Analyzing Duplicate TITLE Element Errors in Naver Webmaster Tools
A common issue in Naver Search Optimization, the Duplicate TITLE Element error, decreases search bot efficiency due to syntax errors on the page. This document analyzes the meaning of Webmaster Tools warnings and provides specific methods to improve blog SEO quality by resolving duplicate title tags through HTML modifications across various environments, including post creation, skin code, and external plugins.
How to Resolve and the Importance of Fixing Duplicate TITLE Elements in Naver Webmaster Tools
Warnings seen in Naver Search Advisor (Webmaster Tools) are as follows, and they serve as important signals for blog operators from a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) perspective.
"The title element must have a unique title that accurately represents the subject of the page's content. If an HTML document contains two or more title elements, the Naver search bot must perform additional work to analyze which title corresponds to the page's content theme. This reduces the efficiency of the search bot, and the page may be classified as a poor-quality page."
Source: Naver
This message emphasizes that duplicate title elements negatively impact SEO. The TITLE tag is one of the most critical SEO elements representing the core subject of a page.
How to Handle Duplicate TITLE Element Errors on Naver
Here is how to check and correct Naver title errors. In Naver Search Advisor, you can find diagnostic information by type under 'Site Diagnosis' in the Report menu.
In this section, you can view a list of problematic pages. By performing a URL inspection on these specific addresses, you can confirm the exact issues found.
Error: Two or more Title elements detected
Problem Analysis: The Fatal SEO Impact of Duplicate TITLE Tags
Upon inspection, Naver Webmaster Tools may flag the error "Two or more title elements found." This issue negatively affects page SEO, requiring you to inspect and modify the HTML code to resolve it.
The title tag is primarily used in SEO to define a page's title and is a crucial element that clearly indicates the topic. If a TITLE element is included within the body of the post, it must never be used as it can confuse both search engines and users.
In particular, using TITLE elements in the post body prevents search engines from accurately recognizing the page title or causes them to mistake it for a duplicate title, which can significantly harm SEO. This can lead to a drop in search rankings or even exclusion from the index.
Causes of the Problem and the Importance of HTML Tag Structure
This error often occurs during the process of inserting HTML code, especially when title elements are accidentally duplicated during the installation of external widgets or plugins. Caution is needed when editing HTML designs or adding new features. These cases can be resolved by modifying the code.
| SEO Issue Type | Technical Location | Impact on SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate TITLE Element | HTML head section |
Unclear page title, reduced search bot efficiency, indexing errors |
| Duplicate H1 Tags | HTML body section |
Confusion in content structure, dilution of topic importance |
| Incorrect Heading Order (H3 after H1) | HTML body section |
Unclear content hierarchy, reduced readability and accessibility |
Duplicate use of H1 tags is also a common problem found in Tistory skin logos. Since H1, H2, H3, and H4 tags represent the hierarchy of importance, it is also important to use them in the correct sequence.
Using "Heading 3" immediately after "Heading 1" without an intermediate "Heading 2" can result in an order error. When writing, you must pay attention not only to the correct order of heading tags but also to various factors that affect SEO. Even if not flagged as an error in Naver Webmaster Tools, poor coding often prevents search engines from indexing the page correctly.
Therefore, it is important to preemptively check for potential issues from a technical SEO perspective as well as the content itself; this is an essential step in strengthening a page's technical SEO.
3-Step HTML Modification Guide to Remove Duplicate TITLE Elements
To resolve duplicate title tag errors, you must directly inspect and modify the post editor, skin code, or external plugins depending on where the issue occurs. Follow the step-by-step guide below to accurately remove duplicate title elements.
1. Fixing Issues in the Post Editor (HTML Mode)
- Switch the editor mode from Basic to HTML mode.
- After switching, check for duplicate
titleelements within the code. If found, and they are not the intended page title, remove them immediately. - Be especially careful when copying and pasting code from external sources, as they may include unwanted
headandtitletags.
2. Fixing Issues in the Skin Code (Template)
- In some cases, the blog or website skin itself inserts duplicate
titleelements. In this case, access the skin editing page to inspect the HTML. - Check if an additional
titletag exists in theheadsection beyond the platform default. Delete unnecessary code or modify the template language to prevent duplicate generation. It is safer to back up the HTML template before making changes.
3. Fixing Issues in External Plugins or Widgets
- When using external plugins or widgets, the plugin code may inject duplicate
titleelements. - In this case, check the plugin settings or locate the injected code to remove duplicate
titletags or disable that specific feature in the settings. It is recommended to avoid using untrustworthy external widget codes.
By following these methods, you can eliminate duplicate title elements and resolve SEO errors. After correcting the code, you should perform a URL inspection in Naver Webmaster Tools again to confirm the resolution.
Q: Does the duplicate title element error also affect Google SEO?
A: Yes, duplicate title elements negatively impact SEO for all major search engines, including Google. There must be only one title tag within the head section of an HTML document. Duplication makes it difficult for search engines to determine which title best represents the page, leading to a decrease in technical SEO scores.
Q: Is a duplicate H1 tag error the same as a duplicate TITLE tag error?
A: No, they are different. A duplicate TITLE tag means there are two or more title elements in the head section, which confuses the title shown in search results. A duplicate H1 tag means there are multiple h1 elements (main headings) in the body section, which confuses the page's content hierarchy. Both are harmful to SEO but differ in location and role.
Q: How long does it take for fixes to reflect in Naver Webmaster Tools?
A: After saving the modified HTML, the Naver search bot must re-crawl the page to recognize the fix. This typically takes a few days to a few weeks. You can shorten this time by manually requesting a crawl using the URL inspection feature in Webmaster Tools immediately after the fix.