Tags and metafields both add extra information to a Shopify product, and stores often use the wrong one. Here's the difference, and when to use each.
Label versus field
A tag is a simple label. It's free text, it has no structure, and it's mainly for you: filtering in the admin, and rules for automated collections. A metafield is a named field with a type, like material, or care instructions.
- Tag: A free-text label, no structure
- Metafield: A named field with a type
- Example: Tag “linen” vs Material: Linen
Pick the right one
Use tags for quick internal grouping: a sale, a season, a supplier. Use metafields for facts about the product that you want to show on the page, filter by in your storefront, or send to other channels.
- Tags: Sales, seasons, internal groups
- Metafields: Material, size, care, compatibility
- Rule: Shown to shoppers? Use a metafield
Consistency
Tags get messy fast. The same idea ends up spelled three ways, and nothing matches. A metafield with a fixed list of values keeps the data consistent.
| Tags | Metafield |
|---|---|
| linen · Linen · 100% linen · linen-blend | Material: Linen |
Doing this at scale
Filling in metafields for a whole catalog is slow by hand. TaxonomyForge reads your product copy and proposes attribute metafields, like material, color, style, and occasion, along with a category and a clean product type. You approve each change. See TaxonomyForge.