Tag usage

[NoWriterI]

I apologize if this is answered elsewhere, but I was unable to locate an answer in the FAQ or via search.

I am about to post my first submission, and have a general question about tag usage.

When posting a multi Chapter story, do you use only tags that apply to a particular chapter, or do you post tags for the entire story arc?

Thanks!

 

[KeithD]

sometimes one, sometimes the other. Sometimes there's an element many readers would want to be warned about that occurs only in one chapter. When that's the case, I often just put that tag with that one chapter. I haven't found evidence that it has mattered one why or the other.

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

Tags are really only useful on Literotica when searching for stories (or perhaps by the algorithms that identify similar stories). Readers don't see a story's tags in any of the lists or search results. Even if they open a story/chapter, readers won't see the tags until the very last page.

Presumably, you want readers to start your story with chapter 1. So it probably makes sense to use the same set of tags for every chapter. Perhaps have 8 or 9 common tags for every chapter and 1 or 2 that are unique to each chapter. Unless they are searching for a specific tag, readers are unlikely to pay much attention to your tags anyway, and the other 9 tags won't matter too much.

 

[rae121452]

not to change the subject but what i've always wondered is if the tags on the search page are the only legitimate ones. for example, if the tag on the page is "blowjob" and i use "headjob", does it show up? and does it translate?

in answer to the original question, i use tags describing whatever sexual action occurs. i assume that, like me, different acts appear in the different chapters you write. if there is something that might cause alarm, incest for example, i try to list that first. there were early stories where i didn't use tags at all and it didn't seem to have any negative effect.

 

[NotWise]

not to change the subject but what i've always wondered is if the tags on the search page are the only legitimate ones. for example, if the tag on the page is "blowjob" and i use "headjob", does it show up? and does it translate?

I think you can use tags as you wish. The tags on the search page are just the most common ones. I've also had Laurel change uncommon tags to more common tags and add tags that I didn't suggest.

I used different tags for each chapter, though there can be overlap from chapter-to-chapter. The more tags you have on a story the more likely people are to find one of the chapters. The rest of the chapters are all linked to the one they find. That makes it kind of pointless to use the same tags on every chapter.

 

[RejectReality]

Whatever you use as a tag can be searched as a tag.

Obviously, if your tag is uncommon, it won't be searched as often.

Keep in mind that the lists of "popular" tags aren't tags that are popular in searches, they're tags that are popular with authors. Just because a lot of people use a tag doesn't necessarily mean people are actually searching for it in large numbers.

not to change the subject but what i've always wondered is if the tags on the search page are the only legitimate ones. for example, if the tag on the page is "blowjob" and i use "headjob", does it show up? and does it translate?

in answer to the original question, i use tags describing whatever sexual action occurs. i assume that, like me, different acts appear in the different chapters you write. if there is something that might cause alarm, incest for example, i try to list that first. there were early stories where i didn't use tags at all and it didn't seem to have any negative effect.

 

[ElectricBlue]

When posting a multi Chapter story, do you use only tags that apply to a particular chapter, or do you post tags for the entire story arc?

Both. I'd use a set of broad story arc tags, and then any applicable tags specific to that chapter - assuming the whole thing is staying in a single category. Which is the second question that often gets asked - and the answer is always, "it depends on the category."