The 10 character rule is a guideline for writing effective titles and headlines in search engine optimization (SEO). It suggests that titles and headlines should be at least 10 characters long for optimal indexing and clickthrough rates.
Why have a minimum character length?
There are a few key reasons why having a minimum headline length can be beneficial:
- Longer headlines tend to perform better in search results
- Short titles may not provide enough context or information
- Longer titles allow you to include more relevant keywords
- Short titles are at higher risk of duplication and may blend in
While title length is just one factor in creating effective headlines, having a minimum threshold helps ensure your titles are descriptive, unique, and compelling enough to capture attention.
The origin of the 10 character guideline
The 10 character rule dates back to advice from search engine optimization experts in the early 2000s. At the time, SEO was focused heavily on keyword targeting and density. Experts noticed titles with 10 or more characters tended to perform better than shorter titles in search rankings.
Some key figures that promoted the 10 character guideline include:
- Bruce Clay – SEO expert and author of search optimization guides
- Rand Fishkin – Co-founder of Moz and SEO software tools
- Aaron Wall – SEO consultant and writer
Their research found longer titles were less likely to be duplicate content and allowed room for keyword targeting. With search algorithms at the time rewarding keyword density, longer titles gave more opportunity to incorporate keywords.
While search algorithms and best practices have evolved a lot since the early 2000s, title length remains an on-page optimization factor today. But the focus now is more on providing a descriptive, compelling title for users rather than just targeting keywords.
Does the 10 character rule still apply today?
The 10 character guideline remains relevant in modern SEO. While not an absolute rule, it’s a useful minimum to aim for. Some key reasons it still applies:
- Longer titles perform better: Data shows titles over 10 characters consistently have higher clickthrough rates in Google search.
- Provides space for keywords: Long titles allow you to include keywords naturally without over-optimization.
- Avoids duplication: Shorter titles are more likely to be duplicate content.
- Improves context: More characters give more opportunity to describe the content.
That said, there are some exceptions where shorter titles may be appropriate or preferred:
- Homepage title: Company name and brief description is typically ideal.
- Blog post titles: Conversational short titles can work well.
- Special pages: Contact, About Us may merit shorter titles.
The 10 character minimum isn’t a hard rule but rather a general guideline for creating titles with enough length and context to perform well. The optimal length will vary by situation.
How title length impacts clickthrough rate
Multiple experiments and data analyses have shown longer titles tend to get more clicks in search results. Here are some key research findings on the correlation between title length and clickthrough rate (CTR):
-
Backlinko study: Analyzed 1 million Google search results and found titles with 8-12 words (approx 10-60 characters) had the highest CTR.
-
Neil Patel study: Reviewed titles from over 700,000 keyword rankings and found longer titles had steadily increasing CTRs.
Title Length CTR 5-10 words 1.3% 11-15 words 1.5% 21-25 words 2.1% -
Brafton study: Analyzed 4.7 million Google search result clicks and found title length directly correlated with higher CTR.
Title Length CTR 1-10 characters 1.29% 11-20 characters 1.31% 21-30 characters 1.34% 31-40 characters 1.40% 41-50 characters 1.48% 51-60 characters 1.58%
The data consistently shows titles over 10 characters tend to see clickthrough rates around 1.5% higher compared to shorter titles. While CTR varies significantly based on other on-page factors, title length appears to have a direction correlation in multiple studies.
When can shorter titles be effective?
While the 10 character minimum is a useful guideline, there are some cases where shorter title lengths may be more effective or appropriate:
Homepage titles
Homepage titles are a unique case where brevity can be beneficial. Including just a brand name and brief descriptive tagline is often ideal, even if it results in a short title length. For example “Anthropic – AI assistant company”.
Blog post titles
Blog headlines often aim for a more conversational, human-friendly tone rather than a robotic keyword-focused title. Short, catchy blog titles can performs well when they captivate readers.
Special pages
On some special pages like Contact, About Us, FAQ etc., a shorter title that clearly describes the page purpose may be optimal rather than trying to reach 10 characters.
The key in these situations is ensuring the title still provides good context and effectively communicates the page content.
Best practices for writing 10+ character titles
When aiming for 10+ character titles, here are some best practices to follow:
- Include the primary keyword naturally – Don’t over optimize.
- Summarize the content and value proposition.
- Use conversational language – Avoid Business-speak.
- Include compelling verbs and emotional language.
- Highlight benefits and help for the reader.
- Avoid duplicates – Research other titles in your space.
- Read title out loud – Is it clear and user friendly?
An effective, longer title provides clear context, highlights user benefits, and entices clicks with compelling language. The goal is to inform and attract searchers.
Example
Instead of “SEO Tips” aim for something like:
“12 Actionable SEO Tips to Increase Your Organic Search Traffic Quickly”
This conveys key context on what the content offers readers while remaining user-friendly.
When to exceed the 10 character minimum
While 10 characters is a useful minimum length, there are cases where going even longer with titles can be beneficial:
- For high search volume keywords – More length allows proper keyword targeting.
- When targeting multiple keywords in a title.
- For pillar content targeting competitive terms – Longer titles stand out.
- If data shows longer variations convert better for a term.
As a rule of thumb, 40-60 characters is often ideal for maximizing click potential. But optimal length always depends on the situation.
It comes down to balancing keyword targeting, readability, and compelling copy in the space provided. Testing can help determine the best performing title length for a given page.
Tips for lengthening short titles
There are a few options for lengthening titles that fall short of the 10 character goal:
Add a keyword
Naturally incorporate another secondary keyword if relevant. For example, “Social Media Marketing” becomes “Social Media Marketing Strategies”.
Highlight benefits
Work in an additional benefit, result or value the content provides. Such as “Weight Loss Tips” becoming “Proven Weight Loss Tips to Lose 20 Pounds”.
Include qualifiers
Add descriptive qualifiers like “The Ultimate Guide to X” or “7 Essential X Tips” to provide more context.
Use formatting
Format in Title Case or Use Actions/Descriptors like “How to X” to take up more space.
The goal is to expand short titles naturally without stuffing in fluff or going overboard on keywords. Focus on useful context and reader benefits.
When to intentionally use shorter titles
While longer titles generally perform best, there are cases where shorter titles may be strategic:
- Using brand name recognition – “Apple” vs longer title.
- Very unique titles – Can stand out being ultra short.
- Blog titles – Conversational tones may merit short.
- Location pages – City and state names as titles.
The key is ensuring shorter titles still communicate enough context to users. This takes advantage of name recognition and uniqueness while being concise.
Tips for optimizing title length
Here are some optimization tips to fine tune title lengths:
- Aim for 10+ characters for most pages.
- 40-60 characters performs well for competitive keywords.
- Always focus on user experience – Avoid unnatural stuffing.
- Review top ranking results for that term – Mimic successful patterns.
- Check analytics for top title refers – Optimize based on site data.
- A/B test title length and variations.
Optimizing title length takes research, data analysis, and testing. Start with the 10+ character guideline but adapt based on competitive intelligence and site-specific metrics.
Title length vs. quality
It’s important to emphasize that while title length can optimize clickthrough rates, overall title quality trumps length. Well-written titles in the 10-60 character range tend to perform best. But a poor quality title won’t improve just by adding length. Focus first on writing strong, compelling titles before optimizing length.
Key elements of a quality title:
- Communicates topic clearly
- Provides useful context
- Captures attention
- Uses emotional or action-oriented language
- Focused on user needs and intent
Once these quality factors are met, optimizing title length can further improve performance. But well-crafted, readable titles are most important.
Example
A quality but short title: “Improve Website Conversions”
Still short but poor quality title: “11 Website Conversions Tips”
Well-optimized longer title: “11 Expert Tips to Improve Website Conversions and Generate More Leads”
The longer title builds on a quality foundation and incorporates keyword optimization and compelling language.
Title length in different platforms
The optimal title length can vary across different platforms and mediums:
Google search
40-60 characters is ideal. Up to around 65 characters will display fully before getting cut off.
Social media
40-50 characters tends to allow full display on posts. But conversational tones may merit shorter.
Blogs/Articles
50-60 characters is a good balance of impact while remaining readable. Higher end for more technical topics.
Email subject lines
30-45 characters can optimize open rates by providing context while remaining scannable.
Test different lengths on each platform and medium to see what resonates best with your audience while optimizing for clicks and engagement.
Local SEO title tips
For local search, brevity is key while still providing location context. Some tips:
- Lead with branded business name.
- Follow with location city/region if applicable.
- End with relevant high-level service.
For example: “Bob’s Plumbing Tampa – Drain Cleaning Services”
This keeps titles concise for local search while working in key identity, location and service context.
Conclusions
The 10 character title guideline remains a useful minimum to aim for in modern SEO. Titles over 10 characters have consistently higher clickthrough rates in search results.
But optimal length varies situationally based on keyword targeting needs, platform constraints, and stylistic factors. Content, quality and readership always trump length factors alone.
Use the 10+ character rule as a starting point when writing titles. But also research top performers in your niche, test variations extensively, and optimize based on user feedback and site metrics.
With a data-driven approach, you can determine the ideal balance of title length, SEO impact, and engagement for your unique content and audience.