Ever felt your WordPress blog turning into a jumble of posts without a clear structure? Organizing your content with categories can transform chaos into clarity, making it easier for readers to find what they love.
Adding a new category in WordPress is quick, but knowing the right steps can save you time and hassle. In this article, you’ll learn exactly how to add a category and get tips to keep your site neat and user-friendly.
Related Video
How to Add a Category on WordPress: Step-by-Step Guide
Categories are essential tools for keeping your WordPress site organized and user-friendly. They help you sort your posts by topics, making it easier for visitors to find the content they’re interested in. Whether you’re running a personal blog, a business site, or an online store, mastering categories is a must for better content management.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn exactly how to add a category on WordPress, assign posts or pages to categories, understand subcategories, and pick up practical tips to make your website navigation seamless.
What is a Category in WordPress?
A category in WordPress is a built-in method for grouping related posts together. Think of categories as broad containers for your content:
- They allow you to classify posts under topics like “News,” “Recipes,” or “Travel.”
- Categories create automatic archive pages that list all posts within that topic.
- They help readers and search engines understand your site’s structure.
Categories differ from Tags, which are used for more specific details or topics related to each post.
Why Should You Use Categories?
Using categories in WordPress provides several clear benefits:
- Improved Navigation: Visitors can easily find related articles.
- Better SEO: Organized sites tend to perform better in search engine rankings.
- Content Strategy: Helps you visualize and plan well-balanced content.
- Subcategories: Supports organizing topics into more detailed sub-topics.
Organizing your site with categories is a best practice, no matter your website’s size or purpose.
How to Add a Category in WordPress
Adding a category in WordPress is simple and can be done in a couple of ways: through the Dashboard’s “Categories” section or while writing a post.
Method 1: Add a Category via the Dashboard
- Log in to Your WordPress Admin Area
-
Access yoursite.com/wp-admin with your login details.
-
Navigate to the Posts Section
- On the left menu, click on Posts.
-
Select Categories from the dropdown.
-
Add a New Category
- On the left side of the Categories page, find the “Add New Category” form.
- Fill in these fields:
- Name: The name of your category (e.g., “News”).
- Slug: The URL-friendly version of the name. Leave it blank for automatic generation.
- Parent Category: Set this only if it’s a subcategory.
- Description: (Optional) A brief explanation of the category’s purpose.
- Click Add New Category.
Your category now appears in the list on the right. You can edit or delete categories at any time.
Method 2: Add a Category While Writing a Post
- Create or Edit a Post
-
Go to Posts > Add New or edit an existing post.
-
Find the Categories Box
- On the right panel, locate the Categories section.
- Click ‘Add New Category’
- Type the category name.
- Choose a parent category if needed.
- Click Add New Category.
The new category will be selected for this post and saved for future posts.
How to Assign Posts to Categories
Organizing your posts by category is just as important as creating the categories themselves.
- When creating or editing a post, use the Categories box on the right.
- Check all relevant categories for each post. A post can belong to more than one category.
- Uncheck categories if you want to remove a post from a topic.
Tip: Every WordPress post must belong to at least one category. If you don’t select a category, it goes to “Uncategorized” by default.
How to Add Subcategories (Child Categories)
Subcategories help you get even more specific with your content structure. For example, under “Recipes,” you might add “Breakfast,” “Lunch,” and “Dinner” as subcategories.
Steps to Create a Subcategory
- Go to Posts > Categories
- In the ‘Add New Category’ area:
- Type the subcategory name (e.g., “Travel Tips”).
- In the “Parent Category” dropdown, select the main category (e.g., “Travel”).
- Click Add New Category.
Subcategories can be useful for segmenting larger topics and improving your site’s organization.
Can I Add Categories to Pages?
By default, WordPress only allows categories on posts — not on pages. However, if you want to categorize pages (useful for custom post types or business websites), here are some options:
- Plugins: There are plugins available that let you add categories to pages.
- Custom Code: Advanced users can edit theme or function files to enable category support for pages.
- Consider Structure: Evaluate whether using posts (with categories) or custom post types is better for your site’s structure.
For most sites, keeping categories focused on posts ensures clarity and avoids confusion.
Practical Tips and Best Practices
Keeping your site’s categories well-managed can make a big difference in usability and SEO.
Best Practices
- Plan Ahead: Outline your main categories before publishing content.
- Keep it Broad: Use categories for general topics; use tags for specifics.
- Don’t Overdo It: Avoid too many categories — 5 to 10 is a good range for most blogs.
- Use Descriptions: Add short descriptions to clarify the purpose of each category.
- Organize Regularly: Review categories as your site grows to remove or merge underused categories.
- SEO-Friendly Slugs: Keep slugs short and relevant; avoid special characters.
Practical Advice
- When naming categories, think about your audience and navigation needs.
- Use subcategories only when you have a lot of content on a particular topic.
- Make category archive pages user-friendly with brief intros or descriptions.
Common Challenges When Managing Categories
It’s normal to run into some issues as you organize your site. Here are common challenges — and how to solve them:
- Too Many Categories: Consolidate similar categories under one main topic.
- Uncategorized Posts: Always select the right category when publishing.
- Changing Category Names: Update category slugs carefully to avoid broken links.
- Duplicate Content: Avoid assigning a post to multiple categories unless it’s relevant to both.
With a little regular maintenance, you’ll keep your site in top shape.
Benefits of Using Categories Effectively
Efficient category management leads to:
- Better User Experience: Visitors find what they need faster.
- Improved SEO: Search engines can better index and rank your content.
- Easier Site Management: You’ll always know where each post belongs.
- Clearer Content Gaps: Spot areas where you need more or less content.
Cost Tips for Using Categories on WordPress
Typically, adding and managing categories in WordPress is free, no matter your hosting setup:
- If you’re using WordPress.com (free or paid), categories are included.
- On self-hosted WordPress, there’s no extra cost for categories.
- Plugins to extend category functions (like adding to pages) may have free or premium versions, so review costs before installing.
No shipping or extra fees apply since this is a digital, built-in feature of WordPress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I add categories to existing posts without affecting my site?
Absolutely! You can assign categories to any existing post. Changes are immediate, and posts will appear in the new category archives right away.
2. What’s the difference between categories and tags in WordPress?
Categories are for broad content grouping (e.g., “Travel”), while tags are for specific details (e.g., “packing tips,” “budget flights”). Every post needs a category, but tags are optional.
3. How do I rename or delete a category? Will it break any links?
You can rename or delete categories via the Posts > Categories screen. If you rename a category, the URL may change, possibly breaking old links. Consider using redirection plugins if you change category slugs.
4. Is there a limit to how many categories I can have on my site?
There’s no technical limit, but it’s best to keep categories broad and fewer in number for easier navigation and maintenance. Too many categories can confuse visitors and dilute content.
5. Can I display a category in my site’s menu?
Yes! Go to Appearance > Menus, select “Categories” on the left, choose the ones you want, and add them to your menu. This makes it easy for visitors to browse content by topic directly from your main navigation.
Conclusion
Adding categories in WordPress is a fundamental skill that pays off in site organization, SEO strength, and visitor satisfaction. By following the steps and best practices outlined above, you’ll create a well-structured site that grows smoothly with your content. Review your categories regularly, keep them simple, and leverage subcategories thoughtfully to make your WordPress site shine!