How do I use variables in Yoast title templates?

Definition: As of October 2026, Yoast SEO replacement variables are placeholders that insert values such as a post title or site name into SEO title and meta description templates. A template defines the pattern used to assemble that metadata, as explained in Yoast's introduction to snippet variables.

Key facts

• Yoast's template editing guide places shared title and description templates under Yoast SEO > Settings, in the relevant content or archive settings.
• Yoast's variable reference lists %%title%% for the post or page title and %%sitename%% for the site title in WordPress Settings > General.
• The search appearance preview guide documents mobile and desktop previews, with editable SEO title and meta description fields.

Where are shared templates edited?

In WordPress, the route begins at Yoast SEO > Settings. Yoast's editing instructions place Posts and Pages under Content types, and category and tag templates under Categories & tags. Archive settings appear under Advanced.

Within the relevant settings, Search appearance contains the SEO title and meta description templates. Insert variable opens the variable selector; Save changes saves the templates.

An individual post can also have its own title. Yoast's snippet variables explanation describes how the post editor starts with the title assembled from the template and permits a custom title override. This provides a way to handle a page that needs different wording from the shared pattern.

Which variables build a title?

A title pattern using variables from Yoast's WordPress reference is:

%%title%% %%page%% %%sep%% %%sitename%%

Here, %%title%% supplies the post or page title, while %%page%% supplies a page number with context. The site name comes from %%sitename%%. Each placeholder uses paired percent signs at both ends.

The separator is the symbol between title components. Yoast's separator instructions place its selector at Yoast SEO > Settings > Site basics > Title separator. The selected symbol appears wherever the template contains %%sep%%, so the symbol can change without editing each template individually.

How do description variables work?

Yoast's variable reference states that the default meta description template is blank. A description can use an excerpt, meaning the post or page summary:

%%excerpt%%

This variable uses the saved excerpt and generates one when the excerpt is absent. The alternative %%excerpt_only%% uses the saved excerpt without generating a fallback. For category archives, %%category_description%% inserts the category description. The choice therefore depends on which field holds the intended summary.

How can the result be checked?

Yoast's preview guide places the preview in the Yoast SEO sidebar and in the meta box below the post editor. Reviewing a representative post shows the title assembled from its template. Switching between mobile and desktop views allows both presentations to be inspected. The guide also recommends checking whether the resulting title accurately describes the post.

Related terms

• Why can Google display a different title from a page's title element?
• Why can Google use page text instead of the meta description?
• How do I set title templates for a post type in Rank Math?

FAQ

Does changing the site name require editing every title?

Yoast's snippet variables explanation says that the site-name variable automatically reads the new name when it changes. If your template uses %%sitename%%, that component follows the stored site name.

Does the preview determine what Google displays?

Yoast's preview guide explains that Google can choose a different title or description. You can use the preview to review the metadata entered through Yoast.

Sources

1. Yoast, "List of available snippet variables in Yoast SEO", undated
2. Yoast, "How to change SEO title and meta description templates in Yoast SEO", undated
3. Yoast, "Snippet variables in Yoast SEO", 22 September 2017
4. Yoast, "How to change the title separator in Yoast SEO", undated
5. Yoast, "How to use the search appearance preview in Yoast SEO", 27 July 2022

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