Page Titles, Blurbs, and Meta Descriptions

Titles

The title of your page should be straightforward and say exactly what the page is about.

It can be somewhat shorthand (i.e. Davis Library vs. Middlebury College Davis Family Library) since we can presume that the user has navigated their way to the site and knows that they are on a Middlebury site. But it should also be our own (i.e. Davis Library vs. The Library).

Remember that users typically spend 10-20 seconds on a page, so you want them to know immediately where they are.

Blurbs

The blurb is the short bit of copy (about 20 words) that summarizes what a user will find when they click on a link to this page from within the site, i.e. by using the Middlebury internal search.

It should be informative and not like a teaser, for example:

Good Blurb

Title: Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad | Our Schools

Blurb: Find an authentic and immersive experience in the host country, language, and culture of your choice.

Not So Good Blurb

Title: Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad | Our Schools

Blurb: Interested in a great study abroad opportunity?

Metas

The meta description is also a short bit of copy (about 20 words) that summarizes what’s on a page but the key difference is that it is what appears in an external search, i.e. Google. It should include words and phrases from the page that we know users type in when searching—see SEO 101 for more on this. And those words should come at the start of the description because if it’s too long and rambling, the search engine will just cut if off.

Good Meta

International Education Management | Middlebury Institute of International Studies

Find out what students in the Middlebury Institute’s MA in International Education Management do during their internships and after graduation.

Not So Good Meta

International Education Management | Middlebury Institute of International Studies

Graduates of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies master’s degree in International Education Management take on a multitude of engaging and rew…(it gets cut off by search engine)