You’d have thought I’d know this already, but I didn’t … doh !
I was doing some research into the most popular tags used. I found a WordPress support page that states that your posts will not go into the reader if they have more than 15 keywords (tags + categories). I’d been working on the assumption that more was better … appears not …
Check this out – http://en.support.wordpress.com/topics/
I’ve also realised that it’s largely pointless to put a post in category called “photography” and tag it with “photography”. One or the other. The reason for this is that the reader uses both tags and categories. Having said this you might still want to tag it as “photo”, “photos” and “photograph” for maximum exposure in the reader. As far as I can make out these are all considered to be different in the reader.
Other useful advice that I saw was to keep categories wide and tags narrow.
Why is it important to get into the reader ? The reader is the primary advantage that you have as a WordPress.com blog as opposed to self-hosted blog. The self-hosted blog’s posts don’t appear in the reader.
Happy blogging.
Cheers
DC
Don Charisma 
Don Charisma,
I have been blogging for 2 years now, but only recently started taking SEO seriously. Im about to transfer to a self hosted blog soon. Prior to this article I have been stuff ins multiple categories and tags with the same theory “More is better”. Are more tags and categories better for natural SEO for google, yahoo, ask, etc?
Hey Jose,
It certainly made me think about tags and categories when I read the wordpress support page. It was about time, because the same as you I had been using far too many of both. Tags and categories are for organising content, not for SEO. From what I understand reading what others have written and my own experience, more tags and categories WONT help your SEO. It may also hinder it, because I think Google will take longer to index your site (because it will have more pages). So my recommendation would be to keep it simple. Use tags and categories for what they were designed for, organising your site and making it easier for people to “browse”.
I am currently also refitting my self-hosted site, so it’ll be a consideration in what we’re doing there.
Warm regards
Don Charisma
Reblogged this on Micah Birkholz 1:16 Digital Media.
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
my pleasure! thanks for great content:)
🙂
Yep, that tag crap bothers me too some days because it isn’t a static 15 either. Sometimes it won’t work with only 10. Ugh, so I basically have limited my tags to 10 or less. 😉
LOL so you do read my blog !
Stumbled accross this because I was doing some research on tags/categories in the reader … and yes I’m being much more frugal now and again your strategies make more sense to me now 🙂
Good to hear from you bro, hope all is well …
Warm regards
DC
I actually just wrote some blogging articles myself for fun. They are on powerblogging, in case you want to give them a read. 🙂
Thanks dude would be interested … are they on your blog / where ?
Cheers
DC
On my blog and within the past 10 posts. 🙂 There are two so far.
OK I’ll check it out dude, thanks for the heads up 🙂
No worries, hope you find them helpful bud. 🙂
Found it on SS … good blog dude, very honest …
Reblogged this on drawingaroundshellharbour.
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
Thanks so much for the information but I am still having troubles with the categories, it doesn’t work for me. I’ll read it again and figure it out later.
Just keep at it, it’s an iterative learning process, practice and research will make perfect 🙂
Reblogged this on Ravens-Tree.com.
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
Thanks so much for the tips and link. When I first started blogging, I read most of what WordPress published, but it was too much for me to digest. Now, with your help, I’m taking bits and pieces and putting the info to good use. http://ohtheplaceswesee.com
Hey Rusha, yes that entirely makes sense, I try not to clutter my mind too much with the irrelevant, prefer to concentrate on the relevant to me 🙂
Warm regards
DC
Interesting. Ian x
Thanks dude !
Very helpful!! I have been confused about this issue! Thanks!
You are welcome, and glad to clarify 🙂
Reblogged this on "OUR WORLD".
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
Thanks for the information! WorldPress frustrates me, I put the reblog available but it doesn’t show up,and it tells me to do drag share items and I can’t get them to come down?
Ah, yes sounds frustrating I’m sure there’s a help page somewhere or try the support forum they are very helpful … warm regards DC
I found out about that a month or so ago. Strange isn’t it?
… and kept it to yourself ?
I thought I was the last to know lol.
So did I but I didn’t let that stop me !
Hehe 😛
Thanks for the information, DC. All good to know.
You are welcome dude 😉
Thanks!
Welcome 🙂
Most welcome tip good sir!! And then write excellent pieces such as this!
I do admit it is hard for me to narrow down tags (even categories) as poetry can be so so soooo many ‘topics’ roled into one. Shall focus my attention a little closer – hmmm – I kinda thought that all our posts just automatically went into the reader if we were followed? OR – is it you refer to the ‘tag/keyword’ search’ reader? I believe I just went in a circle there as that would make sense to me! lol!
Ta 😀
Yes it’s tough to know which tags to use, it’s just practice that makes perfect … your posts will show up in the reader for people that are following you, but if you have more than 15 keywords then you won’t be found by searchers …
Welcome
DC
Cool – thanks again Don 😀 Lots of good info to be found here by you 😉
You are welcome dear 🙂
😉
How’s life in cold land ?
Um – cold! lol! Neh – ‘sall good hey 😀
And you dear – hows the flu – getting better?
Feeling better hun, think it was something I ate actually … have dumped a couple of things from my diet feeling gradually better … Also I work long and hard, which could be a factor … but still that’s life I’d be bored otherwise ?
Yeah I hate it when I type a comment and it evaporates before I can press go because I have my screen zoomed in too much and try scroll down the side bar to reach the ‘reply’ button – forgetting that it will create my comments box to go bye bye…
Glad you feeling better hey – yip to both: Getting sick is inevitable if you live in a body – just gonna happen no matter how balanced we try be hey. AND…
Bored – I do so get bored if I don’t keep busy and push the boundaries…can not stand to stagnate 😉
LOL … yes it’s annoying when we keep on doing the same things and know that’s it’s going to acheive the same results … happens hun 🙂
Sometimes I push the boundaries a bit too hard and my mind and body suffers for it … need to learn some balance and moderation !
Good to be busy, but not too busy if that makes sense …
Oh – yes – dear Sir – it makes perfect sense 😀
(there is a reason for my moniker after all hey – refer doing same thing again and again 😉 )
Funny I just quoted to Nav, Forest Gump’s Mother … “Stupid is, as stupid does” … One of my favourite films … and don’t worry I’m just as much of an idiot as you 🙂
pfft – 😉
A true thing that ~
I would hope I am of the same calliber of idiot us thyself good sir – you compliment me unbeknownst. I SWEAR – mention NAv and I slide into shaklespeare! (wTF is THAT all about?? LOL)
I blame the cold weather and the dedication to blogging myself … Shakespeare my dear I cannot do, far too complicated for my simple mind …
We’re all idiots really, the trick is being the least stupid of all the idiots I guess … when I figure out the secret I’ll email it to you … until then blissful ignorance ?
Oh ignorance will do dear Don – until we know better – then we can do better 😉
I do not think not doing shakespeare is a matter of a simple mind good Sir – more a matter of the twist of the tongue 🙂
Must sleep now hun … speak soon I hope 🙂
Cool – I must too soon 😉 Nite Don
Presumably been and gone … I have to do my comments in a batch or otherwise I don’t get anything else done !
I imagine so!
LOL, agree Belinda … But I’ll leave te ye ‘olde English to those who enjoy !
Ta! lol!
Thank you Don good tips. We had also thought that more is well erm better, keywords, tags & categories, we’ll watch that in future 🙂
Amazing really, but makes a lot of difference 🙂
Surely 🙂
Looks like I have some mega work to do!!!!
🙂
How interesting, thank you, very useful information about tags vs categories x
You are welcome … it’s worth thinking about, as there’s “free” traffic from the reader …
I will
Quite true.
Thanks bob 🙂
Thank you for the tip. Did not know this.
You’re welcome 🙂
Thanks for all the useful information Don.
Irene
You are welcome … I noticed extra traffic yesterday, yay !
Reblogged this on 2tasks and commented:
I had no clue that 15 was the golden number. I will need to make some adjustments… Thanks for the help!
Thanks for reblog and you are welcome 🙂
Thanks for blogging your discovery, now another mystery of WordPress has been solved for me. I too was under the impression that more is better.
You are welcome … and I noticed extra trafficm yesterday after applying so I think it’s important …
Nice research.
Thanks dude 🙂
The more you know…
And thanks for ‘liking’ and reading some of my articles lately, it doesn’t go unnoticed. I really appreciate it.
– Ash.
Hey Ash …
You are entirely welcome … my blog keeps me very busy and don’t get out as much as I’d like 🙂
Warm regards
DC
Thank you!
Welcome 🙂
Thanks for great advice
You are welcome 🙂
Great tip Don
Thanks 🙂
Reblogged this on the harsh light of day….
Thanks for reblog 🙂
Very helpful!
Thanks 🙂
Thanks, DC, I had noticed that more than 9 tags kept a post out of the reader, but didn’t realize it looked at categories as well.
I have to admit, mine are a mess – tags and categories both! I think I shall have to revamp the lot.
Thanks for the advice. Cheers! 🙂
You’re welcome and good to hear from you …
Mine are the same, I think I’m going to think about them more carefully and be more frugal. I reckon it’s good to get in some main tags on the reader for volume of readers and some niche ones for longevity …
Cheers
DC
i thought the tag limit was for getting “freshly pressed” whereas any blogger you follow shows up in the reader.
That’s slightly different, the reader you can read blogs you follow but you can also “search” based on keywords. For getting on Pressly Freshed I’m guessing it’s a pre-requisite that you’re in the reader …
thanks, very useful
You’re welcome dude 🙂
I’ll be counting frantically now! Thank you for posting this really useful advice.
I always have trouble with categories and tags…I don’t think my mind works in the same way as WP.
I’m the same Helen … This is quite a big one, I noticed a lot of extra traffic yesterday when applying, and I really hate to say this “One weird trick” LOL …
Thank for this my friend. It is perfect for someone who commented on my blog. 🙂
Awesome 🙂
Thanks for this.
You are welcome 🙂
Thanks for this – I remember reading about the number of tags affecting your chances of being Freshly Pressed but I didn’t realise that if you exceeded 15 you just flat out didn’t make it to the reader. Wow. Thank you so much for clarifying that. 🙂
You’re welcome, and I think being in the reader may be a pre-requisite to being Pressly Freshed … If only I’d know this earlier maybe I’d have been there already LOL
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Important info!!
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
🙂
TY for info! Very educating.
You are weclome Dr Rex … I’m seeing the extra traffic straight away 🙂
Very well deserved!!! Your blog is excellent!!
Thanks Dr Rex, I try to mix it up so I and my readers don’t get bored 🙂
That’s true. I wondered if you would be interested in rebloging one of my posts today. It’s related to the situation in Uganda and the LGBT community.
Since you have many followers it would be exposure for the topic. Anyway … no pressure and all is ok if you don’t feel this is something that would interest your followers.
If case you do …. here’s the link:http://hrexach.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/to-start-the-day-216/
Thank you!!
If you feel that you could write for me something shorter, then I’d be happy to consider.
Warm regards
DC
Thank you for your response …. and taking the time. I will try to get something more precise and concise for you. The idea is not only for any possibility of fund raising but also to get the information out there and help readers be aware of this situation.
I will be in touch as soon as I write something.
TY again!!!
Horty
You’re welcome … I help if I can, but within what my goals are and what’s congruent for me … I know that I have some LGBT readers, but need to be aware of whole audience too 🙂
Cheers
DC
I understand … thanks again!!
YW 🙂
Thank you charismatic don!!! Indeed an useful information.Stay blessed:)
You are welcome and I intend to hun 🙂
Stay blessed!!!