What is a Category in WordPress?
In WordPress, a category is a way to group related posts together.
When you create a new post, you can assign it to one or more categories. This can help your readers find similar content on your site.
You can also use categories to organize your posts into different sections.
For example, you might have a category for each type of article on your blog. Categories can also be used in conjunction with tags to further narrow down the content on your site.
How to Create a Category in WordPress
By default, WordPress comes with a few default categories, but you can also create your own. Here’s how:
- First, log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Posts -> Categories page. Here, you’ll see a list of all the existing categories. To add a new category, simply enter its name in the field at the top of the page and click the “Add New Category” button.
- Next, you’ll need to assign some posts to your new category. To do this, edit each post that you want to include in the category and scroll down to the “Categories” section. Check the box next to your new category and then save your changes.
That’s it! You’ve now successfully created a new category in WordPress.
By grouping related posts together in this way, you can help your readers find the information they’re looking for more easily. Plus, it can also make your site more organized and easier to navigate.
How to Add Posts to a Category in WordPress
Adding a post to a category in WordPress is a straightforward process.
- First, log into your WordPress account and navigate to the “Posts” section.
- Then, click on the “Add New” button. Now, you will be able to create your new post.
- Once you have finished writing your post, scroll down to the “Categories” section on the right-hand side of the page. Here, you can select the relevant category for your post.
- Finally, click on the “Publish” button to save your changes.
How to Delete a Category in WordPress
If you want to delete a category in WordPress, there are a few steps you need to follow.
- First, navigate to the Posts section.
- Next, find the category you want to delete and hover over it. A trashcan icon should appear – click on it to delete the category.
- Finally, empty the trash by going to the Tools section and clicking on Empty Trash.
Keep in mind that deleting a category may also delete any posts that are associated with that category. WordPress may also simply move the posts to the “Uncategorized” category, which doesn’t look very professional.
So if you want to keep any of the posts or make sure your site appears professional, make sure to move them to a different category first.
How to Change the Order of Categories in WordPress
One way to customize the way your content is displayed is to change the order of your categories. This can be done by accessing the “Categories” page under your WordPress dashboard’s “Posts” section.
Once you are on this page, you will see a list of all the categories you have created. To change the order, simply drag and drop the categories into the desired order.
You can also use the “Parent” dropdown menu to nest categories under one another.
How to Create a Child Category in WordPress
Assuming you already have a parent category set up, creating a child category in WordPress is easy.
- First, go to the Posts panel and select Categories.
- Next, locate the parent category you want to use and hover your mouse over it. A new link will appear – click on Add New Category.
- Give your child category a name and Slug, then click on the Parent dropdown menu and select the appropriate parent category.
- Finally, click Add New Category, and your child category will be created!
How to Edit Categories in WordPress
First, click on the ‘Categories’ link. This will bring up a list of all the categories on your site. To edit a category, simply click on the ‘Edit’ link next to the category name.
This will allow you to change the category’s name, slug, description, and parent category.
Once you’ve made your changes, simply click ‘Update Category’ to save them.
How to Display Categories in WordPress
A list of your site’s categories in the sidebar is a great way to organize your content. You can display these using a Categories widget under Appearance » Widgets. Then, simply drag and drop it into any sidebar on your website.
All of your active categories will show up here, except for those without posts.
The category widget displays your categories as either a dropdown menu or a list. If selected, the Show hierarchy option will also format child categories with special styling, like an indent before the name.
Keep in mind that this particular option is dependent on what theme you have chosen. Without selecting Show Hierarchy, all of your categories will look uniform, whether they are parent or child types.
Categories vs. Tags (What is the Difference?)
Categories are used to group together similar types of content.
For example, on a blog about cooking, there might be categories for recipes, kitchen tips, and reviews of cooking products. Posts are usually assigned to only one category, making it easy for readers to find all the posts on a particular topic.
In contrast, tags can be used to describe more specific aspects of a post.
For example, a recipe post might be tagged with the names of the ingredients, the type of dish, and the level of difficulty. Because tags can be assigned to multiple posts, they provide a more fine-tuned way of organizing content.
Both categories and tags are useful tools for organizing WordPress sites, but they should be used in different ways.
Categories are best for grouping together similar types of content, while tags can be used to describe more specific aspects of a post.
WordPress users can use both categories and tags effectively to ensure that their content is easy to find and navigate.
How to Convert Categories to Tags in WordPress
To change your categories into tags or vice versa, go to Tools » Import and look for the “Categories and Tags Converter.” Then, click on the Run Importer button next to it.
Afterward, a pop-up window will open asking you if you want to install the importer- click on the Run Importer button again.
Click “Activate Plugin” and select the conversion option you want from the dropdown menu. Next, choose which items you’d like to convert by clicking on them, then click “Convert.”