Is Tagging Actually Beneficial to Bloggers? A WordPress Deep Dive

Introduction

As a WordPress blogger, you’ve likely encountered the “Tags” field while drafting a post. It’s that optional section where you can add keywords like “vegan recipes,” “digital nomad tips,” or “beginner photography.” But with so many other tasks on your plate—crafting content, optimizing SEO, engaging readers—you might wonder: Is tagging really worth the effort?

Tagging is often dismissed as an afterthought, but it’s a powerful tool with the potential to transform how your content is organized, discovered, and consumed. In this blog, we’ll explore what WordPress tags are, how they differ from categories, their pros and cons, best practices, and real-world examples to help you decide if tagging deserves a spot in your blogging workflow.

Table of Contents

  1. What Are WordPress Tags?
  2. How Tags Differ from Categories: Clearing the Confusion
  3. The Case for Tagging: Key Benefits for Bloggers
    • 3.1 Improved User Experience and Content Discovery
    • 3.2 Enhanced SEO (Indirectly, but Significantly)
    • 3.3 Increased Pageviews and Time on Site
    • 3.4 Better Content Organization (for You and Your Readers)
    • 3.5 Social Sharing and Cross-Platform Discoverability
    • 3.6 Audience Insights and Content Strategy Refinement
  4. Potential Drawbacks of Over-Tagging: When Tags Hurt More Than Help
  5. Best Practices for Effective Tagging: Do’s and Don’ts
  6. Case Study: How Tagging Boosted Traffic for a Lifestyle Blogger
  7. Conclusion: Tagging as a Strategic Tool, Not an Afterthought
  8. References

What Are WordPress Tags?

At its core, a WordPress tag is a keyword or short phrase that describes the specific details of a blog post. Think of tags as “micro-categories” that zero in on the post’s niche topics, themes, or key takeaways. Unlike categories (which we’ll compare later), tags are flexible, non-hierarchical, and entirely optional—but that doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.

Example: If you publish a post titled “10 Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipes for Beginners,” your categories might be “Recipes” or “Vegan Desserts,” while your tags could be “vegan baking,” “chocolate cake recipes,” “beginner-friendly desserts,” or “dairy-free baking.”

WordPress automatically generates a “tag archive” page for each tag, where all posts with that tag are displayed. For example, clicking “vegan baking” would show every post on your site tagged with that term, making it easy for readers to dive deeper into topics they love.

How Tags Differ from Categories: Clearing the Confusion

Many bloggers mix up tags and categories, but they serve distinct purposes. Let’s break down the differences:

FeatureCategoriesTags
PurposeBroad organization (e.g., “Travel,” “Fitness”)Specific details (e.g., “budget travel,” “yoga for beginners”)
HierarchyCan be nested (e.g., “Travel” > “Europe” > “Italy”)Flat (no parent/child relationships)
Mandatory?Yes (WordPress requires at least one)No (optional)
Number per Post1-2 (to avoid dilution)5-8 (ideally; fewer is better)
Example for a Food Blog“Desserts” or “Healthy Eating”“gluten-free,” “quick recipes,” “low-sugar”

Key Takeaway: Categories are like the table of contents of your blog, while tags are the index—they help readers find exactly what they’re looking for within a broader category.

The Case for Tagging: Key Benefits for Bloggers

When used strategically, tags offer a host of benefits that can grow your audience, improve user experience, and streamline your workflow. Let’s explore the top advantages:

1. Improved User Experience and Content Discovery

Readers visit your blog to find specific information. Tags act as signposts, guiding them to related content they might otherwise miss. For example:

  • A reader interested in “budget travel” might find your post about “backpacking Southeast Asia” through a tag, then click through to your “budget travel tips” post via the same tag archive.
  • This reduces bounce rates (readers staying longer) and increases “pages per session,” a metric Google uses to gauge content quality.

2. Enhanced SEO (Indirectly, but Significantly)

Tags aren’t a direct SEO ranking factor, but they boost SEO indirectly by:

  • Increasing internal linking: Tag archives create natural internal links between related posts, which helps search engines crawl and index your site more effectively.
  • Targeting long-tail keywords: Tags often align with long-tail search queries (e.g., “best vegan chocolate cake recipes for beginners”), which are less competitive and easier to rank for than broad terms like “vegan recipes.”
  • Improving user signals: When readers stay longer and explore more pages (thanks to tags), search engines interpret this as a sign of high-quality content, which can boost rankings over time.

3. Increased Pageviews and Time on Site

By making it easy for readers to find related content, tags encourage “deep diving.” For example, a study by Orbit Media found that blogs with well-optimized tags saw a 20% increase in pageviews per session compared to those without tags.

Why? Because readers don’t have to rely on your navigation menu—they can follow tags to explore topics they’re passionate about, turning casual visitors into engaged followers.

4. Better Content Organization (for You and Your Readers)

Tags aren’t just for readers—they help you stay organized. If you run a niche blog (e.g., “sustainable parenting”), tags like “zero-waste toys” or “organic baby food” let you quickly filter and analyze which topics perform best. Over time, this data can shape your content strategy: Do “cloth diapering” tags get more engagement than “sustainable fashion for kids”? Use tags to find out!

5. Social Sharing and Cross-Platform Discoverability

When readers share your posts on social media (e.g., Pinterest, Twitter), tags often appear in the post description or as hashtags. For example, a pin titled “10 Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipes” might include hashtags like #veganbaking or #chocolatecakerecipes—exactly the tags you used on your blog. This consistency makes your content more discoverable across platforms, driving traffic back to your site.

6. Audience Insights and Content Strategy Refinement

WordPress analytics tools (like Google Analytics or Jetpack) let you see which tags drive the most traffic. For example, if “beginner-friendly desserts” tags get 3x more pageviews than “advanced baking techniques,” you might double down on beginner content to serve your audience better. Tags turn vague reader interests into actionable data.

Potential Drawbacks of Over-Tagging: When Tags Hurt More Than Help

Tagging is powerful, but over-tagging can backfire. Here’s what to avoid:

1. Confusing Readers with Too Many Tags

If a post has 15+ tags (e.g., “food,” “cooking,” “recipes,” “chocolate,” “cake,” “baking,” “vegan,” “dairy-free,” “easy,” “quick,” “homemade,” “delicious,” “healthy,” “dessert,” “treats”), readers won’t know which tags to trust. Instead of guiding them, you’ll overwhelm them, leading to higher bounce rates.

2. Diluting SEO with Irrelevant Tags

Search engines like Google penalize “keyword stuffing”—using excessive or irrelevant keywords to manipulate rankings. If you tag a post about “vegan chocolate cake” with “gluten-free pizza” or “keto recipes” (unrelated topics), search engines may flag your site as spammy, hurting your rankings.

3. Cluttering Your Backend and Tag Archives

Too many tags (e.g., 100+ unique tags) make your WordPress dashboard messy and hard to navigate. Worse, tag archive pages with only 1-2 posts won’t rank well in search engines, wasting crawl budget (the number of pages Google bots can index).

4. Hurting User Experience with Overly Broad Tags

Tags like “recipes” or “travel” are too vague—they’re better suited as categories. Using broad tags dilutes their purpose: A reader clicking “recipes” would see all your recipes, not the specific type they want (e.g., “vegan”). This frustrates users and reduces engagement.

Best Practices for Effective Tagging: Do’s and Don’ts

To avoid the pitfalls and maximize the benefits, follow these best practices:

Do: Keep Tags Specific and Relevant

Tags should be narrow enough to attract a targeted audience. Instead of “fitness,” use “post-pregnancy yoga” or “strength training for seniors.” The more specific, the better.

Do: Limit Tags to 5-8 per Post

Quality over quantity! WordPress experts (including Yoast SEO) recommend 5-8 tags per post. Any more, and you risk diluting their impact.

Do: Be Consistent with Terminology

Avoid synonyms. If you use “vegan baking,” stick with it—don’t alternate with “dairy-free baking” or “plant-based baking.” Inconsistent tags create fragmented archives (e.g., two separate pages for “vegan baking” and “dairy-free baking”) and confuse readers.

Do: Use Lowercase and Avoid Special Characters

Keep tags in lowercase (e.g., “vegan baking,” not “Vegan Baking”) and avoid special characters (e.g., “#glutenfree” or “gluten-free?”). This ensures consistency and makes tags easier to read.

Do: Link Tags to Relevant Content

Ensure tag archive pages have enough posts to be useful. If a tag only has 1-2 posts, merge it with a similar tag (e.g., combine “quick vegan recipes” and “easy vegan recipes” into “easy vegan recipes”).

Don’t: Use Overly Broad Tags

Tags like “food,” “travel,” or “lifestyle” belong in categories. Reserve tags for specific details that categories can’t capture.

Don’t: Keyword Stuff

Never add tags just for SEO. If a tag doesn’t describe the post’s content, leave it out. Search engines and readers will thank you.

Don’t: Ignore Tag Maintenance

Every 3-6 months, review your tags: Delete redundant ones, merge similar tags, and update outdated terms (e.g., replace “2023 vegan trends” with “2024 vegan trends”).

Case Study: How Tagging Boosted Traffic for a Lifestyle Blogger

Let’s look at a real-world example of tagging done right. Meet Sarah, a lifestyle blogger who runs “EcoHomeBlog,” a site focused on sustainable living.

Before Tagging: Sarah used only categories (“Sustainable Home,” “Eco-Friendly Products”) and saw moderate traffic (500 monthly pageviews). Her bounce rate was high (70%), and readers rarely explored beyond the first post.

After Tagging: Sarah implemented a tagging strategy:

  • She limited tags to 5-6 per post (e.g., “zero-waste kitchen,” “reusable storage,” “sustainable cleaning products”).
  • She merged vague tags (“eco tips”) into specific ones (“DIY beeswax wraps,” “natural laundry detergent”).
  • She linked tag archives in her sidebar (e.g., “Popular Topics: Zero-Waste Living, Reusable Products”).

Results: Within 3 months:

  • Pageviews increased by 45% (to 725/month).
  • Bounce rate dropped to 55% as readers explored tag archives.
  • “Zero-waste kitchen” became her top-performing tag, driving 30% of new traffic from Google searches like “how to create a zero-waste kitchen.”

Sarah’s success shows that tags, when used strategically, can transform a blog from a static site into a dynamic hub of discoverable content.

Conclusion: Tagging as a Strategic Tool, Not an Afterthought

So, is tagging beneficial to bloggers? Absolutely—when done right.

Tags aren’t just extra work—they’re a powerful tool to:

  • Improve user experience by guiding readers to content they love.
  • Boost SEO and traffic through targeted, long-tail keywords.
  • Organize your content and gain insights into audience interests.
  • Drive engagement and turn casual visitors into loyal followers.

The key is to avoid over-tagging, stay consistent, and focus on specificity. Follow the best practices outlined here, and you’ll turn tags from an afterthought into a cornerstone of your blogging success.

Ready to start tagging? Dive into your latest post, pick 5-6 specific tags, and watch as your audience (and traffic) grows!

References