# How to Add WooCommerce Product Categories to Your WordPress Menu: A Beginner’s Guide
Adding your WooCommerce product categories to your WordPress menu is a crucial step in improving your online store’s navigation and user experience. A well-organized menu makes it easier for customers to find the products they’re looking for, leading to increased sales and a happier customer base. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, even if you’re completely new to WordPress.
Why Add WooCommerce Categories to Your Menu?
Think of your website menu as a shop’s storefront. A cluttered or poorly organized storefront confuses customers and drives them away. Similarly, a poorly designed website menu makes it difficult for visitors to browse your products.
Adding your WooCommerce product categories to your menu offers several key benefits:
- Improved User Experience: Customers can easily navigate to specific product categories, reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement.
- Enhanced Site Structure: A clear menu structure reflects a well-organized online store, building trust and professionalism.
- Increased Sales: By making it easier for customers to find what they want, you’ll naturally see an increase in sales.
- Better SEO: Organized navigation helps search engines understand your website’s structure, potentially improving your search rankings.
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Menus.
- If you already have a menu, select it. Otherwise, create a new one by clicking “Create a new menu”. Give your menu a descriptive name (e.g., “Main Navigation”).
- In the “Menu Structure” section, you’ll see a box labeled “Add menu items”.
- Click on the dropdown menu that says “Select menu items”.
- Choose “Categories” from the list.
- A list of your WooCommerce product categories will appear.
- Check the boxes next to the categories you want to add to your menu.
- Click “Add to Menu”.
- Once your categories are added, you can drag and drop them to rearrange the order in the menu.
- You can also nest categories under others to create submenus for a more organized structure. For example, you could have a “Clothing” category with subcategories like “Shirts,” “Pants,” and “Dresses.”
- Once you’re happy with the arrangement, click “Save Menu”.
- Categories not appearing? Make sure you have created product categories in your WooCommerce settings.
- Menu not showing on your website? Check your theme’s settings to ensure the menu is assigned to the correct location. This is usually found under Appearance > Customize > Menus.
- Need help with specific plugins? Refer to the plugin’s documentation for detailed instructions.
Method 1: Using the WordPress Menu Editor (Easiest Method)
This is the simplest and most recommended method for adding WooCommerce categories Check out this post: How To Export Woocommerce Products To Google Shopping to your menu. No coding is required!
Step 1: Accessing the Menu Editor
Step 2: Adding WooCommerce Categories
Step 3: Arranging and Saving Your Menu
Method 2: Using a Plugin (For Advanced Customization)
While the default method is usually sufficient, plugins offer more advanced customization options. Many plugins allow you to add WooCommerce categories to your menus with additional features like custom icons or different display styles.
Example: Popular plugins like “WP Mega Menu” or “Max Mega Menu” provide advanced menu management features, including the ability to create mega menus with multiple columns and images. These are particularly useful if you have many product categories. However, remember that using a plugin adds another layer of complexity and might require a little more technical knowledge.
Troubleshooting Tips
Conclusion
Adding your WooCommerce product categories to your menu is a simple yet powerful way to improve your online store’s usability and boost sales. By following these steps, even beginners can easily create a well-organized and user-friendly menu. Remember, a well-structured menu contributes significantly to a positive customer experience and ultimately, a successful online business.