Same Title on more than one page

is there any benefit?

[mahlon]

I'm thinking about changing the Title of the site map or catalog page to the same title as the homepage. Is there any advantage to this? Or am I better off having it different.

Also, product pages are currently:

Name: Blue Widgets

Would Blue Widgets and then Name be better?

TIA

[edited by: mahlon at 5:12 pm (utc) on Aug. 29, 2002]

[korkus2000]

I would think that having unique titles on everypage is the best course of action. It allows you to target different searches. Even though your site map is just a site map you really don't want it competing with your homepage in the SERPs.

[TWhalen]

Why not have it competing with your home page in the SERPS?

Just add some side dialog that persuades the visitor to "Click here for information about keyword X!" to your site map, and make it convert traffic for you as well.

Each and every page on your website should be considered its own lottery ticket, and any one of them can win it all for you.

Of course, it is better to get visitors in on your home page, but don't 'under-optimize' your site map, or any page for that matter.

Your website should be designed like a funnel, and entering the funnel at any point should lead the visitor straight to where you want them to go.

So to answer the original question, no - don't use the same title twice on two pages of your website. You wouldn't buy two lottery tickets with the same numbers on them, would you?

[edited by: TWhalen at 5:08 pm (utc) on Aug. 29, 2002]

[4eyes]

I'd make it a little different even if it was just to add "- sitemap" to the end of the title.

Can't see any plus points to keeping it identical.