WordPress Categories vs. Tags + How to Use Them the Right Way

Organizing your blog content is so important.

A disorganized blog will make it hard for readers to find the content you’ve worked so hard to create.

The good news is you can make changes to your categories and tags right now! I’m sharing my tips on how to use categories and tags in WordPress the right way.

CATEGORIES

Categories are meant for broad grouping of your posts. This is how users will sort through your content in your navigation and possibly your sidebar. Think of categories as chapters and your blog is a book.

• Have at least 5 categories but no more than 20
• All of your posts should fall under at least one of the categories
• Posts should not be included in more than 2 different categories
• Categories should contain multiple posts
• Keep your category titles short (1-3 words)
• If necessary, consider adding subcategories
• Do not use the default Uncategorized WordPress category

TAGS

Tags contain more specific details about your posts. You may display tags in your sidebar (I wouldn’t though because this has become an outdated style) or at the bottom of your post detail page.

• Use descriptive keywords from your posts to create tags
• Think about what words a reader would use to search for your post
• Tags should be 1-2 words each, no long phrases
• You can use as many tags as you want for each post

Here’s an example of how to properly use Categories and Tags if your blog was about fashion:

What do you think of this article? Do you have any questions for me? Ask me in the comments box below!