Many small businesses and freelancers use Notion because it helps them organize their workflows — Notion tag is one of the most essential features that help with that. By setting tags, you can segment entries in your Notion databases into buckets. This helps you create a more focussed view for every management purpose.
You can also tag people and Notion pages by using this capability. But we will discuss that later, first, we will first demonstrate how to add Notion tags in a database.
To add tags in Notion:
- Open the target database
- Set column property type to "Drop-down" (single selection) or "Multiselect" (multiple selections)
- Enter tag names as options
- Apply relevant tags to each entry
1. Open the target database
We will use the below Notion reading list to demonstrate the usage of tags in a database.
Even though this table is complete, you can create a new database to test out Notion tags, the steps are the same.
We already have two examples of Notion tags in this database - “Types” and “Relevance”. “Types” column allows only one entry while “Relevance” allows adding multiple tags.
That’s because both these columns have different property types. Let’s explore them in the next step.
2. Update your column with the right property type
After adding a column to your new database, the first step is to change the property type to either “Drop-down” or “Multiselect”. “Drop-down” will allow you to select only one entry from a list of options while “Multiselect” - as the name suggests - allows selecting multiple items from a preset list.
The below image demonstrates the “Multiselect option.”
Currently, there are 5 preset options, and one can choose any number of them to display in the database. For the “Four thousand weeks” entry, we chose two of them.
This tagging method can help you bucket this entry as an item that impacts “Personal life” while being a “Casual” read.
The “Drop-Down” property type screen looks exactly the same — the only difference is that you can only pick one option.
Notice the different tabs for “Webinars”, “Videos”, etc? We were able to create them by filtering the master database for the entries in the “Drop-down” property type. This is one of the most useful aspects of using tags.
3. Enter the tag names
After you have set the property type as “Drop-down” or “Multiselect”, list down the options that apply to that property type. For example, the “Types” property type in our example, has 5 potential entries - “Book”,”Webinar”,”Video”,”Article”,”Whitepaper.”
All cells under this property type can take any one of these 5 entries. However, it’s a dynamic list — you can expand or shorten it the way you like it.
4. Apply tags to each entry
After assigning the property type and listing the potential entries, it’s time to fill out the pertinent cell with the correct option. In our example, the option “Article” assigned to the “The Secret Message” entry signifies that it’s a web article.
Similarly, fill out cells for all the entries in your database.
And just like that, you have created tags in Notion! Simple, isn’t it?
Benefits of Using Tags in Notion
1. Enhanced Searchability
Creating tags in Notion generates searchable keywords. This makes finding tasks, pages, and folders easy within Notion. When you search for a tag, Notion gathers all items associated with that tag, enabling a faster and more targeted search experience.
2. Improved Filtering and Sorting
As we discussed earlier, Notion tags act as the perfect lever to sort and filter your databases. This feature greatly helps with project management and task organization. For example, if you own a Notion blog, it’s best to assign a unique tag to each page category. This way, when you want to segregate articles from any one category, you can filter based on the tag assigned to it.
3. Simplifies Exporting and Backing Up Data
Effectively utilizing tags in Notion significantly enhances the efficiency of data export and Notion backup processes. For instance, a researcher aiming to share exclusive 'AI' research can first shortlist all folders on the 'AI' tag. They can further add tags based on the status of the research. If the researcher wants to export only finished research, they can further filter based on the “Completed” status filter.
Best Practices for Effective Tagging:
1. Use Descriptive Names
Choose meaningful names for your tags — ones that are descriptive yet easy to recall. If remembering them becomes a challenge, consider creating a dedicated Notion page to store all your tag names. Descriptive tag names enable precise searches. For instance, rather than a generic 'Project' tag, opt for something like 'Marketing_Project_Q4_2023'. This detailed tag allows you to quickly locate Notion files related to 'Q4 Marketing'. On the other hand, for a broader search encompassing assets from all quarters, go for a broader Notion search with the keyword 'Marketing 2023'.
2. Consistent Naming Conventions
Let’s take the example of a use-case where you are structuring a system to tag tasks based on their priority. Initially, the tags adhere to a clear and systematic convention: 'High_Priority,' 'Medium_Priority,' and 'Low_Priority.' However, an abrupt introduction of 'UrgentPriority' disrupts this structured approach.
If someone were used to using the hyphen, they would not be able to find folders associated with the 'UrgentPriority' tag because the hyphen is missing in the keyword. That’s why it is essential to maintain uniformity to ensure the tags function as reliable keywords.
3. Avoid Redundancy
It’s best to be mindful of synonyms while creating Notion tags. For example, suppose a blog uses 'Completed’ and 'Done' as tags interchangeably. While the tags are inconsistent, they are also redundant. As your team size grows, so will the confusion around tagging finished articles.
FAQs
Does Notion support tags?
Yes, you can add tags to regular Notion text by using the ‘@’ operator followed by typing the name of a workspace member or a page. You can also tag Notion databases by using ‘Multiselect’ or ‘Drop-down’ property types.
What are tags in Notion?
Notion tags are identifiers that help categorize row items in databases.
You can filter items based on tags, simplifying task classification. For example, a content calendar Notion database can have blog items tagged under (say) 'SEO' and 'Comparison'. When the content team wants to identify pages that meet both criteria, they can simply apply filters and find relevant posts.
How to tag people in Notion?
You can only tag people in the same Notion workspace as you. To do that, simply type “@” in the page where you want to tag someone and start typing their name. Notion will show you their full name, clicking on it will tag that person and send them a notification, informing them about the mention.
How to link tags to a page in Notion?
You can only link pages from the same workspace. To add page tags, type “@” in the page where you want to add the tag and start typing the name of the page. Notion will display a list of pages with the keywords that you typed and you can select one of them to create the tag.
How do you edit tags in Notion?
You can edit the Notion tags the same way you created them. Click on any cell under the particular property type and start typing the new item to be added to the list. You must have edit access to the database to make changes to the tags.
How do you get tags to show on Notion?
Follow the below steps to make your tags show in Notion:
1. Click on the “...” icon at the top-right corner of your database.
2. Click on the “Properties” option
3. Select the tags that you want to display
How to delete tags in Notion?
To delete Notion tags:
1. Click into the database cell that contains the specific property
2. Hover over the tag that you want to delete
3. Click on the “...” icon that appears
4. Click on the “delete” option
How to change tag colors in Notion?
Changing tag colors in Notion is a simple four-step process:
1. Click on database cell with the specific Notion property
2. Hover over the tag whose color you want to change
3. Click on the “...” icon
4. Select the alternate color
How to add tags in Notion calendar?
- Open any task in your Notion calendar and add a 'Multiselect' property.
- Add tags under the 'Multiselect' property type.
- Open individual tasks and update the tags.
How to show tags in Notion calendar?
- Click the "..." icon at the top-right of your database.
- Click the 'Properties' dropdown.
- Click the tiny gray eye next to the 'Multiselect' property type.
- Your tags will start to show in the calendar.
