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WP Categories vs Tags. What’s the difference, how do you use them?
This will be the short version of the possibly extensive subject on WordPress categories vs. tags and how you should (could) utilise them on your website.
- Definition: Category, a class or division regarded as having particular shared characteristics.
- Definition: Tag, a label attached for the purpose of identification or to give other information.
In the WordPress nomenclature, both categories and tags are known as taxonomies. Their sole purpose is to sort your content to improve the usability of your site.
Categories and tags are labels assigned to WordPress posts (and pages). They help organize posts and make it easy for readers to find things on your website.
- Categories are hierarchical, which means you can have sub-categories. They are broad terms that organize posts and make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for.
- Tags are not hierarchical and are optional for each post.
- Tip 1: Think, ease of navigation for your visitors.
- Tip 2: Think of categories as your table of contents.
- Tip 3: Think of tags as your index or keywords.
Based on this model you should have few categories and many tags just as you would find in a book.
There is in fact no hard and fast rules about any particular category or tag structure. The key is to make the structure useful to your visitors.
Example 1
Lets explore the categories vs. tag possibilities for a pet shop website. A pet shop dealing with many organic species (potential pets or companion animals) might have a category and tag structure along the lines of;
Categories: mammals, birds, fish.
Tags: dogs, cats, rabbits, canary, chickens, ducks, goldfish, koi.
You could also continue the tags with specifics such as, dogs: Beagles, Boxers, Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Poodles, etc.
Example 2
Now lets view the categories vs. tag possibilities for a pet shop website which specialise in only dogs.
Category: Beagles, Boxers, Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Poodles.
Tags: Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, Toy Poodle, etc.
Example 3
Of course each pet shop would also have categories and tags relating to pet supplies such as:
Categories: food, bedding, toys.
Tags: super, premium, economy, dry, wet, baskets, blankets, balls, discs, etc.
Your tags would be even more detailed of course with brand names of products, etc.
Category or Tag?
How do you determine whether it’s a category or a tag? Well, when you’re writing a Post, ask yourself if the title or part of the title, could be applied to several other Posts. If it could, then you have a category.
For example, titles like “Best food for dogs”, “Best food for fish” would indicate a category of, “food” is required with possible tags (keywords) of, food, dogs and fish.
