When it comes to managing content in WordPress, organization is everything. A well-structured website not only helps your visitors find what they’re looking for — it also boosts your site’s search engine optimization (SEO). Two essential tools that support this structure are categories and tags in WordPress, which are part of WordPress’s taxonomy system — a fancy word for how content is grouped and classified.

In this guide, we’ll focus on how to use tags in WordPress — what they are, how to add them, and how to use them strategically for better SEO and user experience. Whether you’re new to blogging or looking to clean up your site, this tutorial will give you the practical know-how you need.

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Tags in WordPress are one of the built-in tools for organizing content. They work as metadata — descriptive keywords that help define what your post is about in more detail than categories do.

Unlike categories, which are hierarchical (you can have parent and child categories), tags are flat and flexible. You can assign multiple tags to a single post, and they’re primarily used to connect related content.

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For high-value tags that connect lots of useful posts, it’s okay to index those pages and let them appear in search.

WordPress Tags vs Categories

  • Categories group content into broad topics.
  • Tags help identify specific details or elements within those topics.

Think of your blog as a book. Categories are like the chapters, while tags are like the index at the back — helping readers find every post that mentions “SEO,” “WordPress themes,” or “recipe tips.”

Adding tags in WordPress is simple, and there are two main ways to do it.

🛠️ Note for beginners: Depending on your WordPress setup, you may be using the Gutenberg editor (the newer “block” editor) or the Classic Editor (the older version). Both allow you to add tags, just in slightly different ways.

1. Adding Tags While Writing a Post

In the Gutenberg (block) editor:

Tags in WordPress
  • In the right sidebar, open the Post tab.
  • Scroll to the Tags section.
  • Start typing a tag — if it already exists, it will auto-suggest.
  • Press Enter or click “Add”.
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In the Classic Editor:

  • Look for the Tags box on the right side.
  • Type your tags, separated by commas.
  • Click Add.

2. Managing Tags from the Dashboard

  • Go to Posts > Tags in your WordPress dashboard.
  • Here you can add new tags, edit existing ones, and see how many posts use each tag.

You can also assign descriptions to tags, which may appear on tag archive pages depending on your theme.

Using tags correctly can boost your SEO and help visitors discover more of your content. Here are some WordPress tag best practices to follow:

✅ Use Descriptive, Specific Terms

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Tags should describe a specific element or topic within your post. Instead of vague tags like “blog” or “thoughts,” use clear terms like “on-page SEO” or “WordPress security.”

✅ Don’t Overuse Tags

Using 50 tags on a single post won’t help your SEO — it can actually hurt it. Aim for 5–15 relevant tags per post.

✅ Avoid Duplicating Categories

If your post is in the “Travel” category, don’t also tag it “Travel.” Use tags to provide more nuance, like “backpacking,” “budget tips,” or “Europe.”

✅ Use Consistent Tag Naming

Stick to a naming convention. If you use “recipes” as a tag, don’t also use “recipe” or “Recipe” — this creates unnecessary duplicates.

✅ Don’t Create “One-Off” Tags

If a tag only applies to one post and will never be reused, consider skipping it. Tags work best when they link related content together.

Here’s where tags can shine — or cause problems — depending on how you manage them.

Tags: Improve Internal Linking

When multiple posts share the same tag, WordPress automatically creates a tag archive page that lists all posts with that tag.

Example: If three posts are tagged “Beginner SEO,” WordPress creates a page at yoursite.com/tag/beginner-seo/ that shows all three posts together. This strengthens internal linking — links between your own posts — which helps search engines and users navigate your site.

Avoid Thin Content on Tag Archives

If your site has hundreds of tags but most only link to one post, these archive pages can be seen by search engines as thin content — pages with little value. That can lower your SEO performance.

Control Tag Indexing

If you’re using a plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math, you can control whether tag pages appear in Google’s search results.

“Noindex” is a setting that tells search engines: “don’t include this page in search results.” This is useful for low-value or thin-content tag archives.

To use WordPress tags effectively, it helps to understand when to use categories vs tags:

Tags in WordPress

Example:

On a food blog:

  • Category: “Dinner Recipes”
  • Tags: “Low Carb,” “Instant Pot,” “30-minute meals”

This setup helps users browse both broad topics and specific recipe types.

Managing and Cleaning Up WordPress Tags

Over time, your tag list might get messy — duplicates, unused tags, or irrelevant ones. Here’s how to manage them:

Use the Tags Screen

Go to Posts > Tags to:

  • Delete tags that are no longer relevant.
  • Edit tag names or their slugs (the URL-friendly version of the tag name).

What’s a slug? It’s the part of the URL that represents the tag, like /tag/seo-basics/.

You can also see how many posts use each tag — tags with “0” posts are good candidates for cleanup.

Use a Plugin

To manage many tags at once, use a plugin like:

  • Term Management Tools
  • TaxoPress (formerly Simple Tags)

Not sure what a plugin is? Plugins are add-ons that add features to your WordPress site. You can install them from your dashboard under Plugins > Add New.

These tools help you:

  • Merge duplicate tags
  • Delete unused tags in bulk
  • Convert tags to categories (or vice versa)

Pro Tip:

Audit your tags every few months to keep your site tidy and optimized.

Avoid these tagging pitfalls:

❌ Using Tags Like Keywords

Tags aren’t for keyword stuffing. Adding a tag for every keyword you want to rank for doesn’t help — focus on organization.

❌ Too Many Tags

Using dozens of tags on a single post creates clutter. Limit to the most relevant ones.

Tags in WordPress

❌ Irrelevant or Vague Tags

Tags like “random,” “misc,” or “thoughts” don’t help your SEO or your readers.

❌ Neglecting Tag Archives

If your tag archive pages are visible to search engines, make sure they’re not empty or poorly structured. Quality matters.

WordPress tags are a powerful but often underused tool. They help organize your content, improve internal linking, and support your SEO — but only when used intentionally.

Here’s your quick checklist:

  • ✅ Use tags to describe specific details in your post.
  • ✅ Keep your tag count reasonable and consistent.
  • ✅ Don’t duplicate categories as tags.
  • ✅ Periodically audit your tags for quality and relevance.
  • ✅ Use SEO tools to control tag archive indexing.

Now that you know how to use tags in WordPress, take a few minutes to review your latest posts and optimize their tags — your readers (and Google) will thank you.

Want more help? Check out our full guide on Optimizing WordPress Categories for SEO to round out your site structure.

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