Blog Categories & Tags Style Guide

Blog Categories & Tags Style Guide

Last Updated: October 3, 2025

Overview

This guide ensures consistent categorization and tagging across all blog posts for better discoverability, SEO, and user experience.

The 8 Core Categories

Every blog post MUST have at least one category. Posts MAY have a secondary category if they genuinely span two themes.

1. Technology

Use when: The primary focus is on tech products, innovations, technical analysis, or digital tools.

Examples:

  • AI/ML systems and innovations
  • Hardware reviews (processors, laptops, phones)
  • Software and platforms
  • Cloud computing, cybersecurity
  • Tech company analysis

Sample Posts: Apple Intelligence, Intel Lunar Lake, OpenAI o1, Microsoft Outage

2. Personal Growth

Use when: The post focuses on introspection, life lessons, self-improvement, or personal transformation.

Examples:

  • Personal reflections and life stories
  • Emotional development
  • Dealing with loss or change
  • Motivation and inspiration
  • Personal decision-making journeys

Sample Posts: Tribute to Father, The One and Only, Digital Detox, Deserving Recap

3. Culture & Society

Use when: The post examines cultural practices, social issues, heritage, or community dynamics.

Examples:

  • Cultural traditions and festivals
  • Social issues (discrimination, inclusion)
  • Language and diversity
  • Cultural heritage documentation
  • Community and identity

Sample Posts: Odisha Sanskruti, Bengaluru Discrimination, Neurodiversity, Language Policy

4. Travel & Exploration

Use when: The primary narrative is about travel experiences, journeys, or geographical exploration.

Examples:

  • Travel memoirs and journeys
  • Adventure stories
  • Geographic explorations
  • Cultural immersion through travel
  • Travel photography narratives

Sample Posts: Eastern Ghats, Traveler in Me, Berhampur to Vizianagaram

5. Education & Academia

Use when: The focus is on learning, teaching, academic experiences, or educational philosophy.

Examples:

  • University/college experiences
  • Research and academic projects
  • Study tips and guidance
  • Educational philosophy
  • Homeschooling and alternative education

Sample Posts: IIT First Semester, PhD Journey, Homeschooling, CASS Conference

6. Sustainability & Environment

Use when: Environmental impact, conservation, or sustainable living is the primary theme.

Examples:

  • Climate change and conservation
  • Sustainable transportation
  • Environmental advocacy
  • Green technology
  • Eco-friendly lifestyle choices

Sample Posts: EVs vs Hybrids, E-Cycles, Mother Earth, Billions in Change

7. Professional Development

Use when: The focus is on career growth, workplace dynamics, or professional skills.

Examples:

  • Career progression and insights
  • Workplace relationships
  • Professional skills development
  • Work-life balance
  • Industry trends affecting careers

Sample Posts: Professional Journeys, Human Element in Professional Life

8. Current Affairs & Opinion

Use when: The post responds to recent events or provides strong opinions on contemporary issues.

Examples:

  • Political and economic analysis
  • Social crises and responses
  • Policy critique and recommendations
  • Geopolitical commentary
  • Op-ed style pieces

Sample Posts: Trump Tariffs, Atul Subhash Case

Secondary Categories

A post MAY have a secondary category if it genuinely spans two themes with significant depth in both areas.

When to Use Secondary Categories:

  • The post devotes substantial content (30%+) to a second theme
  • The secondary theme provides critical context or analysis
  • Removing the secondary category would misrepresent the post’s scope

When NOT to Use Secondary Categories:

  • Brief mentions or tangential references
  • When the second theme is merely a vehicle for the primary theme
  • When you’re unsure (default to primary only)

Examples:

✅ Good Use:

  • “Apple Intelligence” (Technology) + (Personal Growth) - Tech review with deep personal reflection
  • “Odisha Culture” (Culture & Society) + (Travel & Exploration) - Cultural education with travel insights

❌ Poor Use:

  • Adding “Technology” just because a post mentions smartphones
  • Adding “Culture & Society” because the post references a place

Tag Strategy

Core Principles:

  1. Limit: 5-8 tags per post (maximum)
  2. Reuse: Always check existing tags before creating new ones
  3. Specificity: Be specific but not hyper-specific
  4. Consistency: Use the same tag format across posts
  5. Searchability: Think about what readers would search for

Master Tag List

Choose tags from these categories. Add new tags sparingly and only when necessary.

Technology Tags (15)

  • AI
  • Apple
  • Intel
  • Qualcomm
  • Microsoft
  • Google
  • Cloud Computing
  • Semiconductors
  • Hardware
  • Software
  • Open Source
  • Linux
  • Machine Learning
  • Cybersecurity
  • Computing

Place Tags (8)

  • Odisha
  • Bengaluru
  • India
  • Hyderabad
  • Kolkata
  • USA
  • China
  • Global

Topic Tags (20)

  • Education
  • Homeschooling
  • Parenting
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Language
  • Diversity
  • Sustainability
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Mental Health
  • Neurodiversity
  • Career
  • Professional Growth
  • Family
  • Motivation
  • Social Issues
  • Legal System
  • Politics

Activity Tags (8)

  • Biking
  • Photography
  • Writing
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Coding
  • Adventure
  • Exploration

Product/Platform Tags (Use Sparingly)

  • iOS
  • macOS
  • WWDC
  • Processors
  • Laptops
  • Automobiles

Tag Guidelines

✅ DO:

  • Use “AI” instead of “ArtificialIntelligence” or “AIFeatures”
  • Use “Bengaluru” consistently (not “Bangalore”)
  • Use “Electric Vehicles” or “EV” for brevity
  • Keep tags readable and searchable
  • Think about SEO and discoverability

❌ DON’T:

  • Create version-specific tags: “iOS18”, “macOS15”
  • Use product codes: “Core Ultra 200V”, “M3 Pro”
  • Create hyper-local tags: “Golanthara”, “Kalyanpur”
  • Use event-specific tags: “WWDC2024”, “CASS2018”
  • Concatenate words: “AppleIntelligence”, “PickupTrucks” (use “Apple”, “Pickup Trucks” separately)
  • Use more than 8 tags per post

Front Matter Template

---
layout: post
title: "Your Post Title"
date: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +0530
author: Your Name
image: assets/images/post-image.jpg
excerpt: "Brief 1-2 sentence description of the post"

categories:
  - Primary Category
  - Secondary Category  # Optional - only if truly multidisciplinary

tags:
  - Tag 1
  - Tag 2
  - Tag 3
  - Tag 4
  - Tag 5
  # Maximum 8 tags total
---

Decision Tree for Categorization

START: What is the PRIMARY focus of your post?

├─ Is it about tech products/analysis?
│  └─ YES → Technology
│
├─ Is it about personal reflection/growth?
│  └─ YES → Personal Growth
│
├─ Is it about culture/heritage/social issues?
│  └─ YES → Culture & Society
│
├─ Is it a travel narrative/journey?
│  └─ YES → Travel & Exploration
│
├─ Is it about learning/teaching/academia?
│  └─ YES → Education & Academia
│
├─ Is it about environment/sustainability?
│  └─ YES → Sustainability & Environment
│
├─ Is it about career/workplace?
│  └─ YES → Professional Development
│
└─ Is it responding to current events with opinions?
   └─ YES → Current Affairs & Opinion

SECONDARY CATEGORY:
- Ask: Does the post devote 30%+ content to a second theme?
  - YES → Add secondary category
  - NO → Keep primary only

Tag Selection Checklist

Before finalizing tags for a post:

  • Have I limited tags to 5-8?
  • Have I checked the Master Tag List first?
  • Are my tags specific but not hyper-specific?
  • Would readers search for these tags?
  • Have I avoided product versions and event years?
  • Are my tags consistent with existing post tags?
  • Do my tags complement (not duplicate) my categories?

Real Examples from the Blog

Example 1: Technology Post

Post: “Apple Intelligence: The Seamless AI in Apple’s Ecosystem”

Categories:

  • Technology

Tags:

  • Apple
  • AI
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • WWDC
  • iOS
  • Ecosystem

Why: Pure tech analysis with no significant secondary theme. Tags cover the company, technology, and platform without version numbers.

Example 2: Multidisciplinary Post

Post: “Rethinking Education: A Journey into Homeschooling”

Categories:

  • Education & Academia
  • Personal Growth

Tags:

  • Education
  • Homeschooling
  • Parenting
  • Learning
  • Alternative Education
  • Child Development

Why: Primarily about education philosophy, but deeply personal journey. Secondary category justified by substantial personal reflection.

Example 3: Culture + Environment

Post: “Happy Diwali!”

Categories:

  • Culture & Society
  • Sustainability & Environment

Tags:

  • Culture
  • Festival
  • Tradition
  • Diwali
  • India
  • Sustainability
  • Personal Reflection

Why: Cultural education about Diwali with significant environmental advocacy (eco-friendly celebrations).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Too Many Categories

❌ Wrong: Categories: Technology, Innovation, Apple, AI, Computing ✅ Right: Categories: Technology

Why: Many of those are tags, not categories. Keep categories broad.

2. Tag Overload

❌ Wrong: 17 tags including “iOS18”, “iPadOS18”, “macOS15”, “AppleIntelligence”, “WWDC2024” ✅ Right: 6 tags: Apple, AI, Technology, Innovation, WWDC, iOS

Why: Consolidated redundant tags, removed version numbers, stayed under 8.

3. Hyper-Specific Tags

❌ Wrong: Tags: Golanthara, Panchama, Kalyanpur, Ganjam District ✅ Right: Tags: Odisha, Eastern Ghats, Travel

Why: Hyper-local tags have no reusability. Broader regional tags work better.

4. Wrong Primary Category

❌ Wrong: “Pickup Trucks in India” → Primary: Automobiles ✅ Right: “Pickup Trucks in India” → Primary: Culture & Society

Why: The post is about lifestyle choices and cultural attitudes toward vehicles, not a technical auto review.

Maintenance

Quarterly Review

Every 3 months, review:

  • Tag usage frequency (remove tags used only 1-2 times)
  • Category distribution (ensure balance)
  • New tag requests (evaluate before adding)

Annual Audit

Every year:

  • Consolidate similar tags
  • Update this guide with new examples
  • Analyze reader search patterns
  • Adjust tag strategy based on analytics

Quick Reference Card

CATEGORIES (8): Technology | Personal Growth | Culture & Society |
Travel & Exploration | Education & Academia | Sustainability & Environment |
Professional Development | Current Affairs & Opinion

TAGS: 5-8 per post maximum
- Choose from Master Tag List
- Be specific but reusable
- Think: What would readers search for?
- Avoid: versions, product codes, hyper-local places, event years

FORMAT:
categories:
  - Primary Category
  - Secondary Category (optional)

tags:
  - Tag 1
  - Tag 2
  - Tag 3

Questions?

When in doubt:

  1. Check similar existing posts for reference
  2. Ask: “What is the PRIMARY theme?”
  3. Choose the category that represents 50%+ of the content
  4. Limit tags to what’s truly essential
  5. Consult this guide’s examples

Remember: Categories are for broad organization. Tags are for specific discovery. Together, they help readers find content and understand your blog’s ecosystem.