There is nothing wrong with tags as a concept, nothing needs to be changed with how you tag content. Steemit.com should kill off the tagging statistics and create a daily trending tag navigation along the left with weighting towards new and trending tags. This in combination of mass content or reputable users making new tags will stimulate a break down of the current flooding of the taxonomy. In addition a REAL search needs implemented not this google search garbage... I hope this is in the works anyways because google search appliance will be terminated by 2019. The only full tag navigation that should exist is as facets to search queries.

Thats my two cents, but what do I know. I only make enterprise websites for a living.