Creating a website in WordPress is an excellent way to showcase your content, but beginners often find it challenging to grasp the basics. This guide will show you how to add WordPress pages, breaking it down into straightforward, actionable steps. We cover everything from accessing the dashboard to publishing your first page, ensuring you have all the essentials to expand your site’s structure and functionality. Whether you’re setting up a blog, business site, or portfolio, mastering this skill is crucial for building an effective online presence.
What is a WordPress page?
WordPress pages feature static and timeless content, such as About Us, Contact, and Privacy Policy. Pages enable hierarchical organization by allowing the establishment of parent and child pages to logically structure content. They can be customized with multiple templates based on the theme, meeting a variety of layout needs. This makes them ideal for tasks such as hosting contact forms, providing legal disclosures, and showcasing portfolios. Each page has a permanent URL, known as a permalink, that can be customized to match the website’s structure.
How Pages Differ from Posts in WordPress
WordPress pages and posts serve distinct purposes and have key differences:
Nature of Content
– Pages
Static, rarely changing content.
– Posts
Dynamic, frequently updated content.
Organization
– Pages
Hierarchical structure with parent and child pages.
– Posts
Organized by categories and tags, displayed in reverse chronological order.
Engagement Features
– Pages
Typically lack comments sections and RSS feed integration.
– Posts
Often include comment sections and are integrated with RSS feeds.
Templates and Appearance
– Pages
Can use various templates for different layouts.
– Posts
Generally follow a standard layout that includes metadata like author, date, and categories.
Permalinks
– Pages
Simple and straightforward, reflecting the site’s structure.
– Posts
Include date or category information, reflecting their chronological nature.
By understanding these distinctions, you can decide whether to use a page or a post based on how you want the content to function and be perceived by visitors.
How to Add a New Page in WordPress
To add a new page in WordPress, navigate to the Pages section and click the Add New button. Alternatively, you can select Add New from the expanded Pages menu on the left.
Depending on your WordPress version, you will either use the Gutenberg Block editor (from WordPress 5.0 onward) or the Classic editor (for versions earlier than WordPress 5.0). Even if your version is 5.0 or higher, you can still use the Classic editor by installing the Classic Editor plugin.
In addition to these built-in editors, you can use page builder plugins like Elementor or themes such as Divi. These tools offer features like drag-and-drop building but are not native to WordPress. Keep in mind that pages built with external editors may sometimes break due to conflicts with other parts of your website. Therefore, we will focus on the conventional editors built into WordPress.
How to add a wordpress page using the Gutenberg Block Editor
Step 1. Access Your WordPress Dashboard
Log in to your WordPress admin area (Dashboard) by adding /wp-admin to your website’s URL (e.g., http://www.yoursite.com/wp-admin).
Step 2. Navigate to Pages
On the left-hand menu of the Dashboard, click on “Pages” to open its submenu.
Step 3. Add a New Page
In the “Pages” submenu, click “Add New” to start creating your new page.
Step 4. Edit Your Page
Enter a title for your page at the top of the editor.
Use the Gutenberg Block Editor (WordPress Block editor) below the title to add text, images, videos, and other content using various blocks. Click the “+” icon to add blocks.
Step 5. Set Page Attributes (Optional)
On the right-hand side of the editor, in the “Page Attributes” box, you can set parent pages or change the order among siblings.
Step 6. Preview and Publish
Preview your page by clicking the “Preview” button at the top to see how it will look.
When satisfied, click “Publish” to make your page live on your website.
Step 7. Add to Menu (Optional)
If you want the new page to appear in your site’s navigation menu, navigate to “Appearance” > “Menus” in your Dashboard.
Add the new page to your menu by selecting it from the list on the left and clicking “Add to Menu”. Arrange its position by dragging and dropping within the menu.
This simplified version retains clarity while covering all of the necessary steps for generating and managing a new page in WordPress using the Gutenberg Block Editor.
Different types of Blocks
In WordPress using the Gutenberg editor, content is organized using versatile blocks, each serving a specific purpose to create diverse layouts. Here’s an overview of common block types and their functionalities:
– Paragraph Block
Basic for adding plain text with options for size, color, and spacing adjustments.
– Heading Block
Adds headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure content for readability and SEO.
– Image Block
Inserts images with alignment, caption, and linking options.
– Gallery Block
Displays a grid of images with customizable columns and captions.
– List Block
Adds numbered or bulleted lists to your content.
– Quote Block
Highlights quotations with styling options.
– Audio Block
Embed audio files with playback controls.
– Cover Block
Adds a cover image with overlaid text, suitable for headers or visually impactful sections.
Block Settings in WordPress Gutenberg Editor
In WordPress’s Gutenberg editor, Block settings, also known as the Block Inspector, offer a range of controls to customize and manage individual blocks within your page or post. Here’s an overview of what you can typically accomplish using Block settings:
1. Customization Options
– Typography
Adjust font size, line height, and sometimes font family.
– Color Settings
Modify text color, background color, and gradients.
– Alignment
Set text alignment (left, center, right) and content alignment (wide or full width).
– Advanced Customization
Add custom CSS classes or attributes like rel tags.
2. Block-Specific Controls
Each block type includes settings specific to its function:
– Image Block
Set alt text, and image size, and add image links.
– Paragraph Block
Toggle for drop caps.
– Button Block
Customize text, link, and style options.
– Gallery Block
Adjust columns, crop images, and set image links.
3. Layout and Spacing
– Columns Block
Control column number and spacing.
– Spacer Block
Adjust spacing height.
– Group Block
Combine blocks for unified styling.
4. Advanced Settings
– HTML Anchor
Add HTML anchors for linking to specific blocks.
– Additional CSS Classes
Apply custom CSS classes for theme integration.
5. Interactive Settings
– Video Block
Options like autoplay, loop, and mute controls.
– Audio Block
Similar controls to video, including autoplay and loop.
– Cover Block
Customize background, overlay color, and opacity.
6. Accessibility Settings
– Table Block
Enhance table accessibility with header sections.
– List Block
Toggle between ordered and unordered lists.
7. Reusable Blocks
– Manage Reusable Blocks
Save blocks for reuse across posts and pages, directly from settings.
These settings empower users to fine-tune each block’s functionality and appearance in WordPress, with ongoing updates expanding their versatility in the Gutenberg editor.
Adjust the Page Settings
When working on a page, you’ll find the page settings in the sidebar on the right side of your screen. If the sidebar isn’t visible, click the Settings icon in the top right corner to bring up the settings. This icon looks like a square with two uneven columns.
You can control the following aspects of the page here:
Summary
– Visibility
Make the page public, private, or protected behind a password.
– Publish
Set the page to publish immediately or choose a specific date and time.
Template:
– Edit template
Modify the template that controls how the content of your page is presented.
– Swap template
Change the template used for that page. The Page template is the default template for pages.
– Create a new template
Design a new template to use for the page.
– Show template
Preview how your content will be displayed with headers, footers, and other template parts applied.
URL
– See and change the URL of the page.
Review
– Mark the page as “Pending review” for other users of your site.
Author
– Change the author of the page to another user on your site.
Draft
– For already-published pages, a “Switch to draft” button will appear. Click this to revert the public page to a non-public draft.
Delete
– Delete the page by clicking the “Move to trash” button.
Excerpt
– Write an excerpt to describe the page.
Revisions
– Restore previously saved versions of the page. This option will appear only after you have saved some changes to the page.
Featured Image
– Choose a featured image to represent the page.
Discussion
– Allow people to leave public comments on the page.
Page Attributes
– Select the page’s parent and order number.
How to Create a New Page with the Classic Editor
The Classic Editor, the legacy default editor replaced by Gutenberg since WordPress version 5.0, remains a preferred choice for some users due to its simple and clean interface. To use the Classic Editor on newer WordPress versions, you need to install the Classic Editor plugin from the WordPress repository.
Installing the Classic Editor Plugin
1. In your website’s dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
2. Type Classic Editor in the search bar.
3. The first result will be the Classic Editor plugin. Click the Install Now button.
Adding Content to the Page
Using the Classic Editor is straightforward. Unlike Gutenberg, which uses multiple content blocks, the Classic Editor treats the entire page as a single content block containing all text paragraphs and media. The **Page Settings** are located on the right side of the screen, similar to Gutenberg, with only minor differences in presentation.
Adding a Title
The title field is located above the page body. Simply click on the title field and add your custom title.
Adding Text
Write text in the large box below the title, which is the main area of the editor. This is where you insert all the page’s content – text, images, widgets, etc. Formatting tools are located at the top of the text box.
Adding Media
To add an image or audio file:
1. Place the cursor on the line where you want the media to appear.
2. Press the Add Media button.
3. A pop-up window will appear, allowing you to select a file from your website’s gallery or upload a file from your computer.
Previewing a New Page
Before publishing the page, you may want to preview how it appears to live on your website. Use the Preview button in the top right corner to see how the content will look to visitors.
Saving a Draft
If you need to leave the page unfinished, you can save your progress anytime by clicking the Save Draft button. This allows you to resume editing later from where you left off.
Publishing a Page
Once the page is complete, click the Publish button in the top right corner to make it accessible to visitors.
Deleting a Page
Over time, your website might require updates, and you may need to delete outdated pages. You can move a page to the WordPress trash bin, where it will remain for 30 days, allowing you to restore it if necessary. After 30 days, the page will be permanently deleted.
To delete a page:
1. Go to the Pages section in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Hover over the page you want to delete and click Trash.
Alternatively, from the page’s editor screen, you can click the Move to Trash button in the Page Settings section.
Customize and Optimize
Once your page is live, enhance it for a better user experience and improved SEO:
– SEO
Utilize an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO to fine-tune your page’s meta descriptions, titles, and keywords.
– Design
Ensure a clean design that aligns with your site’s branding. Use headings, images, and other media to break up text and engage visitors.
– Performance
Check your page’s loading speed and optimize it for both desktop and mobile users.
Conclusion
Adding pages in WordPress is a straightforward process that allows you to expand your website’s content and improve its structure. By following these steps, you can create well-organized, engaging, and optimized pages that enhance your site’s functionality and user experience. Experiment with different content blocks and layouts to maximize WordPress’s versatile page-building capabilities.
