Gain the Advantage
How Not to Tag Your Stories
Two quick tidbits you may not know, and a triple bonus because you deserve a break
It kinda pissed me off. How did I miss this?
I put my coffee down (doesn't happen often) and reread two little tidbits by a writer/editor I’ve truly come to appreciate.
The information was super simple; it was just that I couldn’t believe my eyes!
“I’ve been doing this incorrectly for over a year and had no idea!”
I made myself a mental note to fix my tags going forward but figured I’d share these eye-opening nuggets and let more fellow writers in on the secrets.
Technically they're not secrets, but they sure feel like em! These super tiny details get by us and slow our progress on the platform; so here’s to speeding things up!
My Tag Mistakes
They can be an almighty pain in the butteroo! And once I plug them in, I rarely take a second look.
- Which ones are the most popular? Why is it that sometimes you can’t read those numbers next to them because they’re cut off?
- There are 73 “top writer” tags — so it makes sense to use one of them — right? Because I want a top writer badge, don’t you?
- Wow! Check out the ‘life’ tag — 540K followers; that should get my work in front of more eyeballs!
- I’ll go to my profile drop-down menu and plug them in right away before I forget.
- Should I use all five, or does that matter?
- Which tags are the writers in the top 1% on Medium using? That should point me in the right direction…
WRONG!
Not just that last statement, but all of the above is a mess.
I really thought I knew what I was doing with tags, so when I read Linda’s article this morning, I rammed the base of my palm into my forehead and swore, #$?@!
Are you kidding me? How did I not know this stuff?
Tidbit Number One
You know those numbers that come up in brackets next to the tag you choose?
Well, I’ve been under the impression they referred to how many people are following that specific tag. So I assumed that the numbers represented all the readers/writers interested in that topic as they selected their ‘topics of interest’ in their profiles.
That’s why I go for the biggest number every time, thinking it’s popular and more people will find me in searches.
Nope. All wrong, Lizzie!
That number refers to how many stories are currently tagged with that specific tag.
A whole new ball game.
Meaning the higher the number, the more saturated the tag is. A saturated tag means more writers have chosen that tag for their story, which effectively increases your competition for reads like crazy.
Getting reads on Medium is hard enough, but I’m unknowingly making it harder on myself by burying my stories amongst others using those same saturated tags.
Those top tags (especially the special 73 required for top writer status) are also saturated with top writers. That’s a double whammy because now you’re competing with the elusive 1% and their expertise on the topic as well.
Oh, and yes, use all five tags every time! Each one still increases the chances of your work being found.
Here’s hoping you aren’t in the same boat with your tagging strategy, but if you are, please console me and let me know I’m not alone here.
Geez…
Tidbit Number Two
I’ve always chosen my tags from the main drop-down menu.
The one at the top of my screen next to my picture and notification buttons— you know the one.
I add my tags during my edits so my 60-year-old brain doesn’t forget this super important step. Well, have you noticed that those numbers I mentioned above are cut off, and there isn’t much to go by as far as suggestions?
Hark, the angels, sing…
You shouldn’t choose your tags from that main menu, even if it works.
What? Why?
Well, apparently, it’s best to choose your tags after you hit the publish button. Here are a couple of pictures that speak those thousand words…
When you choose them after you hit publish, a drop-down menu pops up so you can clearly see all the numbers and other options associated with each tag. Note that on the left where I was going) it says ‘change tags,’ and the other says ‘add a tag.’ Coincidence? Probably not.
And now that I know what those numbers represent, I’m going to work a bit harder to find those less used tags to pair them with. It should give my stories a better chance to find reading eyeballs.
Excellent information, I wish I knew a year ago, but grateful I ran across it before another year passed!
Three Bonus Tiddybits
While I’m here enlightening your butts with all my stupid mistake fixes, I might as well sprinkle a little more magic.
You guys deserve a break, just like I did :)
- I’ve noticed recently that the search functions have been upgraded on the main page of Medium. Then I read an article by J.J. Pryor deciphering it all and realized the significance of the changes.
I’m not going to rehash all the same stuff; I linked his article for your reading pleasure, but know the information you capture by making use of these new search functions is gigantic. Tie it in with your newfound knowledge of tags, and you’ll have a much better idea where to focus your energy on Medium.
2. We’re also missing out on another feature Medium added a while back — “E-mail a link to my subscribers.” I’d seen it before, but wondered if it applied to me or made a difference.
Again I’ve been enlightened!
It’s best to check this box (above) and self-publish your work first, even if you plan to submit your article to a publication. It’s the only way your readers gain access to that box, which tells Medium to email your story to all your fans.
Remember that followers aren’t necessarily fans and fans aren’t always followers. You may have noticed both terms when viewing your notifications of claps, highlights and responses.
Fans are the ones that clap or applaud for a specific piece. Followers are following your profile and therefore you as a writer in general. They may also do both :)
Then there are subscribers. These are the folks that take an extra step at the end of your story and request to be notified every time you self-publish. There’s a step in settings you need to follow in order for this box to appear at the end of your work, so start there if you haven’t already.
It looks like this…
3. Bonus tidbit number three is this article by Linda Caroll. I love her “in your face” approach to writing, and this one cleared up quite a few Medium Myths, including the tag information I regurgitated for you.
Take a deeper dive; I’m positive you’ll gain a new perspective about your approach to writing on Medium if you give this one a read!
Thank goodness for those writers who share their intel! I truly don’t know where I’d be on Medium if it weren’t for these folks helping out.
Question
Should we go back through our older stories and change some of the tags for a refresh, maybe? Is it too late for our older stories?
Can someone with more experience answer that one for us?
Happy Tagging — Liz.
Updated 7–10–21 — There has been some consensus that yes, it’s a good idea to back over your stories and tweak your tags.
Find more tips here…
I’m Liz, a personal growth fanatic that stopped shrinking into places I’ve outgrown. Join my Newsletter to get Medium tips and my best stories.
