Using Tags
Since Wordpress 2.3 hit it introduced tagging into the back end system, allowing blog owners a simple way to associate quick terms of information to their posts and display a tag cloud on their blog. Now this all may well seem all well and good, but was the addition of any value? Personally I think adding a tagging system is a move forward, but it was handled in the wrong way. It’s far to basic and does not share your tagging data at all.
Tagging not only allows the visitor a quick and easy way to see what a blog blogs about most (via the tag cloud) it also acts as a simple search to a collection of content surrounding a certain keyword. But tagging, as far as I am concerned is much more than that. Tagging when put in a social environment helps paint a rich tapestry of what bloggers, and the web, is talking about.
At this point of course I am talking about blogging networking services like the popular Technorati. Not only can bloggers benefit from the traffic and various other benefits having a Technorati account can bring, but via linking up your blog and it’s tags to Technorati you will be contributing to a live view of what bloggers are talking about. For example, for the past few months a lot of bloggers have been discussing entrecard and its strengths and weaknesses, say you blogged about it, tagged it, and then gain visitors and potential subscribers via them finding your thoughts via Technorati. Your helping yourself out, and your helping create a more true image as to what folks are blogging about.
Of course for the introduction of tagging in to the back end to be truly perfect Wordpress and Technorati would have to come to some form of partnership, but they haven’t (yet) so it’s down to you to make that partnership yourself. If you don’t already have Technorati tagging set up I recommend you do. First up sort yourself out with a Technorati account, and then install this great plugin from David Gibbs over at Geeky Ramblings: WP Tags to Technorati, with everything installed and activated your tags should now appear below your post and on your Technorati page.
You are now adding to the greater view of the blogging world. Enjoy the benefits.
[…] Using Tags - Chris Brandrick - Thank goodness his name wasn’t Michael White. michaelwhite.com was taken back when domains cost $150 a year. Argh. As for this post, it’s another good post for bloggers. Tags are making a huge hit with search engines and Chris talks about them here. […]