If you add the tag "artist:insert_name_here" to a post, that only changes the tag type, but doesn't create a new artist.

You need to do that separately, by clicking on the "?" next to the tag name, entering some URL's/notes and clicking "Save".

Here's a pic with an artist tag, but no artist has been created yet:
post #226636

When you click on the tag's "?", e621 sends you here:
http://www.e621.net/artist/create?name=mavu

Creating a new artist usually isn't a lot of work, but it adds up, so I'm wondering if it shows up somewhere in your stats.

It shows under your wiki edits
Edit: (If you add a note then it makes a wiki on the artist, otherwise it only makes an artist entry)

Rainbow_Slash said:
It shows under your wiki edits

That's weird. I have 39 wiki edits, and I'm sure I've created more artists than that. More than 100 at least.

It affects your tag edits, not your wiki edits. You're changing a tag. Tag edit.

The artist wiki and the wiki are different parts of the site.

Editing the artist wiki will have no effect on the wiki, and therefor doesn't change the current stats on one's user profile.
I'm however fairly sure the artist wiki editing count exists somewhere, but is not currently displayed.

Note that editing an artist wiki entry while a wiki entry with the same name exists will also count as an edit for the latter.
The "Notes" section of an artist entry is actually the content of the wiki entry with the same name.

Yes, I wasn't specific enough. As Kald said, creating an artist and not adding any notes will only make an entry in the artist wiki, whereas adding notes will make a regular wiki with the artist wiki.