What is a Child Page Hierarchy in WordPress?
A child page in WordPress is a subordinate page organized under a parent page within a structured setup. The parent page acts as the main page, while the child page provides additional content or context related to the parent page’s subject.
Parent and Child Pages
A parent page is a top-level page that serves as the foundation for organizing related pages. The relationship between a parent page and its child pages defines the structure, establishing a clear framework for a site and serving as a central point for related information.
A child page exists as a subpage under the parent page. It inherits the URL slug of its parent and expands on the broader topic introduced by the parent page.
For example, if the parent page is called “About Us,” a child page under it called “Our Team” would have a URL like https://example.com/about-us/our-team/. This logical setup groups and connects content, contributing to clarity.
Creating a Child Page in WordPress
To create a child page, you assign its parent page in the page attributes section. This can be done by selecting “Quick Edit” or “Edit” for the desired page within the WordPress dashboard.
In the “Page Attributes” section, use the dropdown menu to choose its parent page. Once saved, the child page adopts the parent’s slug in its URL and becomes part of its structure.
WordPress supports multi-level systems. A parent page can have one or more child pages, and those child pages can also have their own child pages, forming additional layers.
For example, a parent page titled “Services” might include child pages such as “Consulting” or “Training.” These child pages could then have another level under them, like “Workshops” under “Training.”
Organizing Content Effectively
Using a child page system helps organize content for both site managers and visitors. Each layer connects related topics logically, improving usability and bringing clarity. This setup is especially helpful for websites with extensive content, as it simplifies grouping and categorization.
Content managers benefit from this approach as it visually and structurally organizes information. Parent-child relationships are clear in the WordPress interface’s page list view, making editing or reordering more straightforward.
Managing Page Structures in WordPress
WordPress provides tools in the page attributes section to manage structures. Site managers can set or adjust parent-child relationships manually. For added convenience, plugins like Nested Pages introduce features like drag-and-drop functionality, editable tree views, and advanced controls for organizing pages.
SEO and URL Structure
The organization of a site impacts its URL structure. Child pages inherit the slug of the parent page, which improves URL clarity and relevance.
For instance, if a parent page is “Contact Us” and the child page is “Locations,” the resulting URL would be https://example.com/contact-us/locations/. This setup reinforces content relationships, supporting both users and search engines.
Search engine optimization benefits when content is well-structured. Logical groupings provide search engines with better context and relationships between pages, enhancing search result accuracy.
Practical Applications
A site’s navigation becomes more user-friendly with a hierarchical arrangement. For instance, an “About” section might include sub-sections for company history, goals, or team details. Similarly, product pages can follow this style for different variants or categories.