Title Tag vs. H1 - Should They Be Different? If so, How different should they be?

[Guest]

Thanks to anyone who jumps into this conversation!

[Falco]

It's irrelevant. H1 could be longer and more catchy depending on the content. You have let's say a credit calculator page. Title and H1 can be the same. You write a piece about changes in a law regarding credit. Title could be 2023 changes in credit law. H1 could be 5 ways the change in law can affect your credit or something similar.

[Brett]

These days Google changes the title tag in the SERPS based on searcher intent.

[Rashid]

The title can have only one or two keywords e.g "how to write a compelling article", is a title. but under this title may be many headings like H1, H2, H3, and so on, e. what is an article, part of the compelling article, etc

[Nathan]

There’s a lot of responses here about what Google does or doesn’t think. But think of your user and their context.

The title will be seen in SERPs and so needs to entice a click. The title is shown in browser tabs so should be identifiable in the first few words before cut off (inc favicon).

The H1 is used to position the page to people once landed on your site and also confirms to a click through that they have landed where expected.

So similar, but different.

[Felix]

The closer, the better. Beside SEO I did a lot of ads, not only Google. In big numbers I saw the difference in small changes. It's relevant to provide what Poeple expect. Same wording helps. Completing info from title in H1 confirms the user to be at the right place.

[Matty]

Contextually, they should be the same. But a Title tag should describe the page as if someone doesn't know what's on the page or the website (I.e. seeing ot from a SERP).

The H1 should assume the user knows the context of the website and the page already (because they'll be on the site already)

[Alva]

Same is best. Google says it prefers them to be same.