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I'd like advice on categorizing posts on a personal blog

  1. turnthrice
    Member

    Hi there,

    My blog is a simple personal blog, where I write about really random whatever-comes-to-my-attention topics.

    I'm new to blogging, and I find at times I have trouble categorizing my posts. I have a category for "opinions" that I had meant to lump my.. well, opinionated posts together, but then I found sometimes my post isn't really an 'opinion' per say... For example I've done a 'Dear Stranger' type post, and I just kind of left it in the 'uncategorized' category.

    I guess I feel confused because I'm not sure how to choose my categories for a personal blog, and though I don't have many posts I'd like to have a good start with my categories. What is your advice?

    The blog I need help with is turnthrice.wordpress.com.

  2. hollythestrange
    Member

    Hmm... well I have loads of categories. A lot of them are based on what the post is about. I have "Music" "Photography" and ones like "Random" and "MCR Related"

  3. turnthrice
    Member

    I just checked out your blog (I liked the Rebecca Black/YouTube post :D) and I think I see what you mean. I was kind of under the impression that I shouldn't have too many categories, but I guess I shouldn't forcibly try to limit myself like that.

    Thanks for your reply :)

  4. hollythestrange
    Member

    I have accuried loads of topics. I've come to a point where I rarely make new ones now!

  5. ulaysha
    Member

    @turnthrice. Read your blog. Really liked your style of writing - very engaging. Also liked the Dear Stranger post - will maybe go back and comment. Meantime, you'll find that Categories emerge as your number of posts increase - most people write about broad themes, even if they don't initially know it. Maybe a Category for the Stranger post could be: Everyday Life or Random Encounters or Life Less Serious. Even the 'clothes' post could fit into Life Less Serious and I would love to see a lot more of these types of posts.

    My business blog was easy but I initially had only one Category on my personal blog, which was Baby. Very imaginative, I know! I also think tags are more important than categories. but I may be wrong about this.

  6. zenmaiden
    Member

    Being also new to personal blogging, I am just leaving everything as uncategorized till I get a picture of where the blog is going to go. Like Ulaysha, stating with only one category. I think if you let time pass, and read your own blog you'l get a sense of what and when you need another category.

    I would put 'dear strager' in a category called: from the heart
    and the closeline post in: a category called the silliness of sheeple ?

  7. zenmaiden
    Member

    oops I meant stating should be starting and read blog should be re-read blog. I re-read mine often after publishing to get a feel for things.

  8. timethief
    Member

    May advice is to take a close look at the wordpress.com global tagging pages. First read this entry so you comprehend where I am coming from. Tags and categories are treated the same way by search engines. You do not want to have more than 3 words in a tag or category and one word is your target. You do not want to assign any more that a combined total of 10 categories and tags and ideally less is more.
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/global-tags/

    Look at this page > http://en.wordpress.com/tags/
    Click "personal" http://en.wordpress.com/tag/personal/

  9. timethief
    Member

    EDIT: I was in a hurry and did not state that well above so here we go again.

    My advice is to take a close look at the wordpress.com global tagging pages. First read this entry so you comprehend where I am coming from. http://en.support.wordpress.com/global-tags/

    Tags and categories are treated the same way by search engines.
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/posts/categories-vs-tags/

    You do not want to have more than 3 words in a tag or category and 1 (one) word is your target. You do not want to assign any more that a combined total of 10 categories and tags to any individual post, and ideally less is more.
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/global-tags/#missing-posts

    Look at this page > http://en.wordpress.com/tags/
    Click "personal" http://en.wordpress.com/tag/personal/

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