Page Title
The page title is the content of the HTML <title> tag, displayed in the browser tab. It is the first information a screen reader announces when opening a page. WCAG criterion 2.4.2 (level A) requires that each page has a title describing its subject or function.
Open twenty tabs in your browser. The only way to find the right one is the title of each page. For someone using a screen reader, the situation is identical, except the title is read aloud each time a page opens. A poor title, and the user navigates blindly.
#What the Standard Says
The WCAG success criterion 2.4.2 (level A) boils down to one sentence: web pages must have titles that describe their subject or function. Level A means minimum requirement. There is no valid reason to miss it.
On the technical side, the title is defined in the <title> tag of the HTML <head>:
<!-- Good: from specific to general -->
<title>Shopping Cart (3 items) - ExampleStore</title>
<!-- Bad: identical on all pages -->
<title>ExampleStore</title>The order recommended by Orange guidelines goes from most specific (page name) to least specific (site name). WebAIM clarifies that the title and the page's <h1> should correspond, without necessarily being identical.
#The Single-Page Application Trap
On a classic site, each URL loads a new HTML document and therefore a new <title>. Single-page applications (SPAs) change views without reloading the page. If you don't update the <title> with each route change, Deque's axe tool won't report anything. The title exists, it's just outdated.
Same logic for dynamic pages: a form that displays validation errors should reflect that change in the title. "Validation errors - Sign up - MySite" immediately indicates the problem.
#In Summary
Every page deserves a short, descriptive, unique title. Place specific information first, the site name last. In an SPA, update the title with each view change. The <title> is the first thing assistive technologies read: care for it as much as your <h1>.