When someone searches for a plumber in Lausanne or an accountant in Sion, they haven't seen your website yet. They see one line of title, a few words of description and a web address. That short text decides whether they click your result or the one next to it.
Writing these two pieces of text doesn't take long, yet plenty of small business websites still show "Home" as their title, or repeat the same sentence on every page. Here is a simple way to write them page by page, with before-and-after examples and the traps worth knowing about.
What these two tags actually do
The title tag is the page title as it usually appears in Google's results and in the browser tab. It also helps Google understand what the page is about. It doesn't have to match the main heading on the page word for word, although the two should tell the same story.
The meta description is the short summary beneath that title. Google has said it isn't used to rank pages. Its job is persuasion: it adds to the title, answers the searcher's question and gives them a reason to click.
A useful way to remember it: the title says what the page offers, and the description says why the page deserves the click.
The method, page by page
You don't need to redo everything at once. Start with the pages that matter to your business: the homepage, each service, the contact page, then any articles already bringing in visitors.
- List your pages in a spreadsheet. One row per page, with the address, current title and current description. Duplicates and empty cells will jump out quickly.
- Write down the search each page is aiming for. Phrase it the way a customer would: "accountant for freelancers in Sion", "roller shutter repair in Geneva". One page, one main intent.
- Look at the current results for that search. You'll see how competitors present themselves and, more usefully, what their text leaves out: a specific area, concrete evidence, a clear next step.
- Write the title. Lead with the service and location, add something distinctive if it's true, and finish with your business name if there's room. Keep it short enough not to be cut off.
- Write the description. One or two sentences covering what the person gets, who it's for, and what they can do next (request a quote, book, call). Again, keep it short enough not to be cut off.
- Read it aloud and check it against the page. It should sound like something written for a person, and the page should deliver what it announces.
If your site runs in both French and English, each version needs its own text, written for the way people search in that language. A literal translation often produces a phrase nobody would ever type.
Before-and-after examples
The examples below are fictional and generic. Swap "Name" for your business, and keep only the claims that are true for you.
Plumber in Lausanne, homepage
- Title before: Home
- Title after: Plumber in Lausanne: leaks, repairs and renovations | Name
- Description before: Welcome to our website. We are a serious company that listens to your needs.
- Description after: Got a leak, a broken water heater or a bathroom to redo? Describe the problem by phone or WhatsApp and get a clear price before any work starts.
Accountant in Valais, service page
- Title before: Services, accounting, tax, accountant Sion, accountant Valais, payroll
- Title after: Accountant in Sion: bookkeeping and payroll for small firms | Name
- Description before: We offer accounting, tax and payroll services for all types of customers.
- Description after: Bookkeeping, payroll and tax returns for freelancers and small businesses across Valais. Ask for a quote tailored to the way you work.
Hair salon in Nyon, booking page
- Title before: Booking
- Title after: Hairdresser in Nyon: online booking, cuts and colour | Name
- Description before: Click here to book.
- Description after: Pick your service and a time slot that suits you, online at any hour. Pay at the salon by card or TWINT.
Carpenter in Vaud, blog article
- Title before: News: our wood tips
- Title after: Which wood should you choose for a terrace in Vaud?
- Description before: Check out our new article about wood and terraces.
- Description after: Larch, oak or treated timber: how each one ages, the upkeep it needs and the questions to ask before you place an order.
In every "after" version, you can tell who is speaking, about what, where, and what happens next. Those few cues are often enough to set a result apart from its neighbours.
The most common traps
The same wording on every page
An identical title across several pages, or a description pasted everywhere by the site template, makes it hard for Google and for readers to tell your services apart. Repeating your business name at the end of a title is fine. It's the start of the text that should change from one page to the next.
Keywords in a list
"Plumber Lausanne, cheap plumber Lausanne, plumbing Vaud, emergency plumber" persuades nobody. A list like that makes a site look careless, and Google may decide to replace it with something else. Write a natural phrase, using the main search term once.
Promises the page can't keep
Announcing "immediate response" or "the best in Geneva" to win the click tends to backfire: people leave straight away if they can't find the information, or they hold it against you when they get in touch. Only write what you can show or prove on the page.
Forgetting that Google can rewrite your text
In its Search Central documentation, Google explains that it can show a different title from your tag, taken for example from the page's main heading or from links pointing to it. It can also build the snippet from the page's content, depending on what was searched. So you decide what you propose, without fully controlling what appears.
If a title keeps being replaced, check three things: that it describes the page accurately, that it matches the visible main heading, and that it isn't too long or stuffed with keywords. For the description, take care over the page's opening paragraph too, since it sometimes feeds the snippet.
Saving the important part for last
The display varies between a phone and a computer screen, so put the deciding information first: service and location, then your business name. If the end gets cut off, the meaning survives. It's also worth searching for your own pages on a phone to see how they look.
Checking that your changes pay off
Google Search Console, which is free, shows impressions (how often you appeared) and clicks for each page and search. Look for pages that appear often but attract few clicks: those are your first candidates for a rewrite.
Note the date of each change in your spreadsheet, then compare equivalent periods. Change one batch of pages at a time so you can tell what caused what. A clearer title can improve clicks, but it won't replace a useful page or the rest of your SEO work. No timeline or ranking can be guaranteed: early signals often appear within a few weeks, and solid results are generally built over several months, usually 3 to 6 months.
A click only helps if the page then answers the question: how pricing works, the area you cover, a contact button that's easy to find. If your text brings in visits but nobody gets in touch, look at the page itself. That question often comes up when the site itself gets reviewed: even a simple website works better when structure and copy are reworked together.
Where to start this week
- Open a spreadsheet and list your main pages.
- Flag titles that are empty, identical or just a single word.
- Rewrite your homepage and your most profitable service first.
- Ask someone who doesn't know your trade to read the text.
- Check how it looks on a phone, then log the date in your spreadsheet.
If you'd rather hand this over, it's part of working on SEO in Geneva with us. Digital Swiss Agency works remotely, in French and English, across Geneva, Lausanne and French-speaking Switzerland. The SEO audit is free and ongoing SEO costs CHF 390 per month (see our pricing), with a firm price stated before work begins and no commitment. To talk about your website, use the contact page.