Why pixels matter more than characters
Google truncates titles and descriptions by display width, not character count. A title full of wide letters like W and M gets cut sooner than one with narrow letters like i and l. That's why this preview measures pixel width, using the same font size Google uses for desktop results.
| Element | Approximate limit | What happens beyond it |
|---|---|---|
| Title | about 600px (roughly 50–60 characters) | Cut off with an ellipsis |
| Description | about 920px on desktop (roughly 150–160 characters) | Cut off, or rewritten by Google |
Writing titles that win the click
- Lead with the main keyword, in natural language.
- Add a reason to click: a number, a year, a benefit or a location.
- Put your brand last, or leave it out if space is tight.
- Make every title unique across your site.
Writing meta descriptions
Descriptions don't affect rankings directly, but they affect clicks. Summarise what the page offers, include the main keyword (Google bolds it), and end with a reason to visit. Google often rewrites descriptions that don't match the search, so write for the most common search intent.