How to Use Tags on Medium
Little words that make a big impact
You spend hours, days, or weeks working on your article. You choose the perfect title and image to accompany it. Then you press “publish.”
Oh, wait, you need to select tags for your story. How much time do you spend choosing them?
Minutes? Seconds?
I used to just click through and choose something that seemed OK, so I could get to the next step, which was releasing my article into the world so I could refresh the stats page every ten minutes.
But hold on for a moment. Tags are incredibly important for your story. Readers often find your story through your tags.
You should consider outlining what tags your story will have early in the writing process — during your first draft or right after you decide on a title.
Why is that?
Tags can help you focus your piece. Deciding to use certain tags, like “Relationships” or “Food,” can help you stay on track.
The tags you write under can also influence whether or not you get “Top Writer” status. You can be a “Top Writer” under certain tags if you write enough popular articles under them.
Some publications will specify what tags they work well under; for example, Writing or Life Lessons. They may require that your story include certain tags to be accepted.
You can choose up to five tags, so make sure you max them out and make them count.
Generally speaking, picking a bigger, more popular category can result in more reads. But choosing appropriate tags is important, too, so your readers can find you.
If you have a story that really takes off, the stats page will also show you what other tags your readers are interested in. This can be a good launching point when looking for ideas and writing other successful articles.
This article was about creativity and writing, but people who read it were also interested in psychology, books, and productivity. An article using those tags will likely attract readers.
There’s a reason we say, “Last, but not least.” Tags are incredibly important, so give them the consideration they deserve.
