the title first.
How to find it yourself
- Hover over the browser tab, or view the page source and look for <title>.
- The meta tag checker shows the title and its length for any page.
How to fix it
On any website
- Give every page a unique title that names its topic first and your brand after it, for example “Canvas tote bags | Acme”.
- Check that the template prints the title in the <head>, once.
On Shopify
- Set the title in the “Search engine listing” section of each product, collection and page, and the home page title under Online Store › Preferences.
On WordPress and WooCommerce
- Make sure the theme supports title-tag (add_theme_support('title-tag')) and set custom titles in your SEO plugin.
How to check the fix
- Run the meta tag checker on the page and confirm the title appears with the text you set.
How FixReports finds it
The SEO checker reads the title on every page it tests, and the meta tag checker shows the title and its character count for the page you enter.