How to Add Drop Down Menu in WordPress to Improve Navigation

Navigating a website with ease is crucial for providing a positive user experience, and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is by implementing a well-structured drop-down menu. In WordPress, adding a drop-down menu is not only simple but also enhances the overall navigation of your site, making it more organized and user-friendly.

Drop down menu in WordPress allow you to display multiple levels of content in a compact and accessible way, ensuring that visitors can find the information they need without overwhelming them with too many options at once. Whether you're managing a large website with numerous pages or a small blog with specific categories, a drop-down menu can streamline navigation and improve the site's usability.

In this blog, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of adding a drop down menu in WordPress site. From creating parent and child menu items to customizing the appearance and functionality of your menu, we'll cover everything you need to know to enhance your site's navigation and provide a better experience for your visitors. Let’s dive into the process and make your WordPress site more navigable than ever!

Steps to Add Drop Down Menu in WordPress

Before we dive into the steps, it's essential to understand how WordPress handles menus and how Elementor enhances this functionality. In WordPress, menus are a list of links that can include pages, posts, custom links, categories, or custom post types. These menus are managed through the WordPress dashboard under the ‘Appearance’ section, but Elementor adds an additional layer of customization, allowing you to create visually appealing and highly functional menus using its drag-and-drop interface.

The WP Elemento's Elementor WordPress Themes are designed to be fully compatible with Elementor, offering a variety of widgets and styling options that make it easier to create a cohesive and responsive menu that aligns with your site’s design.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Primary Menu

The first step in adding a drop down menu in WordPress is to create or identify the primary menu you want to use. This menu will serve as the foundation for your drop-down items.

1. Access the WordPress Dashboard: Start by logging into your WordPress admin panel. From the dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Menus. If you haven’t created a menu yet, you’ll see an option to create one.
2. Create a New Menu: If necessary, click on Create a new menu. Give your menu a name, such as “Main Navigation” or “Primary Menu.” This name is for internal use and helps you identify the menu later.
3. Add Menu Items: On the left side of the menu editor, you’ll find options to add different types of content to your menu, such as Pages, Posts, Custom Links, and Categories. Select the items you want to include in your primary menu and click Add to Menu. Arrange these items in the order you want them to appear by dragging and dropping them within the menu structure.
4. Save the Menu: Once you’re satisfied with your menu structure, click Save Menu to store your changes.

Step 2: Creating a Drop-Down Structure

With your primary menu in place, the next step is to create the drop down structure by nesting items under parent menu items.

1. Identify Parent Items: In the menu editor, decide which items will serve as the parent items. These are the top-level items that will have drop-down menus.
2. Add Submenu Items: To create a drop down menu in WordPress, drag the items you want to appear as a submenu slightly to the right underneath their parent item. This will nest them under the parent, creating a hierarchical structure. You can repeat this process to create multiple levels of submenus, although it’s usually best to keep it simple for ease of navigation.
3. Review the Structure: Ensure that your nested items are correctly indented under their respective parent items. This visual hierarchy in the menu editor reflects how the drop-down menu will function on your site.
4. Save the Menu: After organizing your menu structure, click Save Menu again to apply your changes.

Step 3: Assigning the Menu Location

In WordPress, menus can be assigned to different locations depending on your theme. The WP Elemento's Elementor WordPress Theme typically supports multiple menu locations, such as the header, footer, and possibly a secondary menu.

1. Select Menu Location: In the Menu Settings section of the menu editor, you’ll find options to assign your menu to different locations. Check the box next to the appropriate location, such as Primary Menu or Header Menu.
2. Save Your Settings: Once you’ve assigned the menu to the correct location, click Save Menu. Your menu is now set to appear in the chosen location on your site.

Step 4: Customizing the Menu with Elementor

Elementor Pro Page Builder offers advanced customization options that allow you to style and enhance your menu directly within its visual editor. With Elementor, you can customize not only the layout and design of your menu but also how the drop-down elements behave.

Step 5: Enhancing the Menu with Advanced Features

Elementor and the WP Elemento theme offer advanced features that can further enhance the functionality and appearance of your drop down menu in WordPress.

• Add Icons to Menu Items: To add icons to your menu items, use the Menu Icon option within the Nav Menu widget settings. This can help visually distinguish different sections of your site. Elementor allows you to choose from a library of icons or upload your own custom SVG files.

• Enable Mega Menus: If your site has a large number of menu items, you might want to use a WordPress mega menu layout. Mega menus display multiple columns of items and are ideal for eCommerce sites or websites with a complex structure. Some themes and plugins allow for mega menu functionality, which can be integrated into Elementor’s Nav Menu widget.
• Add Custom CSS: For more granular control over your menu’s appearance, you can add custom CSS directly within Elementor. Go to Advanced > Custom CSS and enter your CSS code. This is useful for making specific tweaks that aren’t covered by Elementor’s built-in options.
• Add Search Functionality: Enhance your menu by incorporating a search bar directly within it. This is particularly useful for sites with a lot of content. Elementor’s Search Form widget can be added alongside the Nav Menu widget to achieve this.

Step 6: Ensuring Mobile Responsiveness

A critical aspect of modern web design is ensuring that your menu is fully responsive and functional on mobile devices. Elementor provides robust tools to optimize your drop-down menu for mobile users.

• Use Elementor’s Responsive Mode: Within the Elementor editor, switch to responsive mode by clicking the responsive icon at the bottom of the panel. This allows you to preview and adjust your menu for different screen sizes, including tablets and smartphones.
• Adjust Mobile Menu Settings: In the Nav Menu widget, there are specific settings for mobile devices. You can choose how the menu appears on mobile, such as collapsing into a hamburger icon or transforming into a dropdown. Customize these settings to ensure the best user experience.
• Optimize Spacing and Padding: Pay close attention to the spacing and padding of your menu items on mobile. What looks good on a desktop might be too cramped on a smaller screen. Use Elementor’s responsive controls to adjust these settings for different devices.
• Test on Real Devices: While Elementor’s responsive mode provides a good approximation, it’s essential to test your menu on actual devices. Check how the responsive WordPress menu functions on various smartphones and tablets to ensure everything works smoothly.
• Enable Sticky Header (Optional): For better accessibility, consider enabling a sticky header on mobile devices. This ensures that your menu is always visible as users scroll down the page. Elementor and WP Elemento themes typically offer an option to make the header sticky, which you can activate in the theme settings.

Step 7: Testing and Troubleshooting

After setting up your drop down menu in WordPress, it’s vital to thoroughly test it to ensure that it functions correctly across different browsers and devices. This step is crucial for identifying and fixing any issues that could affect user experience.

1. Test in Multiple Browsers: Start by testing your menu in various web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Each browser renders elements slightly differently, so it’s essential to confirm that your menu looks and functions consistently across all of them.
2. Check for Compatibility Issues: If you notice any discrepancies or malfunctions in certain browsers, it might be due to compatibility issues. Check your theme and Elementor plugin versions and ensure they are up-to-date. Sometimes, a plugin conflict can cause problems, so deactivating other plugins temporarily can help identify the cause.
3. Test Responsiveness: Again, revisit your site on different devices to check how the menu behaves on mobile and tablet screens. Make sure that the drop-down functionality works smoothly and that the menu is easy to navigate on touchscreens.
4. Check Menu Links: Ensure that all the links within your menu are functioning correctly. Click through each menu item and submenu to verify that they direct users to the intended pages.
5. Optimize Performance: As drop-down menus can add extra load to your website, especially if they include images or complex layouts, use performance testing tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to evaluate your site’s performance. If necessary, optimize your images and consider using a caching plugin to speed up load times.

These steps ensure that your drop down menu in WordPress is both functional and efficient, contributing positively to the user experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, adding a drop down menu in WordPress site is an essential step in enhancing navigation and improving user experience. By following the detailed steps outlined above, you can create a well-structured, visually appealing menu that helps visitors easily find what they’re looking for. Whether you’re using the basic WordPress menu editor or leveraging the advanced customization options in Elementor, a drop-down menu is a powerful tool for organizing your site’s content.

For those looking to elevate their site even further, consider using premium Elementor WordPress themes by WP Elemento. These themes are optimized for Elementor, offering seamless integration and additional features that can make the process of creating and customizing your menu even more effortless. With the right tools and design, your WordPress site can deliver a superior browsing experience that keeps visitors engaged and coming back for more. You can also go for the WordPress theme bundle rather than buying single themes if you are planning multiple websites.