Have you ever wondered how to create menus in WordPress? We will cover this topic, following step-by-step instructions.
The current article is "7.11. Creating Menus" of our Complete SEO Guide Box.
Previous Article: 7.10. Create Disclaimer. Next Article: 8.1. Arrange Content
Contents
Creating menus in WordPress is essential for several reasons. First, a well-organized menu improves user navigation, making it easier for visitors to find the information they want on your website. It enhances the overall user experience, increasing time spent on the site and engagement.
Second, a clear and concise menu structure can positively impact your site’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Search engines like Google use website menus to better understand your site’s content. By creating a logical menu structure, you’re helping search engines better index the site, improving your site’s visibility in search engine results.
Lastly, a good menu reflects the professionalism of your website. It shows that you care about your visitors and their experience on your site, which can build trust and credibility with your audience. So, creating menus in WordPress is not just a design choice; it’s a strategic move to optimize your site’s user experience and SEO performance.
When creating menus in WordPress, you can design various types depending on your website’s layout and specific needs. Common menu types include Header, Footer, and Sidebar menus, each serving a unique purpose.
The Header menu is typically the primary navigation menu, prominently displayed at the top of your website. It usually includes links to the most critical sections of your site.
Footer menus are often found at the bottom of a webpage. They can contain links to secondary information like privacy policies, terms of service, or contact information.
Sidebar menus are generally located on the side of your web pages and can feature different content depending on the page they’re on. You may use them for additional navigation, promotion, or highlighting specific information.
You can even create custom menus for specific purposes, such as product categories on an e-commerce site or topic categories on a blog. Various menu types allow you to create a tailored navigation experience for your website visitors, guiding them to the content they are most interested in exploring.
In WordPress, you have a wide array of options regarding the types of objects you can use as buttons in your menus. You can include Pages, usually static site sections like the “About Us” or “Contact” pages. You can also add Posts, which are typically blog entries or news articles that you have published on your website.
Moreover, WordPress lets you incorporate Custom Links, which are particularly handy to direct visitors to external sites or resources. These could be links to your social media profiles, partner websites, or any other relevant web pages not hosted on your site.
When creating menus in WordPress, it’s essential to consider the needs of your visitors and which types of objects will serve them best. By incorporating a mix of Pages, Posts, and Custom Links, you can create a comprehensive and functional navigation system that enhances the user experience on your website.
Login to your WordPress Dashboard.
On the left side menu, hover over [Appearance], then click [Menus].
We will create a Footer Menu with all the policies we created. Here are links for all the policy guides in case you missed any:
Creating A Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy,
Creating Terms and Conditions with Acceptable Use Policy,
Creating an Affiliate Disclaimer.
On the top of the “Menus” page, you will see a line that begins with “Select a menu to edit.” Find the “create a new menu” link on this line and click it.
In the “Menu structure,” give your menu a name:
Menu Name: Footer Menu
Select:
Display location: [V] Footer Menu
Click [Create Menu].
You will now see at the top bar that your new menu is selected for editing.
After creating the menus in WordPress, we can add Items.
On the left side of the menu page is a box titled “Add menu items.” You can add various items to your menu from here, such as Pages, Posts, Custom Links, and Categories.
We need the “Pages” section.
Select there all the pages that we created:
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Disclaimer
Click [Add to Menu].
All the items will appear in the menu.
Make sure that their order is as above.
After adding items, you can easily organize your menu. Just drag and drop the items to arrange their order. To create a sub-menu, drag an item slightly to the right underneath the desired parent item. This is another essential aspect of creating menus in WordPress.
Click [Save Menu].
We will create a “Top Menu” with all the pages we created:
Creating Contact Page,
Creating About Us Page.
On the “Menus” page, click “create new menu” on the top.
In the “Menu structure,” give your menu a name:
Menu Name: Top Menu
Select:
Display location: [V] Primary Menu
Click [Create Menu].
Add “Contact” and “About Us” pages to the menu.
Expand the “Contact” section and make sure that its “label” is only “Contact” and nothing else and the “About Us” label for the second page.
After creating menus in WordPress, you can fine-tune the menu’s appearance in Theme Customizer.
On WordPress’s left menu bar, hover over [Appearance], then click [Customize].
Click on [Footer Builder] in the Customizer left-side menu to place the “Footer Menu.”
Note: Astra Theme has several places to place the Footer Menu.
Click the [+] to add a “Footer Menu.”
You can also fine-tune the widget line with the “gear” icon on the left of the line.
When you’re done, click [Publish] on the top of the Customizer menu.
Click on [Header Builder] in the Customizer left-side menu to place the “Primary Menu.”
Click the [+] to add a “Primary Menu.”
Click [Publish]
Final Actions
Clear all the caches you might have.
Lastly, open your website in a new browser tab and refresh the page to see your new menu.
Some menus could appear with a new theme. You can remove them so they won’t clutter your database.
Login to your WordPress Dashboard.
On the left side menu, hover over [Appearance], then click [Menus].
A menu selector is on the top of the “Menus” page.
In the “Select a menu to edit:”, select the menu you don’t need, then click [Select].
In the “Menu Structure” box, scroll down, and you will see the “Delete menu” link in the bottom left corner of the box. Click it.
Read More
You can read more about Creating Menus in WordPress in the WordPress Docs.
Conclusion
Creating menus in WordPress is straightforward and intuitive. These steps will give your website visitors an organized and user-friendly navigation experience. Keep exploring and experimenting with your menus to make your site more engaging and easy to navigate.
The current article is "7.11. Creating Menus" of our Complete SEO Guide Box.
Previous Article: 7.10. Create Disclaimer. Next Article: 8.1. Arrange Content
If you find any mistakes or have ideas for improvement, please follow the email on the Contact page.