How to Format SEO Titles for Better Search Engine Visibility and Browser Navigation

How to Format SEO Titles for Better Search Engine Visibility and Browser Navigation

By Michael Chen

December 1, 2024 at 09:35 AM

SEO title formats help create consistent structures for how pages appear in browser tabs, search engines, and social posts. You can customize these formats to optimize your site's visibility and user experience.

Online shopping website Brine

Online shopping website Brine

To edit SEO title formats:

  1. Access the SEO Appearance panel
  2. Navigate to Home, Pages, or Items tab
  3. Edit the SEO title format using available variables
  4. Save your changes

Squarespace SEO page

Squarespace SEO page

Available Variables:

  • %s: Site title
  • %p: Page SEO title (or page title if no SEO title exists)
  • %i: Collection item SEO title (or item title if no SEO title exists)

Key Format Types:

Page Title Format:

  • Default: Page Title — Site Name (%p — %s)
  • Applies to all pages except homepage and collection items
  • Must include %p to display in browser tabs

Homepage Title Format:

  • Default: Site Title (%s)
  • Controls homepage display in browser tabs and search results
  • Can include previous SEO titles using %p variable

Collection Item Format:

  • Default: Item Title — Site Name (%i — %s)
  • Applies to blog posts, products, events, and album tracks
  • Must include %i for proper display

Optimization Tips:

Brand-First Strategy:

  • Place %s at the beginning to prioritize company name
  • Best for established brands with strong recognition

Content-First Strategy:

  • Place %p or %i at the beginning to emphasize page content
  • Ideal for blogs, content sites, or multi-tab browsing
  • Helps with search result rankings for specific content

You can also add custom text to any format for additional SEO optimization, such as including relevant keywords or location information.

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