How to Create and Manage Menus on Your WordPress Website

Introduction: #

In this guide, we’ll show you how to create and manage menus on your WordPress website. Menus are essential for website navigation, helping visitors find their way around your site on desktop, mobile, and tablet. On mobile, menus typically collapse into what’s called a hamburger menu.

Benefits: #

Customizing your website menus ensures that visitors can easily navigate your site, improving their overall experience and helping them find the information they need quickly.

Prerequisites: #

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

• A WordPress account. If you don’t have one, please reach out to us at info@booklive.com, and we’ll provide you with a free account as part of your BookLive subscription.
• Logged into your WordPress account.

Step-by-Step Guide: #

1. Log into Your WordPress Dashboard #

• Open your web browser and go to your site’s URL.
• Add /wp-admin to the end of the URL.
• Enter your username and password.
• Click the “Log In” button to access your WordPress dashboard.

2. Navigate to the Menus Section #

• On the left-hand side menu, hover over “Appearance.”
• Click on “Menus.”

3. Create a New Menu #

• If your website already has a menu, you will see it here. If not, you’ll be prompted to create your first menu.
• Enter a name for your menu (e.g., “Main Menu”).
• In the “Menu Settings,” you can choose to automatically add new top-level pages to this menu. Typically, it’s best not to check this box to maintain control over your menu items.
• Check the “Primary Menu” box to set this menu as the main navigation menu for your site.
• Click “Create Menu.”

4. Add Pages to Your Menu #

• On the left side of the menu editor, you will see a list of your pages.
• Switch from the “Most Recent” tab to the “View All” tab to see all your pages.
• Check the boxes for the pages you want to add to your menu.
• Click “Add to Menu.”

5. Organize Your Menu #

• Drag and drop the menu items to reorder them.
• To create a nested (sub) menu, drag a menu item slightly to the right under another menu item. It will indent, indicating it’s a sub menu item.
• Click the arrow on the right of a menu item to expand and edit its settings or remove it.

6. Add Custom Links and Other Items #

• In the menu editor, you can also add posts, landing pages, custom links, and categories.
• For example, to add a custom link to your YouTube channel:
  • Click on “Custom Links.”
  • Enter the URL of your YouTube channel.
  • Enter “YouTube” as the link text.
  • Click “Add to Menu.”
• You can drag and reorder these items just like the pages.

7. Save Your Menu #

• After organizing your menu, click “Save Menu” to apply the changes.

8. Preview Your Menu #

• Hover over your site name in the top left corner and click “Visit Site” to see how your new menu looks and functions.

Conclusion: #

You’ve successfully created and managed a menu on your WordPress website. Proper menu management enhances user experience by making it easy for visitors to navigate your site and find the information they need.