How To Properly Use Blog Tags and Categories
By properly using blog tags and categories on your site, you’re boosting SEO and making it easy for readers to find the information they need.
Content Management Systems like WordPress and Squarespace are da bomb. These easy handy-dandy content management system makes it easy to set up your site the way you want it and manage it long-term. You get all these features that help you organize your blog so you can point visitors in the right direction—or content. Tags and categories are just two of those features. We’re going to go over how to properly use blog tags and categories, and show you how they make posts even more amazing.
Misunderstood Categories
Categories on your blog help people find what they want—but bloggers often misuse them. You’ve seen the sites, the ones that have a million and one categories. Way too many! When you’re planning out your categories, give them some real thought and keep them simple. These categories should be broad. Don’t worry; you’ll be able to group like posts together with tags (see below). And be sure that your categories feature some SEO keywords. You want to optimize your site to the nines, and WordPress and Squarespace categories are just one more way to do it.
You can list your categories on the sidebar or the main navigation bar on your website blog. You want to make your site pleasurable and pain-free to navigate. Giving readers an organized road map to find the info they want will ensure a repeat visit.
Tag, You’re It!
Tags in WordPress have nothing to do with spray painting your territory. On second thought, it kinda is! Basically, the tags you use on your posts are keywords that tell WordPress and Squarespace what’s on your blog. Think of it as SEO for your blog that helps people find exactly what they are looking for. Plus, these keywords are SEO friendly and let search engines know what that post is all about.
For people looking for certain posts on your site, these tags let widgets and plug-ins, such as “Related Posts,” direct readers. Visitors can type a search phrase into the search option on your site and the tags help pull up posts that are relevant to them.
When tagging your posts, try to get at least five keywords or keyword phases in there. Don’t go overboard—anything over 10 is too many. You can use keyword tags more than once (i.e.: Blueberry, blueberry muffins, blueberry muffin recipes). And you can use the same keywords in other posts, too. In fact, it helps to have a master list that you can draw on and make sure you cover them all.
If you use WordPress or Squarespace, have you been properly utilizing tags and categories? Can you pare down your list of categories? Are you using enough tags? Have questions? Send us a message.