How to Fix Missing Search Engine Title on Your Home Page

If you’ve received an SEO warning in SureRank saying:  “Search engine title is missing on the home page.”, “Search engine title of the home page exceeds 60 characters.”

This guide will explain what this means, why it matters, and how to fix it quickly.

What’s the problem?

The search engine title (also called the SEO title or meta title) is one of the most important elements for SEO. It’s the first thing people see in Google search results and helps search engines understand what your page is about.

When the SEO title is missing on your home page:

• Your site may appear in Google with a blank or auto-generated title.
• Click-through rates drop because users don’t see a clear headline for your site.
• Search engines may choose their own title, which could be irrelevant.

Why this matters

• First impressions count: The title is the first thing users see in search results.
• Improves rankings: Search engines rely on titles to understand your content.
• Boosts clicks: A clear, keyword-rich title can bring more visitors to your site.

How to fix it

Step 1 – Set the home page SEO title in SureRank

• If your homepage is a static page:
  • Go to Pages > All Pages in WordPress.
  • Edit your homepage and add a title.
• If your homepage shows your latest posts:
  • In your WordPress dashboard, go to SureRank > General Settings.
  • Click on the Home Page General section.
  • Add your Search Engine Title in the Title field (e.g., Best Organic Skincare Products | YourBrand).

Step 2 – Check WordPress Site Title (Optional)

1. Go to Settings > General in WordPress.
2. Ensure the Site Title field is filled.
3. This acts as a fallback in case the SEO plugin settings are empty.

Step 3 – Save and verify

1. Save your changes in SureRank.
2. Open your home page and view the page source (Right-click > View Page Source).
3. Look for the <title> tag to confirm your SEO title is now present.

Step 4 – Re-run Site SEO Analysis

• After making changes, Re-run Checks in SureRank.
• The warning should disappear.  Search engine title of the home page is present and under 60 characters.