Probably the biggest hassle I have dealt with is naming my categories because I want to keep it as simple as possible.

DBT provides us with 5 simple tips,

1. Categories must be descriptive.
2. Limit total number of categories.
3. Make sure they fit in one screen.
4. Try to put posts inside one category only.
5. Display the number of posts inside each category.

To take it one step further to understand what I am talking about regarding categories, here is an excerpt from Lorelle’s terrific post on categories.

… think of categories as the table of contents for your blog, a kind of general outline that directs visitors to general topics that you blog about.

She nailed it home on this fine point about what the purpose of categories are for,

… helping your readers find the information they need on your blog.

After reading this article by IDT which incidentally mentions the same two articles I mentioned earlier, I began to see how I need to look at my categories from a different approach.  I maintain a general category with sub-categories to help narrow down what specific topics I am talking about.

For example, Blogging is a very general topic but the sub-categories such as Alexa, Windows Live Writer, WordPress, etc… 

I need to remember to Keep It Simple and Smart the process itself because it can be easy to get over-complicated.  The important questions to keep in mind when you define your blog categories can be as simple as the 5 W’s and How.

• What is your blog about?
• Where are your categories located?
• Who are your readers?
• Why are they coming to your site?
• How can you help them find the information they are looking for easier?