A dropdown menu can be created effortlessly in WordPress to improve the design and navigation of your website. A drop down menu is a useful tool for any organization which wants its content to be categorized into manageable sections, thus improving user experience. This guide will show beginners how to put a drop-down menu on your WordPress site.
Step 1: Go to Your WordPress Dashboard
First of all, log in through your WordPress dashboard. This is the back end of your website where you can manage content, design, and settings.
Step 2: Access the Menus Section
When logged in head to Appearance > Menus on the left sidebar within your WordPress Dashboard, you handle menus for customization here.
Step 3: Select or Create a Menu
If you already have a menu, add a dropdown to select it from the list below. Otherwise, click on create a new menu at the top of the page. Give your new menu name (this would be for reference since it would not appear on your site) and press Create Menu.
Step 4: Add Items to Your Menu
Now, let us see how we can add items to this particular menu. On the left-hand side of the ‘Menus’ section are options such as Pages, Posts, Custom Links, and Categories that one may choose from while creating their custom-made menus. To add any of these items, one should select them and click on the ‘Add to Menu’ button.
Step 5: Make Dropdown Menu
To develop a dropdown menu, insert some entities that will serve as “parent” items for other entities that would fall under them when you click on their parent items respectively, making them hierarchical series. You need therefore first add items in the order they appear after which drag and drop them for arrangement purposes. To make an item become another’s dropdown drag it slightly to the right under what will be its parent item. This creates a hierarchy, with the parent item on top and the dropdown items nested underneath.
Step 6: Configure Your Menu Settings
Choose where you want your menu displayed before you save it. Depending on your theme, these might include options such as Primary Menu, Footer Menu, etc.. Tick off the place where you want this menu to appear.
Step 7: Save Your Menu
You can save your work by clicking the Save Menu button after re-arranging items and choosing display settings for your site. In that way, you get your desired menu with dropdowns.
Step 8: View Site
Always preview any changes made before leaving anything saved. Go to your site to see how this new drop-down menu appears and works. Make sure all links function properly and that the drop-down is showing as expected.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- The drop-down is not appearing. Ensure that items are correctly nested under a parent item in the menu structure.
- The menu isn’t showing on my site. Double-check to see if you have selected the correct display location for your menu.
- Changes are not saving: You should click
Save Menuafter making any changes.
Conclusion
To make your WordPress site more organized and improve its visitors’ navigation, it is a good idea to install a dropdown menu. The process of creating a usable and beautiful dropdown menu for your website is described in this tutorial. Finally, always check your website after making changes to guarantee everything works fine. With some familiarity, you will find managing WordPress menus simple and satisfying.