Long titles performing better in Google, even with lower keyword density

[silverbytes]

I've seen some long titles performing better than short ones in Google lately. If user search a 3 words keyprase, in most cases you find

1- A long title in first position using those 3 words, some other word/s and again the 3 words or at least 2

And a site not performing first result even with 3 exact words searched.

If we talk about titles only my feeling is Google considers better the long title instead the short one (even when short title hits 100% of keywords 3/3 and long one, not just 4/6) having a lower keyword density.

Ie: search = "blue used widgets"

#1 result "blue used widget bla bla widget" better than
#5 "blue used widget"

Forget what site is better or relevant. I'm talking about title and how Google considers that.

[tedster]

I see it works for them...

Are you sure that it is "working"? Maybe their success is in spite of this techinique. Maybe it just doesn't enter into their success at all, you know?

[Funtick]

Longer titles perform better? May be... if they are natural and not over-optimized. What about uppercase/lowercase then?

[silverbytes]

Regarding titles yes I think helps their success or at least not affecting in negative way this far. (and also think it's pointless to consider other factors beyond for puropose of this thread)

My impression is uppercase or lowercase doesn't matter at all for SE, but for user intention to click. Personally uppercase looks spammy to me and lowercase more professional (with first letter capitalized).

[Squidley]

With the advent of blogging tools, long titles are getting the norm rather than the exception.

This also applies to URL created with such blog tools.

Google might have decide to go along instead of trying to tame the flood... Any opinions about this?

[sandboxsam]

Funtick
"Longer titles perform better? May be... if they are natural and not over-optimized."

I'm not sure what you mean "over-optimized" here?

A previously sited example:
<title>City1 phase tail1 *City1 Phase tail2 *City1 phases tail3 *City1 phrase tail4, City1 phrase tail5 *City1 phrase tail6 *phrase2 *City Phrase tail7, phase3, phrase4, phrase5</title>

City1 is repeated six times and other word are repeated too.

It looks like keyword stuffing to me.

[sandboxsam]

Tedster

"An asterisk at the start of a title seems like a minor sin - but also a minor advantage if any. It's just trickery, and for me, not a sign of trust or a solid business. It makes me less likely to click "

I think you are not typical of the browsing public. I think most people see the asterisk at the front of the title as an endorsement by Google. Most people have no idea how characters get into the title.

I believe the asterisk could have the opposite effect as to what you think. If more people click on it, this could eventually improve Google ranking as well.