In Plain English
The title tag is the text inside a page’s HTML <title> element. It labels browser tabs and is often used as the prominent link in a search result. A useful title identifies the page clearly and helps a person recognise whether it fits their task.
Why it matters
Titles set expectations before someone visits. Make each important page’s title specific, accurate and distinct. Put the most useful information where it can be noticed quickly, but write a natural phrase rather than a string of repeated keywords.
Search engines can choose different result titles when another heading or piece of page text appears more useful for a query. A character range can help with editing, but it is not a ranking rule and display space can vary.
Example
<title>Beginner’s Guide to Search Intent | Get Optimized</title>Common misunderstanding
The title tag and the visible H1 can be similar, but they serve different locations and do not have to be identical. Neither guarantees that a search engine will show the supplied wording.