How to Add a Product Category in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
So, you’re selling fantastic products online using WooCommerce, but you’re starting to feel overwhelmed? Products are scattered everywhere, and customers are struggling to find what they need? Don’t worry! Adding product categories is the solution. It’s like organizing your physical store into aisles – it makes everything easier to navigate.
This guide will walk you through how to add a product category in WooCommerce step-by-step. We’ll keep it simple, practical, and avoid jargon so you can start organizing your products like a pro.
Why Use Product Categories?
Imagine walking into a grocery store where everything is just piled up randomly. Finding milk would be a nightmare! That’s what your online store feels like without categories. Here’s why they are crucial:
- Improved User Experience: Customers can easily browse specific types of products (e.g., “T-shirts,” “Jeans,” “Shoes”).
- Better Organization: Helps you manage your products effectively in the backend.
- Enhanced SEO: Categories act as keywords, helping search engines understand what your store offers and improving your rankings. Think of “Organic Coffee Beans” as a category – a potential customer searching that phrase is more likely to find your store.
- Easier Navigation: Categories are often used in your store’s main menu, making navigation intuitive.
- Name: This is the category’s name (e.g., “Running Shoes”). This is crucial for both customers and SEO.
- Slug: This is the URL-friendly version of the name (e.g., “running-shoes”). WooCommerce will usually generate this automatically, but you can customize it if needed. Keep it short and relevant for SEO.
- Parent Category: If this category is a subcategory of another (e.g., “Men’s Running Shoes” is a subcategory of “Running Shoes”), select the parent category from the dropdown. Hierarchical categories help with a deeper level of organization.
- Description: (Optional) Add a brief description of the category. This can be helpful for customers and can also improve SEO if you include relevant keywords. Use this wisely, focusing on what Check out this post: How To Display Woocommerce Categories On Any Page makes this category unique.
- Display Type: Choose how the category is displayed on your store page:
- Default: Uses your theme’s default settings.
- Products: Only shows products within the category.
- Subcategories: Only shows subcategories within the category.
- Both: Shows both products and subcategories. “Products” is the most common choice.
- Thumbnail: (Optional) Upload an image to represent the category. A visually appealing thumbnail makes your categories more attractive.
- Name: Necklaces
- Slug: necklaces
- Parent Category: None
- Description: Handcrafted necklaces featuring unique designs and high-quality materials.
- Display Type: Products
- Thumbnail: A beautiful image of one of your necklaces.
- Name: Earrings
- Slug: earrings
- Parent Category: None
- Description: Stunning earrings handcrafted with care and attention to detail.
- Display Type: Products
- Thumbnail: A close-up image of a pair of your earrings.
- Plan Your Categories: Before you start adding categories, think about the overall structure of your store. How do you want your customers to browse your products?
- Keep it Simple: Don’t create too many categories. Overly complex categorization can be confusing.
- Use Descriptive Names: Choose category names that are clear and easy to understand.
- Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords in your category names and descriptions.
- Regularly Review and Update: As your product line changes, update your categories to reflect those changes.
- Categories not showing up: Make sure you’ve assigned products to the categories and that your theme is displaying categories correctly. Check your theme’s documentation or contact the theme developer for assistance.
- Slug conflicts: If you’re having trouble creating a category with a specific slug, it might be because another category or page already uses that slug. Try a different slug.
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Adding a Product Category: Step-by-Step
Here’s how to add a new category in your WooCommerce store:
1. Log into your WordPress Dashboard: This is your store’s control panel. You usually access it by typing `yourwebsite.com/wp-admin` into your browser.
2. Navigate to Products > Categories: In the left-hand menu, find “Products” and click on “Categories.” This is where you manage all your product categories.
3. Fill in the Required Fields:
4. Click “Add New Category”: Once you’ve filled in the necessary information, click the “Add New Category” button at the bottom.
Example: Let’s say you sell handmade jewelry. You might create the following categories:
You could then create subcategories like “Silver Necklaces” and “Gold Necklaces” under the “Necklaces” category.
Assigning Products to Categories
Now that you’ve created your categories, you need to assign your existing products to them:
1. Edit the Product: Go to Products > All Products and click “Edit” on the product you want to categorize.
2. Find the “Product categories” Box: On the right-hand side of the product edit screen, you’ll find a box labeled “Product categories.”
3. Select the Categories: Check the boxes next to the categories that the product belongs to. A product can belong to multiple categories.
4. Update the Product: Click the “Update” button to save your changes.
Example: You have a silver necklace with a gemstone pendant. You would edit the product and check the boxes for Discover insights on How To Set Up Bing Conversion Tracking Goal For Woocommerce both “Necklaces” and “Silver Necklaces.”
Best Practices for WooCommerce Product Categories
Troubleshooting
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a well-organized and user-friendly WooCommerce store. Remember, a well-organized store leads to happier customers and more sales! Good luck!
