Unraveling the Mystery of Adding Category Pages in WordPress

It’s no secret that WordPress is a favored platform for website development, thanks to its user-friendly interface and supreme flexibility. WordPress streamlines the process of creating and managing website content by eliminating the need for hours of coding.

Category Pages: An Overview

One standout feature of WordPress is its ability to organize content using Category Pages. These pages assist users in navigating and accessing information on your website. But first, let’s take a closer look at what they are and why they matter.

What Are Category Pages?

Category Pages are website pages that display all the relevant content associated with a specific topic or category. For example, suppose you have a website with multiple blog posts on “Tech” and “Arts and Culture.” In that case, you can categorize them accordingly. The Category Page will then display all of the blog posts associated with the “Tech” or “Arts and Culture” category as a list of links.

Why Are Category Pages Important?

There are several ways in which Category Pages benefit your website:

1. Aids Navigation – Category Pages make it easier for visitors to navigate your site as it categorizes everything in one place.
2. Improves SEO – Category Pages help search engines comprehend the content on your site, making it easier for users to find information resulting in increased SEO ranking.
3. Increases User Engagement – User engagement is key to site success. Category Pages facilitate engagement with your website by helping visitors find the content they seek faster.

The Secret to Adding a Category Page in WordPress

Now that we have a better understanding of Category Pages let’s delve into the steps for adding one to your WordPress website.

Step 1: Creating a Category

To create a Category Page, the first thing you need to do is set up a Category. Here are the steps:

1. Login to WordPress Dashboard
2. Click on “Posts,” then “Categories.”
3. Fill out the necessary fields, including the Category name, a few words known as the Category slug, and its description.
4. Click the “Add New Category” button.

Step 2: Assigning Posts to the Category

The next step involves assigning posts to the newly created Category.

1. Locate the post you want to assign.
2. Click “Edit.”
3. Under Post settings, choose the Category in which you want the post to appear.
4. Once you have assigned the relevant posts to a Category, update them.

Step 3: Creating a Category Page

Now that you have set up and assigned posts to the Category, the final step is creating a Category Page to display them.

1. Go to Appearance -> Menus in the WordPress Dashboard.
2. Locate the “Categories” tab on your left-hand side of the screen.
3. Check the Category boxes you want to show as a list of links on your Category Page.
4. Click the “Add to Menu” button.
5. Save your Menu.
6. Go to “Appearance -> Customize -> Homepage Settings” in the WordPress dashboard.
7. Select the “A static page” option.
8. Choose the page you want to set as your WordPress front page and the one you want to use as your Posts Page.
9. Set the Category Page you created as the default page for Post Categories.
10. Save your changes.

By following the steps outlined above, you can create a Category Page in WordPress, organize your content by category, and streamline your website’s user experience, increasing engagement while boosting SEO ranking.