Why an online store needs tags and how they differ from categories
LightSEO · Catalog
Why an online store needs tags and how they differ from categories
Tags are a way to group products from different categories by a shared attribute without breaking the catalog structure. Done right, they bring traffic for queries that your structure does not cover.
The difference
Category vs tag
A category is the product's place in the catalog. A product has one main category, and it defines the URL and the breadcrumbs.
A tag is an attribute. A product can have as many of them as you like: "for a gift", "eco", "sale", "for beginners".
A tag keeps the structure intact. You create a new collection page without adding menu levels or moving products.
Use cases
What to create tags for
🎁
Occasions
"Birthday gift", "for the office", "for the country house" – queries that the catalog structure does not cover.
🌿
Properties
"Gluten-free", "hypoallergenic", "handmade" – attributes that span several categories.
🔥
Seasons and promotions
"New Year", "summer collection", "Black Friday" – temporary collections.
Rules
How to make tags work without doing harm
Every tag targets a real query. No demand – no page. Otherwise it is just junk in the index.
At least eight products. An empty tag page does as much harm as an empty category.
Text and meta tags. A tag page without a description and unique meta tags does not rank.
Keep the number in check. Twenty well-planned tags work better than two hundred random ones.
Want to capture traffic for queries outside your catalog structure?
We will find queries that have no matching categories and create tag collections that bring traffic.
