How to Display Popular Tags in WordPress Like Hubspot

If you admire how Hubspot organizes content and want similar clarity on your WordPress site, displaying popular tags is a simple, effective tactic. This guide walks you through several ways to show frequently used tags, improve navigation, and make it easier for readers to find related posts.

Why Popular Tags Matter on a Hubspot-Style Blog

On content-heavy sites that follow a structure similar to Hubspot, tags help transform a messy archive into a clean, topic-driven experience. When you highlight the most-used tags, you give visitors instant shortcuts to what interests them most.

Key benefits include:

• Faster discovery of related posts
• Improved internal linking and crawl paths
• Better content segmentation by topic or theme
• A more professional, magazine-style layout inspired by large platforms like Hubspot

Understanding WordPress Tags Before You Mirror Hubspot

Before styling your tag display like a Hubspot resource center, you need to understand how tags work in WordPress.

Tags are a built-in taxonomy used to group posts by specific topics. Unlike categories, which are broad, tags are generally more granular.

For example:

• Category: “Marketing”
• Tag: “email campaigns”, “SEO tips”, “lead nurturing”

When you display popular tags, WordPress looks at which tags appear most frequently across your posts and surfaces them visually, similar to the way a Hubspot topic index highlights high-interest areas.

Method 1: Use the Default Tag Cloud Widget in a Hubspot-Inspired Sidebar

The easiest way to display popular tags, without touching code, is to use the built-in Tag Cloud widget. This widget is ideal if you want a fast setup that still supports a Hubspot-like sidebar layout.

Step-by-Step: Add the Tag Cloud Widget

1. From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Widgets.

2. Locate the Tag Cloud widget in the available widgets list.

3. Drag and drop the widget into your preferred widget area (for example, Sidebar or Footer).

4. Give it a clear title, such as “Popular Topics” or “Browse by Tag” to mirror a clean Hubspot navigation style.

5. Save your changes and preview your site.

By default, the Tag Cloud widget sizes each tag based on how often it is used. Frequently used tags appear larger and stand out visually, much like prominent topic groupings on a Hubspot style blog.

Customize the Tag Cloud Appearance

If you want the tags to better match a refined Hubspot layout, you can adjust styling with CSS:

• Reduce font-size differences so the cloud looks more uniform.
• Add spacing and borders to create button-like tags.
• Change colors to align with your brand palette.

Most modern themes include a Additional CSS panel under Appearance > Customize, where you can paste custom CSS to restyle the tag cloud.

Method 2: Display Popular Tags with a Block Editor Layout Like Hubspot

If your theme uses the block editor (Gutenberg) and you want more control, you can build a tag section that feels closer to a Hubspot resource block.

Use the Tag Cloud Block

1. Edit the page or post where you want to show your tags.

2. Click the + icon to add a new block.

3. Search for Tag Cloud and insert the block.

4. Adjust the block settings in the right-hand panel, such as showing count or changing font sizes.

5. Publish or update the page.

This method lets you drop a dynamic list of tags into any content area, not just sidebars, which is useful when building landing pages or resource hubs similar to those on Hubspot.

Group Tags with Headings for a Hubspot-Like Layout

You can further refine the presentation by grouping the tag cloud with headings and descriptive text, echoing Hubspot style patterns:

• Add an H2 heading like “Explore Topics” above the tag cloud.
• Add a short paragraph explaining what visitors can expect when clicking each tag.
• Combine the tag cloud with a Columns block to place tags beside featured posts for a more editorial look.

Method 3: Use a Plugin for Advanced Tag Control Without Losing Hubspot Clarity

If you need more granular control over which tags display, or want additional styling options, a plugin can help while still keeping a clean, Hubspot-inspired user experience.

Typical Features of Tag Plugins

Many tag-related plugins offer options such as:

• Limiting the number of tags shown
• Excluding specific tags from the list
• Ordering tags by usage, name, or custom rules
• Converting tag lists into button grids or badges

When choosing a plugin, aim for one that supports:

• Lightweight code
• Clear documentation
• Compatibility with your theme and caching setup

This ensures that your tag area stays fast and organized, similar to well-structured content hubs you might see in a Hubspot-style environment.

Method 4: Add Popular Tags Manually with Template Code

For developers or advanced users, editing template files offers maximum flexibility. You can place popular tags exactly where you want them and fully control the markup.

Where to Add the Code

Common template locations include:

• sidebar.php for a global sidebar tag list
• single.php to show related tags beneath each post
• footer.php to display a compact tag section at the bottom of every page

When editing templates, always use a child theme or a safe customization method to avoid losing changes during theme updates. This approach mirrors professional practices found in large marketing setups, including those that resemble Hubspot build standards.

Best Practices to Keep Popular Tags as Clean as Hubspot Navigation

Adding a tag cloud is only the beginning. To maintain a streamlined structure reminiscent of Hubspot, follow these guidelines.

Standardize Tag Naming

• Avoid near-duplicate tags like “email-marketing” and “email marketing”.
• Use consistent capitalization and spelling.
• Periodically merge or delete low-value tags.

Limit the Number of Visible Tags

Too many tags can overwhelm readers. Restrict how many appear in your cloud or section so only truly popular tags are highlighted. This keeps the layout focused, similar to curated topic lists on a Hubspot-style portal.

Align Tags with Content Strategy

Your top tags should map directly to real content priorities:

• Flag your main themes (for example, “SEO”, “content marketing”, “automation”).
• Use tags to support pillar pages and topic clusters.
• Review tag performance regularly and adjust.

Internal and External Resources for Improving Your Setup

To go beyond tag display and optimize your entire site for search, navigation, and conversions, you can explore professional optimization services at Consultevo. They provide strategic guidance on structure, UX, and search performance.

For deeper technical detail on tag display options in WordPress, refer to the original tutorial at this Hubspot guide on displaying popular tags. It offers additional context on widgets, code snippets, and theme integration.

Final Thoughts on Building a Hubspot-Like Tag Experience

Displaying popular tags in WordPress is a quick win that improves user experience, supports internal linking, and surfaces more of your best content. Whether you rely on the default widget, use block editor tools, install a flexible plugin, or customize templates, you can build a tag interface that feels polished and intuitive—very much in line with the organized, topic-first approach seen on platforms similar to Hubspot.

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