What is Title [title] Product Attribute? Google Free Listings (2025)

Imagine searching online for a “lightweight hiking backpack” and spotting listings with vague or irrelevant titles.

You’d likely scroll right past them, right?

The Title [title] attribute helps online retailers avoid such pitfalls by allowing them to present relevant, meaningful headlines for their products.

Getting this attribute right is more important than ever to stand out in Google’s free listings.

What is Title [title] Product Attribute?

The Title [title] attribute is where you clearly communicate what a product is. It’s often the first snippet of text a shopper sees in a search result or free listing. A strong title can instantly pique curiosity and encourage further clicks. By contrast, a weak or misleading title could be the difference between making a sale and losing a potential customer.

What are Free Listings? Google’s free listings, available through the Google Merchant Center, let you showcase products on various surfaces—such as Search, Maps, YouTube, and the Shopping tab—without paying for ads. If your products meet basic requirements, they can appear organically for relevant searches. This makes a clear, accurate Title [title] critical for connecting your products with the right audience.

Google’s systems use product titles to match listings with relevant user queries. Therefore, the more precisely you describe your product, the better your chance of appearing for the right audience.

For instance, “Waterproof Running Jacket – Women’s, Blue, Medium” is much more helpful than simply “Running Jacket.”

Where Does Google Merchant Center Fit In?

Google Merchant Center is the platform you use to manage your product feed for both free listings and paid ads. It’s where you upload or update attributes (like Title [title] and structured_title [structured_title]), keep product data accurate, and monitor policy compliance.

Minimum Requirements for Title [title]

Meeting Google’s baseline requirements and following feed rules ensures your products have a shot at appearing in free listings. Failing to meet these standards can lead to warnings or even disapprovals. Below are some key essentials:

1. Stay Within 1–150 Characters: Although up to 150 characters are allowed, you should front-load critical details. Many devices or displays cut off text beyond 70 characters, so conciseness is your friend.
2. Match Your Landing Page: If the user clicks through to find a different product name or unclear description, they may leave. Ensure your title closely reflects the product’s landing page content.
3. Avoid Promotions & Irrelevant Info: Don’t stuff the title with extraneous phrases like “Free Shipping!” or “Discount Sale.” Use other attributes or features for promotions, shipping details, and pricing.
4. Differentiate Variants: Always include critical details—such as size, color, or flavor—to let shoppers quickly identify the variant they want. You should also submit these attributes separately (e.g., color [color], size [size]) if applicable.
5. Prohibit Spam or Gimmicks: Overusing punctuation, all caps, or foreign characters for emphasis can appear spammy and risk disapproval. Stick to professional, grammatically sound language.

Title [title] vs. Structured Title [structured_title]

Understanding the differences between these two attributes is crucial for ensuring your product listings are accurate and compliant with Google's guidelines:

A) Title [title]

Title [title] is Google’s classic product name field. You enter a concise, text-based description (up to 150 characters) that tells shoppers what your product is. This is perfect for any title you’ve written yourself or pulled from a non-AI source.

B) Structured Title [structured_title]

Structured Title [structured_title] is designed specifically for AI-generated titles. Instead of a single text field, it has two parts:

1. digital_source_type [digital_source_type] – Tells Google whether your title is created by generative AI (trained_algorithmic_media) or not (default).
2. content [content] – Holds the actual product name (up to 150 characters).

If you use AI to create product titles, you must submit those titles under structured_title [structured_title], specifying trained_algorithmic_media. Otherwise, you can stick to the traditional title [title] field.

Keep in mind that if you provide both title [title] and structured_title [structured_title], Google will default to title [title], so you don’t want to duplicate AI-generated content there. By using the right attribute, you stay clear of policy issues and ensure shoppers see accurate, compliant product names.

Best Practices

Follow these best practices to enhance product visibility:

• Compose Descriptive Yet Concise Titles: A well-structured title immediately tells shoppers they’ve found what they need. While you can use up to 150 characters, it’s wise to focus on clarity over length. For example, leading with keywords such as “Women’s Running Shoes” or “Stainless-Steel Cookware Set” helps Google match your product with relevant searches.
• Include Product-Specific Keywords: Appropriate keywords often include the product type, brand, color, or model number. Use them naturally. If your item is a children’s toy, for example, name the brand and the theme (“Lunar Kids Rocket Toy – Lights & Sounds”).
• Keep Language Consistent: Ensure the majority of your product data matches the primary feed language. Avoid mixing in foreign words unless they’re widely recognized or integral to the product name (e.g., “sushi” or “tortilla”).
• Maintain Professional Formatting: Typing in all caps, adding random ASCII characters, or using emoticons (like (_)) might distract rather than help. Subtlety and clarity often outperform flashy tactics.
• Leverage Structured Titles for AI-Generated Content: If an AI system created your title, you must provide it via structured_title [structured_title] and specify trained_algorithmic_media. This informs Google about the origin and ensures compliance with policy.

Pro tip: Use an AI tool to optimize your product feed

Examples

Below are real-world scenarios demonstrating Before (common mistakes) and After (optimized titles). These cover a variety of product categories:

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Pro tip: See two Google product feed examples (from 2 different online stores)

Why the Right Title Matters for Free Listings

In Google’s ecosystem, product titles do more than simply label your items. They help algorithms match your product with relevant user queries. If you’re selling a “4K Ultra HD Camera Drone,” an incomplete title like “Camera Drone” could lose you potential clicks from individuals specifically searching for a high-resolution or 4K model.

A thoroughly optimized product title also helps your listing appear in front of interested shoppers rather than general browsers. Better targeting usually means higher click-through rates, potentially better conversion rates, and a more efficient use of your presence in free listings.

Moreover, a clear title fosters trust. When users see precisely what they’re getting, they’re more likely to click, investigate further, and ultimately make a purchase. Clarity in online merchandising is key, particularly in a competitive marketplace where many products may look similar at first glance.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Even experienced merchants sometimes fall into unintentional traps that can lead to disapproved products or missed opportunities. Consider these pitfalls:

• Overloading the Title with Text: Squeezing in details like shipping info, sale dates, or your company name is prohibited. Let other attributes handle those specifics.
• Forgetting to Update Titles for Variants: If you sell multiple sizes or styles, not clarifying which variant each listing refers to can confuse users.
• Using Excessive Capitalization or Symbols: ALL-CAPS and repeated exclamation marks make your listing look spammy. Google’s policies explicitly discourage these.
• Failing to Use Structured Title for AI-Generated Text: In 2025, any AI-generated text must be flagged with trained_algorithmic_media under the structured_title attribute.

By steering clear of these mistakes, you’ll create a smoother user experience and maintain compliance with Google’s editorial guidelines.

Related Attributes

The details you include with these product attributes form the foundation for showing products on Google for free. You can monitor any issues in the “Needs attention” tab on the “Products” page in Merchant Center. If you’re using structured data markup, refer to the schema.org attribute names for each field. Below is a table of attributes—those marked Required are mandatory for free listings, while “recommended” ones are optional yet helpful.

FAQs About Title [title]

Is there a direct ranking boost from optimizing my title?

Yes. Done right, a well-optimized title can enhance your product's visibility by aligning it with relevant user queries. This can lead to increased impressions and click-through rates, indirectly boosting your performance in search results. Focus on including core details like product type, brand, and unique attributes within the first 70 characters, as this is what most shoppers notice at a glance.

Can I submit both the title [title] and the structured title [structured_title]?

Yes, you can technically submit both, but Google will default to using the title [title] attribute if it’s present. This means your structured title [structured_title] is effectively ignored in cases where you provide both. If you’ve used generative AI to create your product title, then you must use the structured title [structured_title] attribute and set digital_source_type [digital_source_type] to trained_algorithmic_media. Doing so tells Google that the content was generated algorithmically and helps maintain compliance with Merchant Center policies. If you accidentally include AI-generated text under the regular title [title] attribute, it could lead to confusion or even policy enforcement issues. Therefore, it’s important to be intentional when deciding which title field you use, and to keep the rules for AI-generated titles in mind—especially if you experiment with large language models or advanced text-generation tools to craft product descriptions.

Do I need to include the brand or model in the title?

It’s not a strict requirement, but it’s highly advisable. When shoppers compare similar products, details like brand or model can be decisive. Including these identifiers up front can also help people confirm they’ve found exactly what they’re looking for before they click. Additionally, if you sell electronics or niche items, brand and model numbers can dramatically improve search relevance.

What if my product name has foreign words by default?

If the product genuinely contains foreign terms—such as a well-known dish or a region-specific name—you can keep them. However, don’t randomly insert foreign characters to grab attention. Mixing languages without a valid reason might confuse shoppers or violate editorial guidelines if it appears spammy. In general, keep the bulk of your product title in the same language as your target market’s feed.

How often should I update my titles?

You should update titles whenever there’s a significant product change, such as a new feature, a revised color range, or an important seasonal variation. Regularly reviewing and adjusting titles also helps keep them aligned with changing consumer search behaviors. If you find that your click-through rates start dropping, consider optimizing your titles (and other attributes) to stay relevant and engaging.

How do I avoid using forbidden promotional language in my titles?

Promotional text—such as “50% Off,” “Free Shipping,” or “Best Deal!”—is not allowed in the title attribute. Including these phrases can lead to disapprovals or warnings. To stay compliant, place details about discounts, shipping, or special offers in the appropriate attributes (like sale price) or in promotions instead. Think of your title as a factual label for the product: it should concisely describe what the shopper is viewing without distracting sales pitch language. By sticking to relevant product details (brand, size, color, etc.), you’ll keep your listing clean, professional, and compliant with Google’s guidelines.

What if I use random capital letters or punctuation for emphasis?

Overusing capitalization (for example, “FREE” or “BUY NOW!!!!”) makes your listing look spammy and can be seen as an attempt to manipulate attention. Google’s editorial rules disallow excessive punctuation and uppercase letters outside of proper grammar or brand names. Stick to normal sentence case, and avoid plugging your title with multiple exclamation points, special symbols, or emoticons. A tidy, grammatically correct title portrays a professional image that encourages users to trust your store.

Conclusion

Your product’s title is far more than a simple label. It’s an opportunity to stand out in a crowded marketplace, capturing the attention of your most relevant audience. By adhering to Google’s minimum requirements, using best practices, and staying transparent about AI-generated text, you can maximize your product’s visibility in free listings.

Remember: keep it accurate, concise, and reflective of the product itself. Add relevant details—like brand, color, and size—so shoppers instantly know what they’re getting. Don’t let minor oversights, such as extra punctuation or unnecessary promotions, sabotage an otherwise great listing. If you handle this attribute properly, you’ll be well on your way to driving more traffic and sales through Google’s free listings.