Some questions about story tags

[MK_Whimsy]

What exactly are the story tags in the Tags section used for, and in what situations are they most helpful? Is it common for readers to rely on them when searching for stories, or do they have some other purpose or come into play in some other way?

There are a few things I notice with story tags. One, the story search tool does not include tags by default, and I don't see an option to include them alongside the story text/title. You have to pick between one or the other. Have you ever specifically elected to search for stories via tags versus the title or text?

Two, seeing the tags in a story requires clicking on the Tag icon on the story itself to see them. A small thing perhaps, but is this a step most readers are inclined to take? Have you ever used the Tags field yourself to decide whether to read a story or get information about it beforehand?

FWIW, I typically put as many tags as possible in the Tags field, as well as include them in a summary before the story text. I'm wondering if simply putting the tags directly in the story text would eliminate the need to enter them in the Tags section separately at all.

Thanks!

 

[Britva415]

Have you ever specifically elected to search for stories via tags

Definitely

Is it common for readers to rely on them when searching for stories

There are readers who won't use them for this, but it's "common" in the sense that there are many who do.

do they have some other purpose or come into play in some other way?

Again, there are readers who won't look at them, but tags can indicate to a reader whether a story is something they want to read or not, when they click in to the first page before they start reading.

I'm wondering if simply putting the tags directly in the story text would eliminate the need to enter them in the Tags section separately at all.

I do put Tags into the story body at the beginning before the start of the story, because I know there are readers who won't look at the Tags and I do want them to know what's in the story.

But I don't skip using the Tags, I just duplicate them in the story text.

 

[Bamagan]

I always check the tags if I open a story. I'm also using the site's Beta version that (sometimes) allows you to see the tags in addition to the title, blurb, etc. I often won't read a story that doesn't include tags. And yes, I occasionally do search for things by tag. My interests have narrowed after many years of reading here, so I tend to check the hubs of about half-a-dozen categories for new stories and largely ignore the rest. But I'll periodically do a tag search in case someone happened to put something I might like in a category that doesn't frequently feature the kinks I find intriguing.

By and large, tags mostly serve two purposes as a 'kink flag': drawing in readers who like that content, and warning away the ones who don't.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

Like you, I doubt most readers are searching stories by tags. But, like Bamagan mentions, tags serve as a kink flag for readers.

Tags can also be used hint at the tone of your story (e.g. wholesome, coldhearted, tragedy, reconciliation, bittersweet). As a reader, this can help set expectations.

 

[iwatchus]

If the "beta" display of stories becomes the norm, it will help, since that displays the tags for each story (at the cost of space on the screen.)

Is there a standardized list of tags? I have been kind of making mine up. Since I turned on the beta display, I am seeing all sorts of other ones I had never considered.

 

[ElectricBlue]

If the "beta" display of stories becomes the norm, it will help, since that displays the tags for each story (at the cost of space on the screen.)

Is there a standardized list of tags? I have been kind of making mine up. Since I turned on the beta display, I am seeing all sorts of other ones I had never considered.

Yes. Each category has a Tags list, showing those most frequently used in that category. I use the tag lists to guide my choices, picking those used more frequently.

https://tags.literotica.com/

 

[NotWise]

If the "beta" display of stories becomes the norm, it will help, since that displays the tags for each story (at the cost of space on the screen.)

Is there a standardized list of tags? I have been kind of making mine up. Since I turned on the beta display, I am seeing all sorts of other ones I had never considered.

Where do you see tags in the beta version? I'm using the beta, and I only see them by clicking on the "tags" icon. The OP questioned if requiring readers to click to view tags reduced the value of the tags, and I think that it does.

The tags have two purposes: as a search tool and as a content indicator.

Like @ElectricBlue, I use tags from the tag clouds for my story's category. The tag clouds usually don't give me ten useful tags, and I'll fill in with tags unique to my story, but only two or three. Laurel will sometimes add and/or remove tags for various purposes.

For author-sponsored events (where the event page isn't published until after the stories are published), participants will often tag their story with the name and year of the event. That lets them share their work with other participants.

I'd continue using the tags. Lit's user interface is a work in progress and there's always the possibility that Manu will change the way tags are used to make them more accessible to the user. Putting them just in your author notes won't allow for future changes.

 

[iwatchus]

Where do you see tags in the beta version? I'm using the beta, and I only see them by clicking on the "tags" icon. The OP questioned if requiring readers to click to view tags reduced the value of the tags, and I think that it does.

Someone posted about a week ago the voodoo for turning on that feature. I can look for it. But here is what it looks like (not in the author control panel)

 

[iwatchus]

I managed to find the link that @Bamagan posted last week to turn this on:

https://forum.literotica.com/threads/preview-an-upcoming-feature-and-give-feedback.1613040/

 

[NotWise]

I managed to find the link that @Bamagan posted last week to turn this on:

https://forum.literotica.com/threads/preview-an-upcoming-feature-and-give-feedback.1613040/

Manu's example was from the Story Games list. Does it work for regular stories? I'm not finding the "Story Card Format" item.

 

[iwatchus]

Manu's example was from the Story Games list. Does it work for regular stories? I'm not finding the "Story Card Format" item.

Yes, once it was enabled for me, it worked on all story cards for other authors (no Author Control Panel) except it does not work for stories in series/

The Story Card Format is the fourth drop down when you clock on the font A in info control at the upper right, next to the i and the tags icon. Just change that to Expanded and go look at other author's list of stories.

 

[NotWise]

Yes, once it was enabled for me, it worked on all story cards for other authors (no Author Control Panel) except it does not work for stories in series/

The Story Card Format is the fourth drop down when you clock on the font A in info control at the upper right, next to the i and the tags icon. Just change that to Expanded and go look at other author's list of stories.

OK, got that to work, but it's arcane. It demonstrates that the use of tags in the interface can change.

I suppose if Manu continues to develop that option, then I won't have to go to "Story Games" to set it on things that aren't story games, and it will effect something other than the display on an author's public catalog.

I'll also opine that the tag list takes up too much room when it does appear.

 

[WittyUserName]

What exactly are the story tags in the Tags section used for, and in what situations are they most helpful? Is it common for readers to rely on them when searching for stories, or do they have some other purpose or come into play in some other way?

There are a few things I notice with story tags. One, the story search tool does not include tags by default, and I don't see an option to include them alongside the story text/title. You have to pick between one or the other. Have you ever specifically elected to search for stories via tags versus the title or text?

Two, seeing the tags in a story requires clicking on the Tag icon on the story itself to see them. A small thing perhaps, but is this a step most readers are inclined to take? Have you ever used the Tags field yourself to decide whether to read a story or get information about it beforehand?

FWIW, I typically put as many tags as possible in the Tags field, as well as include them in a summary before the story text. I'm wondering if simply putting the tags directly in the story text would eliminate the need to enter them in the Tags section separately at all.

Thanks!

I have searched for stories by tags before. And I often look at popular tags to see what applies to my story. I have no idea how common it is to search that way, but I see no reason to skip putting tags in. It can't hurt!

 

[ElectricBlue]

Someone posted about a week ago the voodoo for turning on that feature. I can look for it. But here is what it looks like (not in the author control panel)

View attachment 2544107

I'm in beta too, but I don't see that. I see the Tag icon, and have to click on that to see the tags - which I prefer. As a reader I don't search or check tags.

 

[TheLobster]

It's worth noting that tags are much more important in certain categories, but more like nice-to-have in others.

In Fetish, you better do tag your story correctly. The category lumps many different kinds of fetishes of together, so it's paramount that readers know what to expect. (I'd guess that regulars there are well aware of the tag feature and know where to find them, so there's probably no need to duplicate tags in the story text).

In Incest/Taboo, it's good to tag the story with the kind of relationship (siblings, mother/son, etc.) the story is about, especially if title and/or description doesn't make it clear.

In categories that are an erotic catch-all, like Erotic Couplings and Novels & Novellas, I'd imagine tags are quite useful as well. I'm just not sure many people check them there.

All in all, it's usually just a small extra effort to fill the tags up to the total of 10. Whenever I run out of story-specific tags I know I should add, I typically just have a look at the per-category tag-cloud and pick the most popular one that match.

 

[iwatchus]

I'm in beta too, but I don't see that. I see the Tag icon, and have to click on that to see the tags - which I prefer. As a reader I don't search or check tags.

Did you turn on extended story format? I did not see this until I did that. Follow the directions in Manu's post that I linked to above (if you want to try it)

The control for it does seem to only exist in story games, oddly, although it does apply everywhere.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

When. you enter a contest, readers don't get to see the category or story description until after they open your story. They may not notice the category, nor know to click on tags.

So in those cases it's worth putting your tags in the text at the top of your story, especially if you have the kind of content that may squick readers (or attract a niche of them).

 

[ElectricBlue]

Did you turn on extended story format? I did not see this until I did that. Follow the directions in Manu's post that I linked to above (if you want to try it)

No. As I said, I don't use tags as a reader, so the format you showed, I'd want to turn it off.

The control for it does seem to only exist in story games, oddly, although it does apply everywhere.

That's why I've never seen it, I guess. I've got no interest in story games, nor the choose your own path stories.

 

[NotWise]

No. As I said, I don't use tags as a reader, so the format you showed, I'd want to turn it off.

That's why I've never seen it, I guess. I've got no interest in story games, nor the choose your own path stories.

The odd setup is for Manu's testing. It would make no sense to install it that way permanently.

 

[Astrotrain]

I prefer to search by tags, it's great for niche kinks. BDSM is too broad a category for me, I specifically prefer femdom orgasm denial stories. And a lot of those stories aren't even categorised as BDSM, they're filed under Fetish or other categories. Although it's annoying that there are a lot of duplicate tags describing the same thing but worded differently.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Anyone else noticing a dramatic uptick in stories with no tags? I see that more and more.

 

[iwatchus]

When Laurel rejected my second story (appropriately for a dialog grammar issue), she had added a few tags to my story.

I had completely ignored the field when I submitted my first two stories and was completely unaware of them as a reader. But I read mostly in E&V; I can see the need in something like Fetish or BDSM more.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I've never searched by story title. I go by the summary. Sometimes I will search by tag,

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I use the tags primarily as a trigger warning for folks as to what’s in the story. Saves me having to put it in the text beyond my boilerplate one. I write primarily in IR, but there are other things that happen in my series that not everybody may like - lots of bi males, for instance - so I use them to make sure folks are aware of what they’re getting in each chapter.

Seems like this is a pretty common thing based on the responses here.

 

[Lifestyle66]

Before I post a story, I go to the category page and look at the popular tags list, then go to the link at the bottom of that list for the More Tags pages. I can see the relative use of any particular tag for that category. And if I'm looking at the LW category for a type of story to read, I can click on that tag to bring up those tagged stories.

So, I choose the tags I add to my story based on the story content and those lists of what other authors are using, so readers are both warned of the content, and might more easily find that kind of story in the future.