WooCommerce: How to Showcase Product Categories on Your Home Page (The Easy Way!)
So, you’ve built your amazing WooCommerce store! Congratulations! Now, you want to attract customers and guide them quickly to the products they’re looking for. A great way to do this is by displaying your product categories directly on your home page. It’s like having clear signposts in your digital store, helping visitors navigate and find exactly what they need.
Think of it this way: imagine walking into a physical clothing store. You see signs pointing to “Menswear,” “Womenswear,” “Accessories,” etc. That’s what displaying categories on your WooCommerce home page achieves!
This guide is designed for beginners. We’ll walk you through a few simple methods to get those categories shining on your homepage in no time.
Why Display Product Categories on Your Home Page?
Before we dive in, let’s quickly cover *why* this is a good idea. Besides the clear navigation we already discussed, here are a few more compelling reasons:
* Improved User Experience: Easier navigation leads to happier customers who can find what they want quickly. A happy customer is more likely to buy.
* Increased Sales: When customers easily find products they’re interested in, they’re more likely to make a purchase. Directing them to specific categories increases the chances of a sale.
* Better SEO: (Yes, SEO!) By linking to your category pages from your home page, you help search engines understand the structure of your website and improve its crawlability. This can indirectly boost your SEO.
* Visually Appealing: Done right, showcasing your categories can make your home page more visually engaging, especially if you use category images.
Method 1: Using the WooCommerce Product Category Block (Easiest!)
This is by far the easiest method, especially if you’re using the Gutenberg editor (WordPress’s default block editor). No coding required!
1. Edit your Home Page: Go to Pages > All Pages in your WordPress dashboard and click “Edit” on your home page.
2. Add a Block: Click the “+” icon to add a new block to your page.
3. Search for “Product Category List”: Type “Product Category List” into the search bar.
4. Configure the Block:
* Display Type: Choose how you want to display the categories: “Default” is a simple list. “Dropdown” is more compact.
* Parent Category: If you only want to show subcategories of a specific category, select the parent category here. Leave it blank to show all top-level categories.
* Show Product Counts: Decide whether or not to show the number of products in each category (e.g., “T-Shirts (25)”).
* Show Empty Categories: Choose whether to show categories that don’t currently have any products. Generally, you’ll want to hide empty categories for a better user experience.
5. Publish/Update Your Page: Click the “Publish” or “Update” button to save your changes.
Example: Imagine you have categories like “Clothing,” “Shoes,” and “Accessories.” Using this method, you can display them in a clear, easy-to-navigate list right on your home page.
Method 2: Using a WooCommerce Shortcode (For More Control)
Shortcodes give you a bit more control over how your categories are displayed. They’re still relatively easy to use, but you’ll need to copy and paste a code snippet.
1. Edit your Home Page: Go to Pages > All Pages and edit your home page.
2. Add a Shortcode Block: Add a new block and search for “Shortcode”.
3. Insert the Shortcode: Paste the WooCommerce shortcode into the block. Here’s a basic example:
4. Customize the Shortcode (Optional): You can add parameters to the shortcode to customize it. Here are a few useful ones:
* `number`: The number of categories to display. `
`* `orderby`: How to order the categories (e.g., “name”, “count”). `
`* `columns`: The Discover insights on How To Use Shipping Classes In Woocommerce number of columns to display the categories in. `
`* `hide_empty`: Hide empty categories (true/false). `
`* `parent`: Show only the children of a specific category ID. `
` (Replace 25 with the actual category ID)Example: To display the first 3 categories, ordered by name, and in 3 columns, you would use the following shortcode:
5. Publish/Update Your Page: Click “Publish” or “Update.”
Finding Category IDs: You’ll need the category ID for the `parent` parameter. To find it:
* Go to Products > Categories in your WordPress dashboard.
* Hover over the category you want to find the ID for.
* Look at the URL in the bottom left corner of your browser (or copy the link address). It will contain something like `taxonomy=product_cat&tag_ID=123&post_type=product`. The number after `tag_ID=` is the category ID.
Method 3: Using a WooCommerce Widget (For Sidebars and Footer)
While not directly on the home page’s main content, placing categories in the sidebar or footer can also improve navigation.
1. Go to Appearance > Widgets: In your WordPress dashboard.
2. Find the “Product Categories” Widget: It’s typically located on the left side.
3. Drag the Widget to Your Sidebar or Footer Area: On the right side, you’ll see different widget areas depending on your theme Read more about How To Edit Woocommerce Forms (e.g., “Sidebar,” “Footer Area 1,” “Footer Area 2”).
4. Configure the Widget: Similar to the block, you can:
* Give the widget a title (e.g., “Shop by Category”).
* Choose to show hierarchical display (subcategories indented).
* Show product counts.
* Hide empty categories.
5. Save the Widget: Click the “Save” button.
Example: Placing a “Shop by Category” widget in your sidebar provides a constant and accessible navigation option for your visitors, regardless of the page they’re on.
Advanced Tip: Using Category Images
For a more visually Read more about How To Set Up Woocommerce Tshirt Store appealing experience, consider adding images to your categories.
1. Go to Products > Categories:
2. Edit the Category: Click “Edit” on the category you want to add an image to.
3. Upload an Image: Look for the “Thumbnail” section (usually at the bottom) and upload an image.
4. Update the Category: Click “Update.”
Now, when you display your categories using any of the methods above (particularly the shortcode with column formatting), the images will appear alongside the category names, making your home page more attractive. High-quality images of your products can drastically improve your store’s appeal.
Conclusion
Displaying product categories on your WooCommerce home page is a simple yet effective way to improve user experience, boost sales, and enhance your store’s SEO. Choose the method that best suits your needs and skill level. Experiment with different settings and layouts to find what works best for your audience. Good luck, and happy selling!
