Title & Description Templates

ByTheWeb GEO lets you create reusable SEO Title and Meta Description templates for supported WordPress content.

Instead of entering the same structure manually on every page, you can define a template for each supported Post Type or Taxonomy and use Smart Variables to insert information such as the current Post Title, Term Name, Site Name, or a Custom Field value.

Individual Posts, Pages, and Taxonomy terms can still override their template with their own SEO Title or Meta Description.

For a product overview, see:

Title & Description Templates Feature Overview

This is a local ByTheWeb GEO feature and does not use AI credits.

When Are ByTheWeb SEO Templates Active?

ByTheWeb GEO applies its own Title and Description Templates only when it is managing the site’s overlapping SEO functionality.

If Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO is the active supported SEO provider, ByTheWeb GEO leaves SEO Titles, Meta Descriptions, and their templates to that provider.

ByTheWeb GEO continues its non-overlapping GEO functionality.

For more information, see:

Requirements & Compatibility

Where Do I Configure the Templates?

Go to:

ByTheWeb > SEO Settings

The relevant tabs are:

• Post Types
• Taxonomies

The Post Types tab contains templates for public WordPress Post Types.

The Taxonomies tab contains templates for public WordPress Taxonomies.

Choose Which Content Uses ByTheWeb SEO

Under:

ByTheWeb > SEO Settings > Settings

you can review:

• Active Post Types
• Active Taxonomies

These settings determine which supported content types use the ByTheWeb SEO functionality.

Posts and Pages are included as core Post Types.

Categories and Tags are included as core Taxonomies.

Additional public Custom Post Types and public Custom Taxonomies registered on the website can also be enabled.

Post Type Templates

Open:

ByTheWeb > SEO Settings > Post Types

Each public Post Type has its own settings containing:

Title Template

and:

Description Template

This lets different content types use different metadata structures.

For example, your Posts can use one Title structure while a public Custom Post Type uses another.

Default Post Type Title Template

The current default Title Template is:

%post_title% | %site_name%

For a Post titled:

How to Improve WordPress SEO

on a website named:

Example Company

the resulting title would be:

How to Improve WordPress SEO | Example Company

Taxonomy Templates

Open:

ByTheWeb > SEO Settings > Taxonomies

Each public Taxonomy has its own:

Title Template

and:

Description Template

The current default Taxonomy Title Template is:

%term_name% | %site_name%

For a Category named:

WordPress Guides

on:

Example Company

the resulting title would be:

WordPress Guides | Example Company

Which Smart Variables Are Available?

ByTheWeb GEO currently provides the following Smart Variables:

%post_title%

Uses the current Post or Page title.

%term_name%

Uses the current Category, Tag, or Taxonomy Term name.

%site_name%

Uses the WordPress Site Name.

%custom_field_value_NAME%

Uses the value of a WordPress Custom Field.

Replace NAME with the actual meta key.

Use the Post Title Variable

For Post Types, use:

%post_title%

Example:

%post_title% | %site_name%

If the Post Title is:

Best WordPress Plugins

and the Site Name is:

Example Company

the result becomes:

Best WordPress Plugins | Example Company

Use the Term Name Variable

For Taxonomies, use:

%term_name%

Example:

%term_name% | %site_name%

If the Category is:

SEO Guides

the template resolves using that Category name.

Use the Site Name Variable

%site_name%

uses the Site Name configured in WordPress.

It can be used in both Post Type and Taxonomy templates.

For example:

%post_title% - %site_name%

or:

%term_name% - %site_name%

Use a Custom Field in a Template

You can use:

%custom_field_value_NAME%

to insert a WordPress Custom Field value.

Replace NAME with the actual Custom Field meta key.

For example, if your Post has a Custom Field with the meta key:

city

you can use:

%post_title% - %custom_field_value_city%

ByTheWeb GEO reads the Custom Field value for the current Post.

For Taxonomy templates, the same syntax can read the corresponding Term Meta value.

Can I Use Smart Variables in Meta Descriptions?

Yes.

The same supported variables can be used in both:

• Title Templates
• Description Templates

For example:

Learn more about %post_title% from %site_name%.

The variables are replaced with the values belonging to the current content item when the metadata is generated.

What Happens If a Custom Field Is Empty?

ByTheWeb GEO replaces the Custom Field variable with the value stored for that field.

If there is no usable value for the requested meta key, that variable does not provide additional content.

Review templates that depend on Custom Fields to make sure the field normally exists for the content type using the template.

Can I Override a Template on an Individual Post or Page?

Yes.

When ByTheWeb GEO is managing SEO, open the supported Post or Page and find the ByTheWeb GEO SEO fields.

You can enter a custom:

SEO Title

and:

Meta Description

If you enter an individual value, ByTheWeb GEO uses that value instead of the corresponding Post Type template.

If the field is left blank, the applicable template is used.

Can I Override a Template on a Category or Taxonomy Term?

Yes.

When editing a supported Category, Tag, or Custom Taxonomy Term, ByTheWeb GEO provides individual:

SEO Title

and:

Meta Description

fields.

An individual value overrides the applicable Taxonomy template.

If the individual field is blank, ByTheWeb GEO uses the Taxonomy template.

What Does the Placeholder in the SEO Field Mean?

When an individual SEO Title or Meta Description field is empty, ByTheWeb GEO can show the resolved template value as the field placeholder.

This lets you see the value that will be used without saving a duplicate copy into every individual Post or Term.

If you want to replace that template result for one item, enter your own value into the field.

What Happens If the Description Template Is Empty?

For a Post or Page, if there is no individual Meta Description and no applicable Description Template value, ByTheWeb GEO can fall back to the existing Post Excerpt or content text.

For a Taxonomy Term, if no individual or template Meta Description is available, the Term Description can be used as the fallback.

This gives ByTheWeb GEO a description source even when a dedicated Description Template has not been entered.

What Happens If Yoast SEO Is Active?

When Yoast SEO is the active supported SEO provider:

• ByTheWeb GEO does not apply its own Title and Description Templates.
• The overlapping ByTheWeb SEO controls are disabled.
• Yoast remains responsible for SEO Titles and Meta Descriptions.
• ByTheWeb GEO continues its non-overlapping GEO functionality.

The ByTheWeb GEO editing screen also directs you to use the active SEO provider for those overlapping SEO fields.

What Happens If Rank Math SEO Is Active?

The same provider-aware behavior applies to Rank Math SEO.

ByTheWeb GEO does not generate competing SEO Titles or Meta Descriptions while Rank Math owns that SEO layer.

Rank Math remains responsible for those fields and its own templates.

Do Templates Use AI Credits?

No.

Creating, editing, resolving, or displaying Title and Description Templates does not use AI credits.

The template system works locally in WordPress.

ByTheWeb AI credits are only relevant if you intentionally use a supported AI-generation action to create SEO content.

Are Templates the Same as AI Generation?

No.

A template combines predefined text and Smart Variables.

For example:

%post_title% | %site_name%

does not ask an AI model to write a new Title.

It simply replaces the variables with the current WordPress values.

AI-generated SEO Titles and Meta Descriptions are separate optional actions provided through supported ByTheWeb AI functionality.

Are Indexing Settings Part of the Same Screen?

Yes.

The Post Type and Taxonomy Template screens also contain:

Default Indexing & Discovery

with:

• Index
• Noindex

These settings control the default indexing behavior for that content type and can affect Sitemap and LLM eligibility.

Individual Posts and Terms can override the default.

Because this is separate from the Title and Description Template behavior, see:

Canonical URL & Robots

for the complete Index/Noindex workflow.

What Happens If I Change a Template?

Because the template is resolved dynamically, content that does not have an individual override can use the updated template.

You do not need to manually copy the new template into every affected Post, Page, or Term.

Items with their own saved SEO Title or Meta Description continue using their individual value.

Does Changing a Template Change the WordPress Post Title?

No.

An SEO Title Template controls the applicable SEO Title output.

It does not rename the actual WordPress Post, Page, Category, Tag, or Custom Post Type item.

For example, changing:

%post_title% | %site_name%

to:

%post_title% - %site_name%

changes the generated SEO Title structure, not the saved WordPress Post Title itself.

Why Is My Template Not Being Used?

Check the following:

• Confirm that ByTheWeb GEO is currently managing the SEO layer.
• Check whether Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO is active.
• Confirm that the relevant Post Type or Taxonomy is enabled for ByTheWeb SEO.
• Check whether the individual Post or Term already has its own SEO Title or Meta Description.
• Confirm that the Smart Variables are written using the supported format.
• If using a Custom Field variable, confirm that the correct meta key is being used.

For additional help, see:

Troubleshooting

Recommended Setup

1. Open ByTheWeb > SEO Settings > Settings.
2. Review the Post Types and Taxonomies using ByTheWeb SEO.
3. Open the Post Types tab.
4. Configure a Title Template for each relevant Post Type.
5. Add a Description Template where needed.
6. Open the Taxonomies tab.
7. Configure the applicable Taxonomy templates.
8. Use Smart Variables where appropriate.
9. Save the SEO Settings.
10. Open an individual Post or Term and review the resolved placeholder.
11. Add an individual override only when that specific item needs different metadata.

Summary

ByTheWeb GEO Title & Description Templates:

• Work when ByTheWeb GEO manages the site’s SEO layer.
• Support public Post Types and Taxonomies.
• Provide separate templates for each content type.
• Use %post_title% for Post and Page titles.
• Use %term_name% for Taxonomy Term names.
• Use %site_name% for the WordPress Site Name.
• Support %custom_field_value_NAME% for WordPress Post Meta and Term Meta.
• Allow individual Posts and Terms to override the template.
• Can fall back to existing content when no Meta Description is provided.
• Do not use AI credits.
• Are disabled when Yoast SEO or Rank Math SEO manages the overlapping SEO layer.

Where Should I Go Next?

For the product overview:

Title & Description Templates Feature Overview

For individual SEO Title, Meta Description, Canonical, and Index/Noindex controls:

Canonical URL & Robots

For the ByTheWeb SEO Score:

SEO & GEO Dashboard

For XML Sitemap behavior:

XML Sitemap

For SEO provider compatibility:

Requirements & Compatibility

For template problems:

Troubleshooting