Write clear titles
Most people who use GOV.UK start with a search engine. Use the same language as your audience so they can find your content. This begins with your page title.
If people cannot find your page, they will not be able to act on it or know it’s for them.
Make your title unique
Titles must be unique and informative so that users know which page they are on.
Duplicate titles can confuse users - for example, if they have more than one page open. This is particularly true for those with visual, cognitive or mobility impairments.
In Whitehall Publisher, a message appears at the top of your content after you save it if the title is already being used: “This title is already used on GOV.UK. Please create a unique title”.
In other publishing tools, you may not get a warning that the title is already being used. You’ll need to search for the title you want to use to check it’s not already in use.
Keep your title short, where possible
Your title should be 65 characters or less (including spaces).
You can use more than 65 characters if it’s essential for making the title clear or unique, but do not do this routinely because:
- Google cuts off the rest of the title at around 65 characters
- longer titles are harder to understand
Check your title makes sense
Your title should make sense:
- by itself – for example ‘Regulations’ does not say much, but ‘Regulations for environmental waste’ does
- in search results
- in document collections
Use clear and common language
Titles do not have to reflect the official publication title. Make them user focused, clear and descriptive so that users can distinguish if it’s the right content for them.
Find out what the public calls your content by looking at common search terms. The official or internal name may not be what the public calls it.
Once you know the most common search terms, you can prioritise them in the title.
This will also help make your content easier to find.
Make your titles descriptive
The title should provide full context so that users can easily see if they’ve found what they’re looking for. By being general about a topic, you leave the user asking ‘what is this about?’
Bad title example: Hazardous waste – new process
Good title example: How to dispose of hazardous waste in your area
Avoid saying the same thing twice
Repeating yourself in the title uses up valuable characters that could be used to give more information.
Bad title example: Using and submitting your business expenses
Good title example: Submitting your business expenses
Use the right verb in your title
Use the active verb (‘Submit’) if you use the page to do something.
Good form title example: Submit your business expenses
Use the present participle (‘Submitting’) if the page is guidance about doing something, but you complete the task elsewhere.
Good guidance title example: Submitting your business expenses
Do not include the content type in the title
Do not include the name of the content type, such as ‘guidance’ or ‘consultation’. The content type appears automatically at the top of the page.
Bad title example: Potato guidance
Good title example: How to grow potatoes
Remove the date unless it makes the title unique
Put the date in the title if the page is part of a series that has the same title.
For example, a list of annual reports:
- [Organisation name] annual report 2020
- [Organisation name] annual report 2019
- [Organisation name] annual report 2018
If you publish multiple parts of the series in the same year, include the date range as well. For example, ‘January to March 2020’ and ‘April to June 2020’.
Do not include your organisation name unless it makes the title unique
Only add your organisation’s name to the title if the content is about your organisation. For example, your organisation’s annual reports or corporate information.
Title example: Highways Agency environmental strategy
On its own, ‘Environmental strategy’ could apply to any department or agency. In this case, it’s better to add the department name to differentiate it.