Partner with Bird, your trusted WordPress SEO Agency in UAE, to make sure every page on your site has an optimised title that resonates with your audience in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or beyond.
WordPress Basics
Where Titles Appear
Understanding the difference between your post title and your SEO title is crucial:
- Browser tabs: The SEO title usually shows here.
- SERP listings: Search engines display the SEO title, not necessarily the main heading.
- Social shares: Plugins often pull the SEO title when someone shares your page.
Post Title vs SEO Title
Your post title (the H1 on the page) is for readers. The SEO title is for search engines—and often the same text, tweaked for optimal length and keywords.
Using SEO Plugins to Add/Edit Titles
Yoast SEO
Yoast is one of the most popular ways to control your SEO title. Here’s how to add SEO title in WordPress with Yoast:
- Install and activate Yoast SEO.
- Open a post or page in the editor.
- Scroll to the Yoast SEO meta box below the editor.
- Select the SEO title field and customise it. You can use variables like
%%title%%
and%%sep%%
for separators. - Hit Update or Publish.
Rank Math
Rank Math offers similar functionality and flexible templates:
- Go to Rank Math > Titles & Meta in your dashboard.
- Choose the content type (Posts, Pages, etc.).
- Define your default SEO title format using separators and site name.
- Override per post in the Rank Math meta box.
Title Format Options
Common elements you can combine:
- %%title%% – your post/page name
- %%sep%% – a separator (dash, pipe, colon)
- %%sitename%% – your website’s name
- %%excerpt%% – a short excerpt of your content
Best Practices for Writing Titles
Character Count
Keep your SEO title between 50–60 characters to avoid truncation in SERPs. You can:
- Use a title character counter plugin or online tool.
- Prioritise important keywords towards the start.
Use of Keywords and Emotional Triggers
Start with your primary keyword: How To Add SEO Title In WordPress. Then add a power word or emotional hook, for example:
- How To Add SEO Title In WordPress Quickly
- Step-by-Step Guide: How To Add SEO Title In WordPress
UAE Market-Specific Advice
When you write for the UAE audience, consider:
- Local terminology: Use “website” and “site” interchangeably if it fits local usage.
- Dubai, Abu Dhabi: Mention major emirates if relevant to your niche.
- Bilingual approach: If you’re targeting Arabic speakers, keep the English title succinct and pair with an Arabic meta description.
Bulk Editing Titles
If you have dozens or hundreds of pages, individual edits can be time-consuming. Try these tips:
- Bulk Actions in Plugins: Both Yoast and Rank Math let you adjust titles in bulk via their settings pages.
- WP-CLI Commands: Developers can use WP-CLI to run scripts that update multiple titles at once.
- CSV Import/Export: Export your posts to CSV, adjust titles in a spreadsheet, then re-import with a plugin like WP All Import.
Testing Titles with A/B Methods
Running Limited Tests Using Plugins
To truly optimise your titles, run A/B tests:
- Install a testing plugin like Title Experiments Free.
- Set up two variants of your SEO title.
- Define your test duration and traffic percentage.
Measuring CTR Improvement
Use Google Search Console or your web analytics:
- Monitor clicks, impressions and CTR for each variant.
- Identify the winning title and make it permanent.
Handling Multilingual Titles
For sites serving both Arabic and English speakers, you need separate SEO titles per language:
- Use WPML or Polylang to create language-specific meta fields.
- Ensure
hreflang
tags are correctly implemented. - Write culturally relevant titles—Arabic speakers may respond to different phrasing.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Duplicate Title Tags
If you see duplicate title warnings in Search Console:
- Audit your site for identical SEO title templates (e.g., home page vs blog page).
- Customise titles on key landing pages to make each unique.
Titles Not Updating in SERPs
Sometimes search engines ignore your changes. Try these steps:
- Resubmit sitemap: Send an updated XML sitemap via Search Console.
- Fetch as Google: Use the URL Inspection tool to request reindexing.
- Check for caching: Clear any server or CDN cache that might be serving the old title.
Conclusion
Mastering how to add SEO title in WordPress is an essential step towards higher rankings and increased traffic. By using the right plugin, following best practices and testing your headlines, you’ll consistently drive more clicks and engagement.
For ongoing optimisation and expert support, choose a dedicated WordPress SEO Agency in UAE that understands your market and keeps your titles fresh, effective and aligned with search engine best practices.