How to Build Archives Tags and Series Navigation in Your Jekyll Personal Blog
Why Archives, Tags, and Series Matter in Your Personal Blog
As your blog grows, it becomes harder for readers—and even yourself—to find relevant posts. Without structure, useful content may get buried. Implementing archives, tags, and series navigation helps your blog stay user-friendly, organized, and evergreen.
What Exactly Are Archives, Tags, and Series?
- Archives: A chronological list of all posts, often grouped by year or month.
- Tags: Keywords that categorize posts by topic, making it easier for readers to find related ideas.
- Series: A sequence of connected posts on a specific theme or topic.
How to Create an Archive Page in Jekyll
Step 1: Create archive.html
---
layout: page
title: Archives
permalink: /archives/
---
{% raw %}{% for post in site.posts %}{% endraw %}
-
{% raw %}{{ post.date | date: "%Y-%m-%d" }}{% endraw %} –
{% raw %}{{ post.title }}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{% endfor %}{% endraw %}
Step 2: Optional Grouping by Year or Month
You can group posts using Liquid loops:
{% raw %}{% assign postsByYear = site.posts | group_by_exp:"post", "post.date | date: '%Y'" %}
{% for year in postsByYear %}
{% raw %}{{ year.name }}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{% for post in year.items %}{% endraw %}
-
{% raw %}{{ post.date | date: "%b %-d" }}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{{ post.title }}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{% endfor %}{% endraw %}
{% endfor %}{% endraw %}
How to Add Tags to Your Posts and Show Tag Pages
Step 1: Add Tags in YAML Front Matter
---
layout: post
title: "How I Organize My Day"
tags: [productivity, personal routines]
---
Step 2: Create a Tag Index Page
---
layout: page
title: Tags
permalink: /tags/
---
{% raw %}{% for tag in site.tags %}{% endraw %}
-
{% raw %}{{ tag[0] }}{% endraw %} ( {% raw %}{{ tag[1].size }}{% endraw %> posts )
{% raw %}{% endfor %}{% endraw %}
Step 3: Create Template for Each Tag
---
layout: page
title: "Tag: {{ page.tag }}"
permalink: /tags/:tag/
---
{% raw %}{% for post in site.tags[page.tag] %}{% endraw %}
- {% raw %}{{ post.title }}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{% endfor %}{% endraw %}
How to Build Series Navigation for Themed Post Sequences
Step 1: Define Series in Front Matter
---
layout: post
title: "Jekyll Basics – Part 2: Liquid Templates"
series: "Jekyll Basics"
series_index: 2
---
Step 2: Add Series Navigation Snippet
{% raw %}{% if page.series %}
Series: {{ page.series }}
{% for post in site.posts %}
{% if post.series == page.series %}
-
{% raw %}{% if post.series_index == page.series_index %}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{{ post.title }}{% endraw %}
{% raw %}{% if post.series_index == page.series_index %}{% endraw %}
{% endif %}
{% endfor %}
{% endif %}{% endraw %}
How These Structures Improve User Experience and SEO
- Archives: Show your writing history and give context to new readers.
- Tags: Make it easy for users to find content on topics they care about.
- Series: Encourage readers to stay longer and follow step-by-step content.
Best Practices for Organizing Your Content
- Maintain consistent series names and index orders
- Keep tag names simple and avoid duplicates
- Add navigation links in your theme’s header or sidebar for archives and tags
- Regularly review archives and tag pages to remove outdated or unused items
Is This Strategy Worth the Effort?
Absolutely. A well-structured blog keeps readers engaged, boosts SEO, and showcases professionalism. In Jekyll, all changes are just code and content files—meaning you maintain control and flexibility.
Conclusion: Take Your Jekyll Blog to the Next Level
By implementing archives, tags, and series navigation, your personal blog becomes more navigable and reader-friendly. You help readers find relevant content and stay on your site longer—ensuring that your evergreen posts continue to deliver value.
Start by creating an archive or tag page today, and layer in series navigation as your content grows. Your blog’s structure will soon match the quality of your writing.
