Creating a sub-menu in WordPress might seem tricky initially but it’s a pretty straightforward task if you follow the right steps. In this guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to add a sub-menu in WordPress and also touch base on the WordPress menu hierarchy.
Step 1: Navigate to the WordPress Menu
Before you create a sub-menu, you first have to navigate to the WordPress menu. Login to your WordPress dashboard, go to the left sidebar, click on Appearance, and then Menus. Here’s where all the menu magic happens.
Step 2: Choose the Menu to Edit
In case you have more than one menu, you’ll have to decide which menu you want to add the submenu to. Look for the ‘Select a menu to edit’ dropdown in the Edit Menus tab, select the menu you want to edit, and hit the ‘Select’ button.
Step 3: Add a New Menu Item
Next, you have to add a new item to your menu. You’ll see some list boxes on the left with labels such as Pages, Posts, Custom Links, and Categories. Add the item you want as per your need. After you’ve added all the necessary items, click on ‘Add to Menu’.
Step 4: Creating a Submenu
This is where you create your sub-menu. All the items that you’ve added to your menu will appear on the right side of your screen, listed below the existing items.
To create a submenu, you have to change the position of these new items. Drag an item just below the item under which you want it to appear. Now, slightly drag it to the right. You can create a sub-item for any item already part of your menu.
WordPress will show the hierarchy you have created on this page. It divides the items on this list into two labels-primary and sub. This division will help you understand, at a glance, the WordPress menu hierarchy.
Step 5: Saving Your Submenu
Of course, your hard work will be in vain if you don’t remember to save your changes. Click ‘Save Menu’ after you have created your sub-menu. Go to your website’s front-end and hover over the menu item; you should be able to see the items in your submenu appear.
And voilà! You have successfully created a sub-menu in WordPress. You can create any number of sub-menu items the same way. In case you ever want to move a sub-menu back to the main menu or delete an item from a menu, you can easily make the changes in your dashboard.
Additional Tips
To further enhance your sub-menus, you can use WordPress plugins such as Max Mega Menu or WP Mega Menu. These plugins provide you with additional customization options which are not provided in WordPress by default.
Max Mega Menu [Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/megamenu/] transforms your existing menu into a mega menu. You can then add any WordPress widget to your menu, restyle your menu using a theme editor, and change the behaviour of the sub-menu from the Mega Menu settings.
WP Mega Menu [Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-mega-menu/] allows you to add attractive icons and badges, create multiple themes, and add a search bar in your menu.
Remember, creating a sub-menu is a great way to organize your WordPress site and enhance your user’s experience. Happy WordPressing!