WordPress Menu Customization: Managing and Optimizing Navigation

A good menu helps visitors easily find what they're looking for. In WordPress, you can fully customize menus. This guide explains how.

Opening Menus

1. Go to Appearance > Menus
2. Or via the Customizer: Appearance > Customizer > Menus

Creating a New Menu

Step 1: Create Menu

1. Click Create a new menu
2. Give the menu a name (e.g., "Main Menu" or "Footer Menu")
3. Click Create Menu

Step 2: Add Items

On the left side, you'll see sources to choose items from:

Pages:

1. Check the pages you want to add
2. Click Add to Menu

Posts:

1. Click on Posts to expand
2. Check posts
3. Click Add to Menu

Custom Links:

1. Click on Custom Links
2. Enter the URL
3. Provide link text
4. Click Add to Menu

Useful for external links or specific URLs.

Categories:

1. Click on Categories
2. Check categories
3. Click Add to Menu

Step 3: Arrange Items

Drag items to set the order:

• Up/down: Changes the order
• Indent to the right: Makes it a submenu item

Step 4: Choose Menu Location

At the bottom of the page:

1. Check where the menu should appear:

   • Primary Menu (main navigation)
   • Footer Menu
   • Other locations (depending on your theme)

2. Click Save Menu

Editing Menu Items

Change Name

1. Click the arrow on the right of the menu item
2. Modify Navigation Label
3. This is the text visitors will see

Change URL

For custom links, you can adjust the URL. For pages/posts, it automatically links to the correct location.

Delete Item

1. Click the arrow to open the item
2. Click Remove

Creating Dropdown Menus

Submenus (dropdowns) are created by indenting items:

Method 1: Drag

1. Drag the item slightly to the right
2. It shifts under the parent item
3. A line shows the hierarchy

Method 2: Indent

1. Open the menu item (click the arrow)
2. Use the links Under [item] to nest

Example Structure

- Home
- Services
  - Web Design
  - Development
  - Hosting
- About Us
- Contact

"Web Design", "Development", and "Hosting" are submenu items of "Services".

Managing Menu Locations

Assign Locations

1. Click Manage Locations (tab at top)
2. Choose which menu appears where:
   • Primary Menu: [Select menu]
   • Footer Menu: [Select menu]

Multiple Menus

You can create different menus for different locations:

• Extensive main menu
• Shortened footer menu
• Simple mobile menu

Advanced Options

Enable Extra Fields

1. Click Screen Options at the top right
2. Check extra options:
   • Link Target (open in new tab)
   • Title Attribute (tooltip)
   • CSS Classes
   • Link Relationship (nofollow)
   • Description

Open in New Tab

For external links:

1. Enable Link Target via Screen Options
2. Open the menu item
3. Check Open link in a new tab

Add CSS Class

For custom styling:

1. Enable CSS Classes via Screen Options
2. Open the menu item
3. Enter a class name

You can then style this class in your theme CSS.

Add Description

For menus that display descriptions (e.g., mega menus):

1. Enable Description via Screen Options
2. Open the menu item
3. Enter a short description

Whether this is displayed depends on your theme.

Mobile Menus

Most themes automatically show a "hamburger" menu on mobile. This uses the same menu but in a compact view.

Tips for Mobile Menus

• Keep the menu short (max 5-7 main items)
• Ensure submenus don't go too deep (max 2 levels)
• Test on a real phone

Separate Mobile Navigation

Some themes offer a separate mobile menu location. Check your theme settings.

Menu via the Customizer

An alternative way to edit menus:

1. Go to Appearance > Customizer
2. Click on Menus
3. Choose a menu to edit
4. You'll see changes live in the preview

Customizer Advantages

• Live preview of changes
• Easy testing without publishing
• Alternative interface

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a menu item that doesn't link anywhere? Create a custom link with # as the URL. This creates a non-clickable label, useful as a header for a dropdown.

Can I add icons to menu items? Not by default. Options:

• Use a plugin like "Menu Icons by ThemeIsle"
• Add icons via CSS classes
• Some themes have built-in icon support

The submenu doesn't appear? Check:

• Is the item correctly indented?
• Does your theme support dropdown menus?
• Is a plugin conflicting with the menu?

How do I create a mega menu? For extensive dropdown menus with multiple columns:

• Use a plugin like "Max Mega Menu"
• Or check if your theme has mega menu support

Menu doesn't show after saving?

• Is the menu assigned to a location?
• Is the cache cleared?
• Is the theme menu in the right place?

Best Practices for Navigation

Keep It Simple

• Max 7 items in main menu
• Max 2 levels deep
• Clear, descriptive labels

Prioritize Important Pages

• Most important items on the left (seen first)
• "Contact" or CTA on the right (fixed position)

Be Consistent

• Use the same terms as on the pages
• Keep order logical
• Mobile and desktop should feel consistent

Test with Real Users

• Can they find the most important pages?
• Is the structure logical?
• Does it work on all devices?

Conclusion

A good menu is crucial for user experience. Take time to plan your navigation before you start building. Test regularly and adjust based on how visitors use your site.

Need help optimizing your WordPress navigation? Contact us.

More WordPress Guides

• WordPress Media Library Management - Organizing images and files
• WordPress Duplicate Pages - Copy content quickly
• 7 UX Mistakes on SMB Websites - Improve your user experience