Using categories and tags correctly is important for your site for many reasons. One of the biggest is how it affects your SEO (search engine optimization).

WordPress Categories vs Tags

A category title should be descriptive and can be several words long. A tag is more specific and addresses items you discuss in a particular blog post. A tag is usually only a word or two and reflects the keywords or points of your article. If categories are your blog’s table of contents, tags are your blog’s index.

Tips for Choosing Categories and Tags

When you decide to implement categories and tags, it’s a good idea to consider how you want to label or title them. Here are some things to consider:

Organization is key. The main reason to use categories and tags is so your readers can easily find the information they want. As you choose names for your categories and/or add tags to posts, consider how you’d find the information if it weren’t your blog. What terms would you search for if you wanted to find this article? Use those terms in your categories and tags.
Know when to stop. Your categories should be broad enough that you won’t need to have a list of 50. Figure out what you write about the most and create categories for those topics. Everything else can go in a catch-all category of Miscellaneous.
Tags are short. You should use tags that are up to three words long, but no more. Tags should also be the keywords related to your blog post because they will aid search engines in finding your content. Search engines also look at titles, headings, links, etc.
Avoid duplication. Try not to use names for tags that are the same as the names of your categories. It’s redundant.

Using categories and tags correctly will not only increase SEO but increase the reader’s ability to find the information they are looking for.