Ignore the title tag at your peril

The title tag is probably the single most important aspect of a web page when it comes to SEO. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that search engines rely on the title tag to help understand that web page's content.

Now consider the title tags on your own site. There's a good chance every page has the same generic title tag.

When it comes to sorting out the content side of the SEO equation, it's essential that the title reflects the actual content on the page.

Yes, it really is as simple as it sounds. And no, it won't get you to the top of Google for a heavily contested keyword. There's a lot more to SEO than matching the title to the content.

My point is, making proper use of the title tag is an essential (and important) part of the overall SEO picture. It's something that has to be done if your site is to stand any chance of competing.

As regular readers of these free business articles know, I view SEO as part of the overall online marketing picture. It certainly has its place, but shouldn't be an all-consuming pursuit in and of itself. I regard the lead generation side of the overall online marketing mix to be far more important.

In other words, SEO is fine in moderation. But don't let it take over your life. No lesser authority than Google itself says "Create a useful, information-rich site and write pages that clearly and accurately describe your content".

That advice comes directly from the world's most-used search engine. Any SEO 'guru' who says otherwise is probably hoping to part you from your money.