WordPress Categories vs Tags from an SEO Perspective
One of the dilemmas I face when launching a new Wordress site is whether I should use categories, tags or both to organize content. Both are good options, and when used properly, can be utilized effectively from an SEO perspective. Whatever you choose, stick with it. Changing from categories to tags or vice-versa, after you have a few hundred post will be a lot of work. Also, if you choose to use both categories and tags (and if you use a 3rd – archives), make sure you only index one of them with search engines (to avoid duplicate content). This can be done using a plugin like the popular All in one SEO Pack.
Categories
Categories are pretty straight forward. You create different categories, then include your post into each matching category. As an example, if you have a post on GeekEstateBlog.com about “Mobile SEO”, you might place the article in the categories “seo” and “mobile”. Sweet and simple.
The great thing about categories is that they can be phrases (opposed to tags which are generally one or two words). Phrases are very useful when going after longer tail keywords.
Tags
Tags are a little more complicated, but also provide you will some added functionality. When you create your post, you add tags to it. So for the same post about “Mobile SEO”, you might add the tags “seo” and “mobile”. If the article was more specifically about optimizing for Google Local so it comes up on iPhone map based searches, you could also include the tags “Google” and “iPhone”. The complication that arises from tagging is that it is very easy to go overboard with your tags. For the same post you could easily add the tags “Google Local”, “Maps”, “Mapping” and “Apple” (not to mention many others). This will dilute your tag cloud and make it hard for users to find content on your site.
The added functionality provided by tags cannot be overlooked, however. Say, after posting our article, you see a huge influx of traffic. After some quick research in Google Trends you notice that the amount of searches for “Mobile SEO” is increasing and you decide to create a few more posts on the subject. After creating these posts, you get even more traffic, and now you want to create a new “Mobile SEO” section of your site.
- If you are using categories, you create a new category, then go back through your old post and edit matching posts to included your new category. If this is just a few articles, no problem, but if it’s hundreds, this can be a daunting task.
- If you are using tags, you simply mash up 2 tags (or more) into a link like /mobile+seo/. So if Geek Estate were using tags the new link would be something like www.geekestateblog.com/tag/mobile+seo/. This will include all posts that have both the tag “mobile” and the tag “seo”.
If you decide to use tags like this, you could then create a set of links from within WordPress with all your tag mash ups, name it categories, and use them in your sidebar in place of the category or tag widgets (this is a good option for those of you who don’t like the look of tag clouds). This will also provide you with the great benefit of being able to use keyword phrases which were previously reserved for categories only. Leveraging such strategies, like those employed by Growth Giants in SEO services, can enhance your website’s visibility and search engine optimization.
The one problem that you come across using tags like this is that you have limited control of your title tags and main page headings for these mashed up pages (which are crucial of on page optimization). This is solved using a great plugin from Netconcpets called SEO Title Tag.
Both categories and tags can be used effectively to organize content and SEO your blog. These days I tend to lean towards tags because of their flexibility. However, when you have multiple authors (like Drew does here on GeekEstateBlog.com) I would favor categories because authors can get a little crazy tagging posts.
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Alison Moore Smith
Posted at 11:25h, 30 JuneHow timely, as I was researching this just today.
Unfortunately, I still don’t know how I want to deal with this issue, but I have gained some valuable info.
Chris Davies
Posted at 12:30h, 30 JuneI’ve gotta disagree with your strategy in favour of a slightly more clear-cut one.
Only one category per post. Multiple tags.
Index categories. Noindex/nofollow tags.
You want to make sure your content lives in as few places as possible, and that it’s building strong themes. If there’s something that appears to be a relevant theme, use AllInOne to expose just that tag.
That said, I will use two categories if it’s a guest post, and the guest post catagory will be noindexed/nofollowed. That’s when I’m dealing with a duplicate content problem. The AllInOne’s use of the canonical tag helps quite a bit too.
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Posted at 04:18h, 08 Marchhello, friend i read this and same opinion with your idea ..
Wordpress Categories vs Tags from an SEO Perspective | GeekEstate …
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Justin Britt
Posted at 13:25h, 30 June@Chis – This is a very good way to run a blog from an SEO standpoint. You will have no duplicate content issues using this formula. I employ this tactic for a few blogs myself.
I think the idea of the canonical tag (not to be confused w/ WordPress tags) is great, and works wonderfully in Yahoo! and Bing. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t use canonical in the same way from what I’ve seen.
I do think that you can Index/Dofollow tags in a blog successfully by pulling different posts together (maybe adding some additional relevant content) without creating duplicate issues. Mashing up content to create useful pages for your visitors is what web 2.0 is all about.
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Posted at 04:27h, 08 MarchIf any one spin the content then what Happen!
Swansonager
Posted at 13:46h, 30 JuneI tend to agree with Chris, I use one category per post and then multiple tags within that post, etc. fwiw –
– Swansonager
Trace
Posted at 13:53h, 30 JuneI use both, cats as macro organizers and tags as micro. I used to index cats and noindex tags, but I’ve changed that stance. Since I have more tags that cover more diverse topics, I get more pages indexed allowing tags to be indexed and excluding cats.
Every article I write gets one category (this is great for management of articles in menus and sidebars) and I’m very selective about creating as few categories as possible that are generally very broad. I then tag each article as necessary with more micro topics.
Example: My last article is on HR 3044 and how it might impose an 18 month moratorium on HVCC.
article: http://tinyurl.com/mw5vo4
Category: Legislation
Tags: HVCC, HR 3044
This article now ranks (two days later) anywhere between #3 and #5 in google with my original article first and the tag page for “hr 3044” as a secondary listing when searching google for “HR 3044” link: http://tinyurl.com/law6sd.
Sure I could have made a category called “HR 3044”, but again, I want to harness the organizational capability of categories in case I need to organize my content into no more than 10 to 20 total categories. So categories organize at a macro level over a handful of broad categories and tags organize at a micro level.
Chris Davies
Posted at 14:31h, 30 JuneI like Trace’s system for this example. I suppose it depends on where you’re at with your blog and your goals. I work for a SEO firm, and have clients with over a hundred blogs, some 4-5 years old with 1000’s of posts….but for a new blog that might be the way to go.
Justin Britt
Posted at 15:56h, 30 June@Trace – I think this is a more modern way of organizing content on a blog. Very good for getting Google to index your pages.
@Chris – As I mentioned in my post, changing the structure of blogs with 1000’s of pages is not an option.
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Posted at 16:24h, 30 June[…] post: WordPress Categories vs Tags from an SEO Perspective | GeekEstate … Comments […]
Mike Andrew
Posted at 23:38h, 30 JuneHi Justin,
Thanks for some great advice.
Regards
Mike
Jeff in Hawaii
Posted at 08:32h, 01 JulyNever thought about using Tags for SEO reasons. I have been using categories & archives. Very interesting point a view. I wonder which is better to no index (category or archive). Would love top hear what others think?
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Posted at 09:32h, 15 JulyI have to agree to this one post category wise and obviously we can multiply them later as and when competition heats up !!!!
Website Designer
Posted at 09:32h, 15 JulyI have to agree to this one post category wise and obviously we can multiply them later as and when competition heats up !!!!
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Posted at 20:28h, 16 JulyThis is a very good way to run a blog from an SEO standpoint.
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There are many others like WordPress, such as Blogger, SquareSpace, TypePad, Moveable Type, etc.However, the open-source capabilities and the vast community of users that WordPress offers far exceeds that of their competitors.Wordpress makes things easy for design-gurus and design-newbies alike. If you want to build a WordPress site from scratch, they have the WordPress Codex. If you want a design that is already completed, there are several great WordPress Theme directories out there…
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Posted at 13:59h, 13 FebruaryI think it completely depends on the how you want to place yourself. Most go with a dedicated categories with multiple tags in it and it works as its proven quite a lot of time. And this is what an SEO compatible site would be if you wish to increase you page ranking and visibility and have a good lot of new visitors to your site.
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Posted at 03:54h, 08 MarchWordPress Categories vs Tags from an SEO Perspective | Geek Estate and when used properly, can be utilized effectively from an SEO perspective.
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Posted at 04:06h, 19 March… and when used properly, can be utilized effectively from an SEO perspective. …
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Posted at 00:24h, 23 Marchrelated posts in feeds very important from an SEO perspective when people syndicate your …. In many SEO linking structures, the categories are intended to be landing pages …
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Posted at 03:24h, 29 Marchhi friend i read your comment and i agree with youand your comment is brilliant!
Jack
Posted at 21:08h, 06 AprilNice plugin thanks
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Posted at 04:08h, 07 AprilNice plugin thanks
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Posted at 07:22h, 20 JulyI personally use both, a tag to me is a broad discretion of the topic and could be contained in multiple categories.
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Posted at 07:12h, 03 JanuaryI have been after the Internet for this information and i wanted to thank u for this post. Also, just off topic, where can i find a version of this theme? – Regards
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Posted at 15:20h, 03 JanuaryI think that is right bout that. Nice info and thanks. Need to get in google feed. Anunturi Bucuresti
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Posted at 20:17h, 15 Januaryvaluable post…
You got a really useful blog I have been here reading for about half an hour. I am a newbie and your post is valuable for me….
Tilen Hrovatic
Posted at 12:58h, 02 JuneI use categories and tags but I use no-index for categories. Thanks for writing this helpful post.
Garreth Wilcock
Posted at 19:21h, 27 JulySo it seems that there’s no good or bad, only thinking makes it so. I’m thinking that the thesis theme prevents duplicate indexing of tags and categories etc automagically. At least I hope it does.
Michael Ristau
Posted at 14:21h, 15 JuneIts 3 years later almost to the day of this post. I am still totally confused because it seems that my tag cloud will be enormous and totally diluted. Does 3 year garner a follow up article? 🙂
Drew Meyers
Posted at 21:24h, 16 JuneIs there a specific question you have?