When working with a content management system (CMS)it’s common to come across the term ‘uncategorized’. This label is often assigned to content that doesn’t fit into any predefined category or taxonomy. However, having a large number of uncategorized posts can negatively impact the user experience and search engine optimization (SEO).

Uncategorized content can make it difficult for users to find related information, and search engines may struggle to understand the context and relevance of the content. To address this issue, it’s essential to clean up default categories and create a well-structured taxonomy that reflects the site’s content and purpose.

Understanding taxonomies

A taxonomy is a system of categorization that helps organize and structure content in a logical and consistent manner. It’s a hierarchical system that consists of categories, subcategories, and tags. By creating a well-defined taxonomy, you can improve the discoverability of your content and make it easier for users to find related information.

When creating a taxonomy, it’s essential to consider the site’s content and purpose. You should identify the main topics and themes that are relevant to your audience and create categories and subcategories that reflect these themes. For example, a news website might have categories for politicssportsand entertainmentwith subcategories for specific topics like elections or football.

Cleaning up default categories

Cleaning up default categories involves reviewing and revising the existing category structure to ensure it’s relevant and consistent. This process typically involves bulk editing categories and tags to remove duplicates, merge similar categories, and create new categories that better reflect the site’s content.

When cleaning up default categories, it’s essential to consider the site’s information architecture and ensure that the category structure is logical and consistent. You should also consider the user experience and ensure that the categories are easy to navigate and understand.

Redirecting legacy urls

When revising the category structure, it’s essential to consider the impact on legacy urls. Legacy urls are urls that were created before the category structure was revised, and they may still be indexed by search engines or linked to from other websites. To avoid broken links and 404 errorsit’s essential to redirect legacy urls to the new category structure.

Redirecting legacy urls involves creating a redirect map that maps the old urls to the new urls. This can be done using htaccess files or plugin tools that provide redirect functionality. By redirecting legacy urls, you can ensure that users and search engines are directed to the correct page, and you can avoid losing traffic and rankings.

Best practices for newsrooms and small publishers

For newsrooms and small publishers, it’s essential to have a well-structured taxonomy and category system to improve the discoverability of content and enhance the user experience. Here are some best practices to consider:

  • Use clear and descriptive category names that reflect the site’s content and purpose.
  • Use subcategories to create a hierarchical structure that helps users find related information.
  • Use tags to provide additional context and metadata for each post.
  • Regularly review and revise the category structure to ensure it’s relevant and consistent.
  • Use redirects to redirect legacy urls to the new category structure.