Taxonomies

Taxonomies are used to organize and group content in WordPress, making it easier to manage, filter, and discover — both for editors and for site visitors.

About taxonomies

While the term “taxonomy” may not be familiar, you’re likely already familiar with the two most common types: Categories and Tags.

In WordPress:

  • Posts use taxonomies to stay organized
  • Pages do not use taxonomies
  • The default, and most common, taxonomies are:
  • Categories
  • Tags

Each taxonomy groups related content together. In many cases, these groupings also create archive pages — for example, a Category like Press Releases may automatically generate a page that lists all posts assigned to that category.

Categories vs Tags

Categories and Tags serve different purposes, even though they both organize content.

Categories

Categories are used for broad grouping and structure.

  • Can be hierarchical (parent and child categories)
  • Typically represent major content topics or sections
  • A post can have one or more categories
  • One category should be set as the Primary category
  • The Primary category is often used in key areas of the site — like post cards, listings, or featured content.

Tags

Tags are used for more specific organization and filtering.

  • Not hierarchical (no parent/child relationship)
  • Used to describe specific details or attributes of a post
  • Often used behind the scenes for filtering, grouping, or displaying content

Tags are flexible, but they — like all taxonomies — require consistency to be effective.

Using categories and tags effectively

A thoughtful taxonomy strategy makes content easier to manage over time.

Categories

  • Keep your category structure clear and intentional
  • Use parent/child relationships when it helps organize topics
  • Always assign a Primary category when multiple categories are selected

Tags

  • Use tags to support filtering, grouping, or internal organization
  • Only apply tags that are relevant and intentional
  • Consider using tags like “Featured” to support dynamic content (for example, filtering posts in a Query Loop block)

Because taxonomies are easy to create, they can become inconsistent over time.

To keep things clean:

  • Check for existing categories or tags before creating a new one
  • Avoid duplicates or slight variations (e.g., Press Release vs Press Releases, Event vs Events, Nonprofit vs Non-Profit, PR vs Press Release)
  • Periodically review and clean up unused or redundant terms

Adding taxonomies to a post

Taxonomies are applied when creating or editing a post using the Post settings sidebar.

Categories

  • Located in the right sidebar under Categories
  • Select one or more categories using checkboxes
  • If your list is long, use the search field to find existing categories
  • Click Add New Category to create one directly while editing

Tags

  • Located in the right sidebar under Tags
  • Type in the Add Tag field to search for existing tags
  • Select from matching results or press Enter to create a new tag
  • A Most Used list may appear for quick selection

Because tags are quick to create, they’re more prone to inconsistency. Always double-check before creating a new tag.

Managing taxonomies

To manage Categories or Tags:

  1. In the WordPress dashboard, go to Posts
  2. Select Categories or Tags

From here, you can:

  • Add new taxonomy items
  • Edit existing ones
  • Delete unused terms

Each taxonomy item includes:

  • Name — the label shown to editors and users
  • Slug — used in URLs
  • Description — optional, may appear on archive pages

Note: Be cautious when changing a slug. It may be used in URLs or other site functionality.

Custom taxonomies

Some sites include custom taxonomies, especially when using custom post types. These function similarly to Categories and Tags, but are tailored to the content type.

For example:

  • A Resources post type may include taxonomies like:
  • Solutions
  • Industries

Taxonomy planning tips

A thoughtful taxonomy strategy makes your content easier to manage and scale over time.

Start with structure

  • Use Categories for your main content structure
  • Keep category groups clear, intentional, and easy to understand
  • Use parent/child relationships only when they add clarity

Use tags with purpose

  • Use Tags for filtering, grouping, or highlighting content
  • Avoid using tags as a catch-all for loosely related ideas
  • Only create new tags when there’s a clear need

Stay consistent

  • Check for existing terms before creating new ones
  • Follow consistent naming (e.g., singular vs plural, spacing, capitalization)
  • Avoid duplicates or slight variations over time

Plan for growth

  • Start simple — you can always expand later
  • Review and clean up categories and tags periodically
  • Merge or remove unused or redundant terms

Focus on how content is used

  • Taxonomies should support how content is displayed, filtered, and discovered
  • If a category or tag isn’t being used meaningfully, it may not be needed
  1. WordPress.org Taxonomies documentation — Please note that your implementation may include customizations that affect available settings or behavior.