SEO Guidelines for Google and Bing: Character Limits & Best Practices

If you're aiming to rank on Google and Bing, knowing their specific SEO character limits and best practices is essential. Here's a complete breakdown to help you craft effective titles, descriptions, and more optimized for both search engines.

🔹 Title Tags (Meta Title)

• Google Limit: 50–60 characters

• Bing Limit: 60–65 characters

• Tips:

  • Place your primary keyword at the beginning.

  • Keep it compelling to boost click-through rates.

  • Include your brand name if space permits.

🔹 Meta Descriptions

• Google Limit: 150–160 characters

• Bing Limit: 150–170 characters

• Tips:

  • Summarize the page’s value clearly.

  • Use a call-to-action like "Learn more", "Try now", or "Download free".

  • Include your main keyword naturally.

🔹 URL Length

• Ideal for Both: Under 75 characters

• Tips:

  • Use short, keyword-rich, human-readable URLs.

  • Avoid dynamic parameters and unnecessary numbers/symbols.

🔹 H1 Tag (Main Heading)

• Recommended Length: Under 60 characters

• Tips:

  • Use one H1 per page.

  • Include the primary keyword.

  • Avoid keyword stuffing.

🔹 Alt Text for Images

• Limit: Under 125 characters

• Tips:

  • Describe the image clearly.

  • Use relevant keywords where appropriate.

  • Improve accessibility and image SEO.

🔹 Title Tag Pixel Width

• Google: 600 pixels (~60 characters)

• Bing: Similar limit

• Tip: Test your titles using preview tools to avoid truncation.

🔹 Additional Best Practices

• Keyword Placement: Use your focus keyword early in the title, meta, and first 100 words.

• Mobile-Friendliness: Crucial for ranking on both search engines.

• Page Speed: Compress images, use lazy loading, and minify code to improve load times.

• Internal Linking: Helps both users and crawlers navigate your site.

• Schema Markup: Use structured data for rich snippets (events, reviews, FAQs, etc.).

• Backlinks: Earn high-authority backlinks for better credibility.

• Bing-Specific:

  • Claim your business on Bing Places.

  • Use exact-match keywords more often.

  • Bing still acknowledges meta keywords (Google doesn’t).

Final Thoughts

Optimizing for both Google and Bing means being precise with your character usage, keywords, and content structure. Small changes—like trimming a title or rewriting a meta description—can lead to significant improvements in visibility and click-through rates.

Want a downloadable checklist version of these SEO limits? Let me know!