Understanding The Use Of Tags On Hive.

When I first joined Hive a little over two years ago, I have to admit that tags were something I struggled to fully comprehend and utilize properly. As a newcomer trying to figure out the platform, my focus was more on creating content, connecting with people, and understanding the basic mechanics of posting, voting, commenting and getting rewarded. Tags felt like an afterthought at first just another box to fill out when sharing my posts.

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But as time went on and I became more immersed in the Hive community, I started to realize that tags played a bigger role than I had initially assumed. I noticed that my posts with relevant tags were getting more visibility and engagement. I also saw how people used tags to find and filter content by specific topics they were interested in.

Still, tags felt a bit cumbersome and confusing to me so I didn't leverage them too much. But the turning point came when I decided to get more targeted with my posting , moving beyond just personal diary-style content to focusing on other writings. That's when having a good tagging strategy started to feel essential.

I realized that tags helped readers find my niche content more easily. The more specific my tags were to the post topic, the more they attracted an audience genuinely interested in what I was writing about. Getting those tags right took effort and research , studying how others tagged their content, thinking deeply about keyword optimization, and understanding what tags were popular and had an active community.

It probably took me six months to a year before I felt I had a solid grasp on tags and was implementing them effectively. Some key lessons that helped me apply better tagging habits:

• Use all 10 tag spots ,don't leave valuable real estate unused
• Include broad category tags as well as very specific niche tags
• Study trends and use what leaders/influencers in my niche use
• Avoid overused and meaningless tags that have become ineffective

Some General tags I use on Hive
NEOXIAN, VYB, PROOFOFBRAIN, ALIVE, CREATIVECOIN, INDIAUNITED, PALNET, HIVE-ENGINE, GEM, PIMP.

The more I tagged intentionally, the more rewarding the platform became. My posts got noticed by fellow writers who engage deeply with my content instead of just casual likes and comments in passing. Making connections and being a part of niche tag communities made my experience so much richer.

I also realized that tagging was important not just for personal gain, but for the benefit of the wider Hive ecosystem. When everyone tags mindfully, it makes content easier to find and organize. The tagging culture we have is what makes Hive's content so discoverable and searchable compared to other platforms. We all owe it to each other to tag responsibly.

While it's second nature now, I still have to remind myself to take tags seriously whenever I publish. I think as my content themes expand over time, or new tag communities arise, there may always be an element of continuous education when it comes to effective tagging strategies. But the time invested is well worth the reward of reaching the right readers.

_{This is my response to the hive naija weekly prompt}