Title patterns that get clicked
Getting chosen even when the ranking is the same. How to use the patterns, and what to watch out for
Ranking well doesn't matter if no one clicks
When articles line up in search results, all a reader sees is the title. Even at the same ranking, how you write the title changes the click rate.
Sorabun has a built-in library of title patterns known to work well, and picks ones that fit each article.
Basic patterns
| Pattern | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Include a number | State counts, percentages, years, or time spans concretely | 5 tips for XX |
| Convey ease | "Even beginners can" / "just do X" | How to start XX, even as a beginner |
| Phrase it as a question | State the reader's own question directly | What is XX? |
| Give a reason | "Why" / "the reason for X" | Why XX isn't working |
| Show a solution | "Method" / "how to" / "steps" | How to fix XX |
| Compare / contrast | "The difference" / "which one" | The difference between XX and YY |
| Ground it in experience | "Real example" / "I tried it" | What happened when I did XX for a year |
| Address the reader directly | Name an age group, occupation, or situation | XX for dual-income households |
| Call out to the reader | "For people who..." | For people struggling with XX |
| Signal thoroughness | "Complete guide" / "in-depth explainer" | The complete guide to XX |
Advanced patterns (use with care)
Strong wording, promised outcomes, track record, and emotional appeal are all powerful, but backfire when the content doesn't back them up. Sorabun enforces the following rules.
- At most one strong word per article. No absolute claims like "definitely" or "guaranteed"
- Promised outcomes are limited to what the article body can actually deliver
- Track record and expertise claims are limited to things the site owner genuinely has. No fabricated titles or numbers
- Emotionally charged wording is never used for medical, health, financial, or legal topics
Setting a policy
Choose one under "Settings > Generation defaults > Title style" (title_style).
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Leave it to AI | The AI picks a pattern that fits the article (default) |
| Restrained | Avoids exaggerated or attention-grabbing patterns. Suited to corporate sites and specialist media |
| Bold | Actively uses eye-catching patterns |
If Site Diagnosis determines your site covers medicine, finance, or law, sensationalized wording is avoided regardless of your policy setting. An exaggerated title in these fields doesn't just hurt your Google ranking. It can also run afoul of laws like Japan's Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations.
Choosing on the review screen
If you have "Review outline before writing" turned on, the review screen shows 3 title options, each built with a different pattern. Each comes labeled with which pattern was used and why it fits the article, so you can swap one in with a click.
You can, of course, edit it yourself too. A character counter appears below the input field so you can check you haven't gone past 32 characters as you edit.
Rules Sorabun follows
- 32 full-width characters or fewer: beyond that, search results truncate the title
- Put your target keyword as early as possible: since it's only glanced at for a moment
- At most 2 patterns combined: packing in more makes it long and unclear what the article is about
- Never state numbers, track record, or results the article body doesn't cover
If a generated title breaks any of these rules, the review screen flags it.
When changing the title doesn't raise your ranking
Title patterns only work on articles already showing up in search results. If you're not ranking near the top to begin with, no one sees the title, so the click rate can't move.
In that case, look at your keyword choice and article content before the title. SEO Insights and rewriting is the fastest path, starting with articles that are just a little short of page one.