WordPress: How to Build a Tag Cloud Page

One of the new features of my theme is a tag cloud page. I like tag clouds, but not for the actual purpose of them. The tag cloud I display is really a way for me to identify whether or not I’m staying on topic or my blog’s message is changing over time.

New blogger associate Al Pasternak, asked how to build a Tag page using the Ultimate Tag Warrior Plugin.

Here’s how: After installing the plugin and modifying your options, you simply insert the following code in your Page Template where your content is displayed. You do not want to put it in place of your content… just adjacent to it.

Add a page called “Tags” and leave the content empty. Voila! Now the page will display your tag cloud!

About Douglas Karr

Douglas Karr is the founder of The Marketing Technology Blog. Doug is President and CEO of DK New Media, an online marketing company specializing in inbound marketing leveraging social media, blogging, search engine optimization, pay per click and public relations. Their clients include Webtrends, ChaCha and many more. Douglas is also the author of Corporate Blogging for Dummies.

View all posts by Douglas Karr →

http://geekwhat.com Tony Chung

Your tag cloud is looking super nice Doug! Great way for new readers to know immediately what type of stuff you blog about.
http://geekwhat.com Tony Chung

As a friendly suggestion, I recommend to default the “Subscribe to comments via email” box to unselected.

Many people comment rather quickly and don’t even notice that small option. When they start getting ‘spammed’ with e-mails and don’t understand why, it can get pretty annoying.

Just my two cents!
http://marketingtechblog.com Douglas Karr

Thanks, Tony!

I’m getting mixed signals on the subscribe checkmark… a couple of folks emailed me and told me they wished it was preselected so that they wouldn’t forget to subscribe. I’d rather err on the side of preselecting. If someone responds to your comment, of course you would want to get notice. And it’s pretty simple to opt out.

Regards,
Doug
http://geekwhat.com Tony Chung

Gotcha, good stuff.
http://modifoo.com Martin

I have to second Doug’s reasoning here.

When writing a comment, one joins/starts a discussion. Thus I think it is natural, that one would want to be notified.
http://engtech.wordpress.com engtech

If you’re running a blog on WordPress Multi-user (where you don’t have the ability to add Javascript or Plug-ins) there is a 3rd party program you can use for tag clouds:

http://engtech.wordpress.com/tools/wordpress/tag_cloud_generator_for_wordpress/
http://www.featurepics.com Volg

“Good looking” cloud!

You can employ more than one color with discretion.

One way to use colors in your cloud tag:
- select a main color, assign it to the biggest font;
- “blend” this color for smaller fonts.
A “coloring” example at

Tag cloud
Pingback: links for 2007-04-09 « Coruxa Xusticiera
http://web2.0magic.net Tom

I am trying to set up a blog where I can display lots of other peoples blogs in a tag cloud. Will this work?

http://marketingtechblog.com Douglas Karr

Interesting, Tom. I don’t think this solution would work since it’s simply pulling from the tags that have been added in this blog alone. However, it may be possible to pull and aggregate tags using Technorati’s API if each of the blogs are on Technorati.

Sounds like a fun little programming project!

http://dendireza.web.id Dendi Reza

Hi Mr. Doug
I’m using Jerome’s Keywords Plugin to create tag-cloud. I recommended to use Jerome’s Keywords Plugin rather than Ultimate Tag Warrior.
I think Ultimate Tag Warrior too complicated to use. thanks anyway.

http://marketingtechblog.com Douglas Karr

Thanks, Dendi! I added a like to the plugin in your comments. I believe Ultimate Tag Warrior can be a bit daunting.

http://www.mactricksandtips.com Mac Tips

Pretty neat tip. Thanks for sharing.