WHAT IS TAGGING?

To identify content for delivery to multiple publishing channels, it is necessary to label each piece of content with a "tag." Standard tagging schemes have been developed to make the content "machine-readable," and these universal tagging sets are referred to as markup languages. Examples of markup languages include XML (eXtensible Markup Language), SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language), and HTML (HyperText Markup Language). Tagging content with different markup languages allows it to be delivered and properly translated to print products (XML), Web sites (HTML), wireless products (WML), and other media channels.

Think of tagging schemes as the clothing of the content, with content being a man. This means that content in its purest form (no tagging) would equate to a man with no clothes. In his "purest form" (naked), the man can go anywhere he wants, but he would not be comfortable, and he would get a lot of stares!

So, to accommodate his different destinations, he needs different outfits. If the man wants to go swimming, he puts on his swimsuit. When he wants to go skiing, he puts on his snowsuit, hat, and gloves. If he goes out for a nice dinner, he wears his suit and tie. And when he goes to bed, he puts on his pajamas. The man changes his outfit to accommodate his activities. In a similar way, content changes its outfits (tagging) to suit its destination (Web, print, wireless, etc.). 

To learn more about tagging, read The ABCs of Structured Content [PDF].

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