1.4Categories, tags & navigation menus
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Categories are the main hierarchical sections of posts; tags are cross-cutting keywords. Both concern posts only.
- Few categories, but clear ones: a readable classification is better than a multitude of sections.
- The navigation menu is the site's visible architecture: it contains the essential pages and sections, not everything.
Running mini-case — organising the workshop's blog
Hassan's blog is filling up: care tips, behind the scenes, market announcements. Samir has to choose a comprehensible classification and a menu that leads to the key pages. He hesitates to create one category per post, then understands that a few clear sections and tags for materials and patterns are better.
Sequel to case 1.3 — the content exists, now it must be made findable.
1. Categories and tags
Categories sort posts into main hierarchical sections: you can have "Tips" and, below it, "Care" or "Firing". Every post belongs to at least one category. They structure the blog and let visitors explore a whole theme.
Tags are cross-cutting, non-hierarchical keywords: "stoneware", "glaze", "handmade". They link posts from different categories. Be careful: a unique tag per post adds nothing — neither navigation nor SEO. Samir therefore limits categories to a few sections and uses tags sparingly.
2. Building the menu
The navigation menu is the bar of links that structures the visit. It is managed in Appearance → Menus, or in the site editor for recent themes (FSE). You add pages, categories or custom links, then assign it to a location defined by the theme (main menu, footer, mobile).
A good main menu contains the essential entries — Home, Collections, About, Blog, Contact — and stays short. An indent to the right creates a submenu. Samir checks the rendering on mobile: that is where most visitors navigate.
🔎 Concrete example — Sorting and navigating (Samir's case)
Categories: Tips (Care, Firing) / Behind the scenes / Events.
Tags: stoneware, glaze, handmade (only if useful).
Main menu: Home · Collections · Blog · About · Contact.
→ Blog sorted, visitor guided, mobile checked.Result: a readable blog and a clear journey.
Lesson: the classification serves the visitor before it serves Google.
Section vocabulary
- Category
- The main hierarchical classification of posts, into broad themes and sub-themes.
Simple example: "Tips" with the subcategories "Care" and "Firing".
What it is not: creating one category per post.
Reflex: broad hierarchical section = category.
- Tag
- A cross-cutting, non-hierarchical keyword that links posts from different categories.
Simple example: "stoneware" links a tip and a behind-the-scenes post.
What it is not: creating a unique tag for each post.
Reflex: cross-cutting keyword = tag, used sparingly.
- Navigation menu
- A bar of links that structures the visit: pages, categories, custom links.
Simple example: Home · Collections · Blog · Contact.
What it is not: putting every page in the menu.
Reflex: menu = main path.
- Menu location
- A display area defined by the theme: main menu, footer, mobile.
Simple example: Samir assigns the menu to the main location.
What it is not: creating a menu without assigning it to a location.
Reflex: a menu must be assigned to appear.
- Information architecture
- The overall organisation that makes the site navigable: clear categories + a short menu.
Simple example: three sections and five entries are enough for the workshop.
What it is not: stacking sections without hierarchy.
Reflex: think about the visitor's journey.
In practice — Organising content and making it navigable
- Create two or three meaningful categories for your project and assign posts to them.
- Add a few relevant tags to a post and observe the links between categories.
- Create the main menu with the key pages and one category.
- Assign the menu to the main location and check the rendering on mobile.
Ready-to-say script — explaining the sorting (20s)
"Your posts will be sorted into a few main sections, like the aisles of a shop. The top menu stays short: visitors immediately find your collections, your tips and your contact details, even on a phone."
The shop-aisle image speaks immediately to a craftsperson.
Copy-paste template — classification plan
CATEGORIES (2-5): _______________
SUBCATEGORIES: _______________
USEFUL TAGS: _______________
MAIN MENU: _______________
ASSIGNED LOCATION: main / footer / mobileNascent blog
Two categories are enough; add more when the volume justifies it.
Rich catalogue
Categories by use, tags by material or style.
Showcase site without a blog
The menu focuses on pages; categories stay empty.
FSE theme
The menu is managed in the site editor via the Navigation block.
✓ Best practices
- Create few categories, but well named.
- Use tags only if they link content together.
- Test the menu on mobile before delivering.
✗ Common pitfalls
- One category per post.
- A menu that lists every page.
- Forgetting to assign the menu to a location.
Key takeaways
- Categories = hierarchical sections; tags = cross-cutting keywords.
- Both concern posts only.
- The menu is the site's visible architecture.
- A short menu and a checked mobile rendering guide the visitor.
48h Challenge — apply tomorrow
Sort five fictional posts into two or three categories, add two cross-cutting tags, then build a menu of five entries maximum. Check the mobile rendering. 20 minutes.
- I sort posts with categories and tags.
- I build a short and functional menu.
- I check navigation on mobile.
Frequently asked questions
Category or tag: how to choose?
The category answers "which main section?" (structural, few in number); the tag answers "which precise keywords?" (cross-cutting). Avoid one tag per post: unique tags add neither navigation nor SEO.
How do I add a page to the menu?
Appearance → Menus: tick the page on the left, click "Add to menu", then drag it to the right position. An indent to the right creates a submenu. On FSE themes, go through the site editor and the Navigation block.
Do I need a different menu on mobile?
Most themes automatically adapt the main menu into a hamburger menu. Check the rendering and keep the essential entries first: on mobile, navigation depth costs.
The workshop sells pieces sorted by use (table, decoration, garden). How should the blog be organised?