including common words in title - bad idea?

"The following words are very common and were not included in your search"

[leifwessman]

Is it a bad idea having this title:

"how the bluewidget of redwidget is"

?

Since google removes the words: is, it, a, this. Would it be a better idea to have the title

"bluewidget redwidget"

?

[sullen]

best to have a title that makes sense.

Ignored words are ignored words, so you neither gain nor lose by using them, but they often do make the title more readable.

[digitalghost]

Those common words are seen as spaces and they will affect how the site is represented in the SERPS.

Type "A Basket of Apples" sans quotes and "basket apples". Compare the results.

[leifwessman]

In my case, there are a _LOT_ of competition on the title "how the bluewidget of redwidget is" and no competition at all on "bluewidget redwidget". Now, I'm page 10. I want to be #1.

My guess is that the keyword density is better if you only use "bluewidget redwidget". What do you think? Would it help?

[digitalghost]

>>My guess is that the keyword density

Forget about keyword density and concentrate on the phrases people actually use to find your site and the sites of your competitors. Then start crafting phrases that use variations of you main keyword phrases.

Develop as many phrases as you can that will pull in traffic. Never, ever, rely on a few phrases to drive traffic to your site.

[mil2k]

Looking at the top 10 results for all the keywords, and analyzing what can be done better(in terms of titles) to attract visitors, will also help.

[PatrickDeese]

Those common words are seen as spaces and they will affect how the site is represented in the SERPS

I completely hosed my SERPs about 18 months ago for about 2-3 months by rewriting a couple of pages to stop using the "ignored" term, thinking it might edge me from #2 to #1.

Killed me. Don't learn the hard way.

[pageoneresults]

There is something referred to as text proximity. If your visitors are looking for...

Widgets in California

...then utilize the word in within your copy. There is a good chance that if you pick up a top position for Widgets in California, that you might also find yourself close by for Widgets California. There are other factors at work here besides the page title element.

Forget about keyword density and concentrate on the phrases people actually use to find your site and the sites of your competitors. Then start crafting phrases that use variations of your main keyword phrases.

Great advice from DG.

[papabaer]

Forget about keyword density and concentrate on the phrases people actually use to find your site and the sites of your competitors. Then start crafting phrases that use variations of you main keyword phrases.

Great advice, really. Take it to heart in a constructive manner. Too often, "real-language" is replaced by artificial "seo-speak."

I use natural, real-world language, calculated semantics, and creative constructs in combination for what I term the "metasemantics" approach. It is both very powerful and very robust. Common "words" as components of "real-language" constructs are crucial, even if, as previously mentioned, serving no more than placeholders.

Beyond that however, the real-language, metasemantics approach can yield excellent results for multiple keyword phrases. Common words? It wouldn't be the same without 'em!
- papabaer