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I've noticed that at wordpress.com, tags=categories. I think these two things are different, and I would prefer if I could add loads of tags to a post without my category list becoming miles long.
It's probably too bold for me alone to ask wordpress.com to change their entire tagging-system, but if alot of other people agree with me, they might at least consider doing it. :)
Starting tomorrow, support will be back to normal, so use the feedback button then to let them know. You're not alone; it's come up several times before.
G'morning ehan
You're quite correct "tags" and "categories" are different and I have a mile long category list I wish to reduce. The problem is there is not means of dealing with categories in bulk they have to be edited and eliminated one at a time. (I've got over 100 "adjustments" yet to be made on just one of my blogs). Thankfully, you are just starting out so you can learn from this.
WordPress.com is only 1 1/2 years old. This is the current state of affairs:
Tags used within post content aren’t collected by WordPress.com for use in directories. Only tags used as categories are included. So if you write about Fashion and include a tag in your post content to “fashion” but you don’t have a category in your sidebar for “fashion” then you won’t get that post in the “fashion” tag in the WordPress.com Tag list. Not until WordPress.com recognizes tags as tags and categories as categories. Right now, it isn’t a Tag list but a Category list you see.
A lot of energy and enthusiasm has gone into tags this past year. But somehow a tag has become a keyword and carries little or no weight in helping you get found, except by services like wordpress.com tags. And tags from your site to Technorati, WordPress.com’s tag list, and off-site content only encourage people to leave your site. That does you no favors and those who leave aren’t going to come back and say thank you.
To get found, write focused and consistent content with good keywords used in appropriate keyword spots like titles and headings and focus on what you have to offer when you are found. Keep you categories to a minimum. Let tags take care of themselves.
Hm, that I didn´t know about. But know I can understand why swedish tags look so strange.
@timethief, don´t know if it works, you write that tags inside post aren´t collected by wp.c
But I woundering if you write in a post and then in bottom write for ie. like
Other use keyword in wordpress:
a href= "wordpress.com/tag/faq/" rel="tag">FAQ /a>,
a href= "wordpress.com/tag/blogtips/" rel="tag">Blogtips /a>,
and so on, shouln´t it work then, though it´s the same as the category 'links'
(1) No. What I'm expressing is that tags within posts of wordpress.com blogs are not collected by wordpress.com and displayed on the wpc tag pages unless you also make the same tag a category.
(2) Search engine spiders like Technorati's do find the tags in the posts.
As for the last part of your post above I'm sorry to say I just don't understand what you are asking. Could you try again please?
A bad thing that can happen if you don't create all those tags ...
I agree with threebyfive that I'd love to be able to add lots of tags without having your category list stretch from
here to Jupiter. Another wish: that any word in the TITLE of your blog would automatically get a tag for that word.
Here is an very disheartening thing that happened to me on WordPress: My blog is called One-Minute Book Reviews and has only book reviews. Because of this, I did not create a separate "books" tag. (Why would I need it?) Instead I just created tags for types of books: novels, biography, children's books, etc. And I have just discovered that because I have not been tagging every post "books," my posts do not show up on the WordPress "books" tag queue. (I did not want to create a separate "books" category because, in addition to causing a lot of duplication, this would be confusing to site visitors.)
So, everybody, here's my warning: Do not assume that because your blog has a word in a title, it will show up along with posts tagged with that word. It won't, alas.
You should make "books" your default category; that way every single post in your blog has that tag automatically. You don't have to click on it. Titles are not tags.
Even though I'll turn sixty in March, I'm a week old newborn in the blogging world!
I've just barely begun my blog site. Already, I'm lost. I've uploaded some of my art and written 3 posts which have disappeared from view on the page. They only appear after I click on the headline??? I'm confused.
I want my posts to appear in several catagories.
Where do I find the wpc tag page? Then how do I make the whole catagory/tag thing work?
Is it possible to create tags that actually fit my various spiritually healing topics or am I restricted to a tag menu?
Does wpc have a tutorial on how to create a blog from start to finish? So many questions! Ok, I'll stop for now.
Thanks for helping a desperate senior blog beginner.
I see two posts, but no tags. When you're writing or editing a post, you can see on the right-hand side of the Write/Edit page a column of blue and white. Click on the one that says "Categories" and it will pop up. You can type into the box there any tag/category you want to file your posts under.
The tags aren't going to be visible on your blog until you've tagged some posts.
WordPress does have a lot of questions answered in their FAQs. They also have a site which you can go to and have all your questions answered.
Thanks for your feedback. How do I find the wpc site where ALL of my questions can be answered before I wear out my welcome in forums?
http://faq.wordpress.com as well as the FAQ posted at the head of these forums. Searching the forums helps as well. :)
Just to add one more vote to the thread...
I whole heartedly agree with threebyfive and the concurring opinion. Tags and Categories need to be divorced from one another.
And 1minutebookreview brings up a good point, there should be some sort of cross-pollination with established tagging systems.
Just to add one more vote to the thread...
That being the case then you're confused and barking up the wrong tree, so to speak. There is no voting here. WordPress is not a democracy. It's a business venture of the Automattic corporation. And IMO the correct path for your requests for sweeping changes of the entire wordpress.com category/tagging system is up the corporate ladder through a feedback to staff or by email to support at this domain dot com. The bottom line is: no policy decisions are made here on the forum.
The forum search box is a useful tool as well. Using it you will find this is not the only thread wherein users have attempted to change Matt's mind on this subject. He has spoken on this issue and IMO there's nothing to be gained by posting policy preferences for changing the entire wordpress.com category/tagging system here.
You do have the option of downloading a free template from wordpress.org and doing as you wish with your blog categories and or tags. And there are plug-ins available at wordpress.org for this purpose. :)
Oh and in case you want an opinion - thumbs down.
It IS the Ideas forum, however, so discussing different suggestions for WordPress is perfectly appropriate. Luckily, in the Ideas forum we don't have to help solve problems, just kick around ideas.
Re: My thumbs down above.
I strongly disagree with the use of the ideas forum as a soapbox from which to lobby for corporate policy changes.
IMO the place to "kick around ideas" is on a blog or blogs.
And IMO the ideas forum should be limited only to being a place where new technical features are discussed.
Well, neither of us run the forum but we're both allowed to debate here. Most bloggers read but don't post here, and this debate is where they learn the advantages and why things are or are not implimented. It's useful in and of itself.
I have to say I agree Raincoaster. All due respect Timethief - but sometimes it seems forumers (is that a word) are more concerned with what place a topic belongs in; rather than helping resolve it. I do believe that most come here for solutions - more than providing feedback. I base that on the fact that a lot of the same people are the one's commenting on here; almost like a chatroom. I just got brave, and dove in started participating. But, it does seem unclear - sometimes where one is supposed to post something. Perhaps moderators can change the location of a forum posted? Is that something they can do? Without the poster having to repost the same forum in another location? Just throwing out ideas - not trying to cause opposition :)
@joshua
... but sometimes it seems forumers (is that a word) are more concerned with what place a topic belongs in; rather than helping resolve it
For clarity:
End users do not make policy decisions in corporations. It is standard practice for a chain of communication to be established in all IT corporations that precludes end user debate which can become an open-door to abusive diatribes, spamming and troll posting.
Previous to the recent change, this forum had a very high rating that I'm sure Automattic would like to see restored.
I did not propose that the thread be moved to another forum. And yes Moderators do have the capacity to do that. But that is not what I proposed.
I strongly disagree with the use of the ideas forum as a soapbox from which to lobby for corporate policy changes. Moderators cannot access, interfere with or re-direct feedback from bloggers or email from bloggers proposing corporate policy changes. And that, specifically is is what I proposed.
This matter is now in the hands of the Automattic corporation and their agents ie. staff for decision-making to take place. Until such a decision has been made and formally announced I will not be entering further dialog on this matter.
Namaste
Timethief, we heard you the first time. We just disagree.
Well, since there seems to be no themebook, as to what is or is not proper in forums (I looked, but I have a feeling that someone will quickly provide me a link after this comment) - what else is one to do but post a forum question? Not everyone is 'in the know.' And I'm not even sure if those who come across as if they're 'in the know' are really 'in the know.' Or just like feeling as if they are 'in the know.' We're all wordpressers, and that's our only commonality. I believe people come here for answers, not confusion. And honestly, sometimes - I'm left feeling confused and like a fool. It doesn't leave one wanting to participate, beyond reading what is being said. I guess I'm just a really helping person; and will bend over to figure out a solution (within my limited repertory of knowledge) to help someone along. But this is a debate afterall. People will not always agree. And not agreeing doesn't mean that one's feelings need to be hurt. Does it? :)
Going all the way back to the original post ;)
While the tags are equal to categories on each site, they act almost the same as categories say on a normal wordpress.org site. So, you must want the tags to be tags and not categories? That is what you mean? If that is the case, I guess that I would agree. I would rather have a page created with all the tags in a tag cloud and keep the categories seperate. Good point!
Either way, if that is the way we have it and that suites most people, then great! We always can host our own wordpress sites for the customization! :)
Trent
/nod to Trent
We have the option of downloading a free template from wordpress.org and doing as indicated with blog categories and or tags. And there are plug-ins available at wordpress.org created for the purposes indicated as well as for creating a tag cloud. :)
There is a plugin on wordpress.org called UTW (ultimate tag wizard) that creates a cloud much like the forums tags are created. I can see why it is not used over here, but interesting none the same.
Trent
I'm sorry, but I didn't know that Matt had "spoken on this issue" and that they had discussed this before when I made this thread. My idea was to change the tagging and category system. I think that the Automattic guys made this forum and the feedback form to hear from its users. Although WordPress.com is not a democracy, it's good for any user-based company to listen to their users. I did send this idea/suggestion as feedback, but I wanted to make this thread so that they could see that there were people agreeing with me. As I stated in the first post, my aim is not to convince or force them to change their policy, but simple to make them consider my idea by seeing that other people agree as well.
And yes Moderators do have the capacity to do that.
Um, moderators do not have that ability. We do have the ability to cut and paste though and have done so many times in the past. :)
Folks, please stop making policy statements in the name of Automattic. No more. They will now be deleted on sight. If you have a problem with this, please take it up with staff. If you have a problem with Automatiic policy, please take it up with staff. Staff and I have stated many times over that the forums are not for policy discussions. Some of you have been warned about playing moderator in the past as well and you're still doing it.
threebyfive, all ideas are welcomed here with the exception of adding in Adsense. You owe me a steak dinner if you do such a thing as it's been discussed many times over in the past as well. :)
UTM has issues with the WPMu although I believe there's a walkthru on the WPMu forums as to how to do it. Please remember though that so far we've only had one outside plugin added in and that was the audio player.
I actually myself use Blogdesk and it has a built in tagging system which I use in addition to the category system. I do also believe that there is an Firefox extention that will also add in Technorati tags but I don't have time to go digging for it right off plug I don't know what browser you're using.
Hope this helps,
-drmike
Lorelle has a nice post on tags for WordPress.com here -
http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2005/10/14/a-tagging-bookmarklet-for-wordpress-and-wordpresscom-users/
This topic has been closed to new replies.
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