From sticky headers to breadcrumbs: know the WordPress navigation menu

From sticky headers to breadcrumbs, explore essential elements for smooth and user-friendly website navigation.

Let’s first determine what a navigation menu is

A navigation menu is the set of links that helps people move around your website. Most often, you’ll find it near the top of the page, running across the header. But it can also sit down the side, appear in the footer, or open up when you tap an icon on your phone. No matter how it’s styled or where it’s placed, the purpose stays the same: to give people a simple way to get from one part of your website to another. It’s one of the first things visitors will look for, often without realising it, and if it’s missing or unclear, they’ll quickly feel lost and could even leave the website. 

Navigation menus do more than just hold your links. They determine how visitors experience your site. A clean, focused menu suggests clarity and purpose, while a layered or more complex structure shows there’s more to explore. Some menus stay in place while you scroll, some appear only when needed, and others are designed to change depending on the device. The way you style and structure your navigation can have a big impact on whether visitors stay, browse, or bounce away. It’s not just about getting people from A to B, it’s about making the journey feel straightforward and connected. 

WordPress gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to navigation. You can start simple with a header menu and build out from there, adding dropdowns, sticky elements, or mobile-specific designs. It all depends on your layout, your theme, and what kind of content your site holds. Some menus are built into the theme itself, others come as patterns or blocks, and there are plenty of plugins if you want more options. The rest of this page walks through a range of different types of navigation menus that can be found on websites whatever platform they might be built on giving you a feel for how each one works and when it might make sense to use them. 

Why navigation menus matter

Navigation menus might not be the most eye-catching part of your site, but they do some of the heaviest lifting when it comes to how visitors experience and move around your pages. Think of them as the backbone of your website’s structure as they connect everything together and give people a clear idea of what’s on offer. Whether someone lands on your homepage or a blog post, the menu is usually one of the first things they’ll notice. Without even thinking about it, they’ll look to it for guidance: where to click next, how to go back, or what else is available. If that experience is smooth and logical, they’ll carry on exploring. If it’s clunky or hard to find, you’ve probably lost them. 

The role of a navigation menu goes well beyond just listing your main pages. It creates a sense of orientation, helping people understand how your site is laid out. That matters more than ever now, as websites are accessed on all sorts of devices, with all sorts of layouts. A well-planned menu adapts to this. It responds to the needs of both the content and the person using the site. And because it’s present on every page, it becomes one of the most repeated and influential parts of the whole design. A good navigation system quietly does its work in the background, keeping people comfortable and giving them the confidence to keep browsing. Without it, even the most polished site can feel disconnected or incomplete. 

Ready to switch? Get started with MaxiBlocks now!

How well thought out and created navigation menus add value

A well-structured navigation menu adds real value to a website. It helps shape how people experience your content, giving them a sense of order and direction from the moment they arrive. For you, it’s also a way to guide attention, highlight key areas, and make sure visitors don’t miss important parts of your site. When done well, a navigation menu becomes an invisible part of the user experience by quietly doing its job while everything else falls into place. 

Improved experience

Navigation menus give your visitors a clear and simple way to move around your website. Instead of guessing where to go next or having to scroll aimlessly, they can follow a logical path through your content. This makes the experience feel smoother and more welcoming. When your menu is easy to use and sits in a familiar location, it helps people feel more confident as they explore. A good menu makes things feel effortless, even on a first visit, which is a strong start to building trust and keeping attention. 

Encourages exploration

A well-organised menu encourages people to look beyond the page they started on. If the structure is easy to understand and well labelled, visitors are far more likely to click through to other parts of your site. You can use this to highlight your most valuable content, guide people to your shop or services, or simply show them what else they might find interesting. In short, a strong menu keeps people moving, which often leads to more time spent on your site. 

Better SEO

Search engines use menus to get a sense of how your site is put together. If your navigation is clear, with logical categories and clean links, it helps search engines index your content more effectively. A strong internal structure also allows you to guide search engines to the pages you want to prioritise. It may not be the only factor in SEO, but a good navigation setup supports your overall efforts and makes your site more readable, for both humans and bots

Helps people get things done

Most people visit a website with a goal in mind. That might be reading an article, signing up to a mailing list, buying a product, or simply getting in touch. A clear menu puts those goals within reach by pointing people straight to what they need. Without a menu, or with a messy one, visitors may struggle to take action. A strong navigation layout removes unnecessary steps and helps people complete their tasks quickly and without fuss. 

Builds trust

A tidy, well-structured menu gives the impression that your site is carefully put together. It suggests attention to detail and gives people a quiet sense that things are in the right place. This matters more than it might seem. When someone visits a new website, especially for a business or service, they quickly form an opinion. If the menu is confusing or hard to find, it can make the whole site feel unprofessional. A clear menu, on the other hand, builds trust by making your site feel reliable and well maintained. 

Puts people in control

When your menu is easy to use, people feel like they are in charge of where they go and what they see. That sense of control makes a big difference to how visitors interact with your site. They’re more likely to browse at their own pace, return to earlier pages, or follow links they might have missed. A strong navigation menu supports this kind of free movement, which helps people feel comfortable and reduces the chance of them leaving in frustration. 

Try the free MaxiBlocks WordPress page builder

Build stunning websites faster with a modern WordPress builder that gives you creative freedom and clean, performance-optimised code. MaxiBlocks is open-source and designed to help designers, developers, and beginners create professional websites without limits.

WordPress Powerful blocks

Powerful blocks

Build anything with an ever-growing library of flexible, customisable blocks. No complexity, no limits.

Open

Instant designs

Instant designs

Choose from 2,000+ layouts to create beautiful pages in seconds. Just drag, drop and personalise to taste.

Limitless

Massive icon library

Massive icon library

Enhance your design with 14,000+ built-in SVG icons and shapes. No extra plugins or licences needed.

Easy

No-code editing

No-code editing

See changes instantly with a visual editor. Experiment freely, design fearlessly and never touch code.

Adaptive

One-click styles

One-click styles

Transform multiple elements with a single click. Instantly swap between professional designs.

Fast

Design tools

Design tools

Use background layers, image masks and scroll effects. Achieve bold visuals without extra software.

Unlocked

MaxiBlocks WordPress website builder

Where navigation menus can go wrong

Navigation menus are a vital part of any website, but when they’re not handled with care, they can easily become a source of confusion. A messy or overloaded menu can stop people in their tracks, making it harder to find what they need and pushing them to leave before engaging with your content. Even small missteps in structure or design can have a noticeable effect on how people respond to your site. 

Too much choice

A menu with too many options can feel overwhelming. If a visitor is met with a long list of links right away, they may struggle to know where to start. Instead of offering guidance, the menu becomes a distraction. This kind of overload can lead to hesitation, second-guessing, or simply giving up and leaving the site. More links do not always mean more value as they sometimes just create noise. 

Mental effort

Complex menus demand more attention. When someone has to stop and think about what a label means or how a section is organised, it interrupts their flow. Instead of glancing and clicking with confidence, they’re now decoding your site’s layout. That extra effort can turn people away, especially if they’re short on time or using a smaller screen. 

Hidden features

If your navigation is tucked away behind an unclear icon or buried in an unusual layout, people might miss it entirely. This is especially risky with mobile menus that rely on small touch targets or unfamiliar placement. When the menu is not obvious or easy to access, key parts of your site may go undiscovered. 

Harder on mobiles

Menus that work fine on desktops can quickly become difficult to use on mobile devices. Drop-downs that rely on hover actions, links that are too close together, or designs that take up too much space can all create usability problems. A mobile visitor needs fast, clear access to your content. Anything less can make the site feel awkward or broken. 

People may give up

Visitors arrive on your site with a goal, even if it’s something as simple as having a quick look around. If the menu doesn’t help them move towards that goal, or worse, gets in the way visitors are more likely to leave. Confusing navigation is one of the main reasons people bounce from a site before taking any action. 

Takes up space

Some menus, especially horizontal ones with lots of items, can take up more space than they need. On smaller screens, this can crowd out your content or make the page feel cramped. If the menu draws too much attention or pushes important information down the page, it may end up hurting the overall layout. 

Build your own beautiful websites!
Get MaxiBlocks now!

12 easy to use navigation menus

It might not have occurred to you to wonder about navigation menus. In most cases they are just taken for granted. However, there are many different navigation menus available. As a web designer if you work in WordPress you will find that even here the range of options is considerable. WordPress navigation menus run from simple to more complex and it depends on the skills you have whether you want to go for a simple header menu or if you want to try something more complex that might even require a plugin to implement. The good news is that there are many more menu types that are simple to use without any custom coding than complex ones. Below are 12 kinds of WordPress navigation menus you can easily add to your WordPress site. Each one gives your visitors a convenient way to move around your site, and you won’t have to be a developer to set them up. 

1. Horizontal navigation bar

For the most classic menu option the horizontal navigation bar across the top of the page is the best choice. You’ve likely seen it as a row of links in the header, listing key pages like Home, About, or Contact. It’s simple to set up using WordPress’s built-in menu settings. You can create a menu in your dashboard and assign it to your theme’s header location in just a few clicks. This type of menu is familiar to most visitors, so it makes it easy for people to find their way around your website. Because it’s so common, almost every WordPress theme supports a horizontal navigation bar out of the box. 

2. Dropdown navigation menu

One of the more popular menus is the WordPress dropdown navigation menu. This menu lets you organise pages in a hierarchy so visitors can dig deeper into specific sections. In WordPress, you can create a dropdown easily by nesting menu items under a parent item in the menu editor. For example, you might have a main “Services” menu item with several specific services listed in a submenu beneath it. When someone hovers over or clicks the parent, the list of sub-pages appears as a dropdown. Most WordPress themes handle dropdown menus automatically, so you don’t need any coding to have a multi-level menu. It’s an intuitive way to keep your navigation bar clean while still giving users access to lots of pages. 

3. Hamburger navigation menu

Most people will associate the hamburger navigation menu as being native to menus you see when browsing the internet on your smartphone. It is often seen on tablets as the website automatically responds to different screen sizes. It can appear on desktop view websites as well especially when the web designer of the site is aiming for a minimalist design.  It’s named after the three-line “hamburger” icon that represents it. When you tap or click that icon, the full menu slides into view. Many WordPress themes include a responsive hamburger menu that kicks in on smaller screens by default. This means you usually don’t have to do anything extra as your site will automatically show the little three-line menu button on mobile devices. A hamburger menu is great for saving space and keeping your design clean as it hides the navigation until someone needs it. It’s also universally recognised by users, so they know exactly how to access the menu on your WordPress site. 

4. Vertical sidebar navigation

Not every menu has to go across the top.  A vertical sidebar navigation menu runs down the side of your page. This style is easy to create in WordPress by adding a navigation menu to a sidebar area by using the widgets or site editor. The menu items stack vertically, usually on the left side, and they often remain visible as you scroll down. A sidebar menu is handy if you have a lot of sections or pages, since you can show many options without cluttering the top of your layout. Users will see an entire list of links at a glance, which can be great for blogs, documentation sites, or any site where you want navigation visible at all times. It gives your site a slightly different look and makes browsing feel more like a table of contents on each page. 

5. Footer navigation menu

In general the footer navigation menu lives at the bottom of your page. More often than not the footer is used as a general menu item while the top horizontal menu is reserved for the important menu items such as Services or Products, About, Pricing and Contact. A WordPress footer navigation menu  typically contains helpful links that visitors might look for after reading through a page. These could be such items as a Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, a list of important content pages for SEO purposes, a map to an office, links to the sites social media channels and more. In WordPress, adding a footer menu is straightforward if your theme supports it. You need to  create a menu and assign it to the footer area in your theme settings. Even if there isn’t a dedicated footer menu location, you can often use a widget to place a menu in the footer. This type of menu is easy to set up and ensures that when a visitor scrolls to the bottom, they’re not at a dead end. A well-organised footer navigation menu helps people find important pages without having to scroll back up to the top menu. 

6. Mega menu via plugin

A WordPress mega menu is a large, expandable menu that can display many links at once in a structured layout. It’s the kind of menu where, when you hover or click a top-level item, a big panel appears showing multiple columns of options, sometimes even with images or icons. This is fantastic for large sites such as an online shop showcasing product categories or a news site highlighting dozens of topics. While WordPress doesn’t include mega menus as a built-in feature, you can easily add one with a plugin (hence “via plugin”). There are user-friendly WordPress plugins that let you build mega menus by drag-and-drop, so no coding is needed. With a mega menu, you can organise a lot of content under one roof, and visitors can see a broad snapshot of what’s available without navigating through many different menus. 

7. Sticky navigation

At one stage in the history of web design and WordPress the sticky navigation (also known as a fixed menu) was immensely popular. In this instance it means your menu stays pinned to the top of the screen as the user scrolls down. This is a great usability trick to ensure that your visitors always have the main navigation at their fingertips, no matter how far down they’ve gone on a page. On many WordPress sites, the header menu can be made sticky by enabling an option in the theme customiser or settings. If your theme doesn’t have this feature, it’s still easy to achieve with a plugin that can turn a normal menu into a fixed one. The benefit of a sticky navigation is obvious: users don’t have to scroll all the way back up when they want to jump to another page. Your WordPress menu remains constantly accessible, making for a smoother browsing experience. Having said that, the sticky menu has lost favour and is not seen as often on websites. 

8. Breadcrumb navigation

Breadcrumb navigation isn’t a menu bar in the usual sense, but it’s a helpful secondary navigation aid that shows users where they are on your site. It usually appears near the top of a page, displaying a trail of links like “Home > Blog > Article Title”. In WordPress, you can add breadcrumbs with the help of a plugin or a theme feature and means there is no need for custom coding. Once enabled, it automatically generates a path based on your page hierarchy or category structure. Breadcrumbs are especially useful on larger sites or e-commerce stores because they let users backtrack easily through levels of content. For example, if a visitor landed on a product page, they can click the breadcrumb links to go back to the main store page or category. It’s an easy-to-use navigation element that quietly improves the user experience by making your site feel more organised and easy to explore. It is rarely if ever used on its own but can certainly help with not only navigation but with SEO as well. 

9. Tabbed navigation

Tabbed navigation allows you to present content in a series of tabs, usually on a single page, so users can switch between different content panels without loading a new page. Think of it like having multiple sections (tabs) such as Description, Reviews, and FAQs on a product page, all visible one at a time when you click the tab names. WordPress makes it simple to add tabbed sections using page builders or plugins that offer tabs as a design element. You don’t need to do any custom coding – you can just insert a tabbed content block or shortcode and fill in the content for each tab. This creates a navigation-like interface within the page itself, which can be very user-friendly. It keeps your page clean and organised because only one section is shown at a time, and visitors can quickly flip through the tabs to find the info they want. This feature is often used on websites promoting travel and accommodation services where a fair amount of information needs to be viewable but might clutter up a page if all is shown at once.  

10. Slide-out/push menu

This type of navigation menu is generally used when space saving is important. A slide-out or push menu is a modern navigation style that lives off-canvas (off the screen) until it’s needed. When a user clicks a menu button or a hamburger icon, the menu slides out from the side of the screen by either pushing the page content aside or overlaying on top of it. This style is common on mobile sites and is also used on desktop sites that want a clean look without a constant menu bar. In WordPress, you often see slide-out menus as part of responsive theme designs as in the mobile menu that slides in, and some themes even let you enable this effect for desktop view. If not, there are plugins that can add an off-canvas menu to any site with very little setup. It’s an easy way to give your site an app-like feeling, where the navigation is available on demand. Users find it familiar on smartphones.  As they tap the menu a user gets a nice animated panel of links, and when tapping again can close it when done. 

11. Full-screen overlay menu

When opened, a full-screen overlay menu can take over the entire screen. Typically, your site might show a simple menu icon or a “Menu” button.  When a visitor clicks it, the whole screen fades or transitions into a menu display, often with big links centered on the screen. This menu style is popular in creative WordPress themes, portfolios, or sites that want a dramatic, clean navigation experience. Despite its flashy result, a full-screen menu is usually easy to implement with a WordPress plugin or a theme that supports it. This means no coding is required. Once it’s set up, the effect is straightforward for users.  They click the icon, see an unobstructed list of navigation options taking up the full screen which is sometimes accompanied by bold typography or images, and they can click an X or the icon again to return to the site content. It provides a clear, focused menu experience without distractions. 

12. Top utility menus

Top utility menus are those little sets of links often found at the very top of a webpage, above the main header. They’re usually used for handy secondary links or info such as, links to language preference, log in/out, signup, a shopping cart, or contact details. These aren’t the primary pages of your site, but they’re useful things you want users to have access to without taking up space in your main navigation bar. WordPress makes it easy to set up a top utility menu if your theme has a spot for it. You can create a small menu, just like any other menu in WordPress and assign it to the theme’s “top bar” or header area. If your theme doesn’t support a top menu by default, you can add one with a plugin that creates a top bar, all without any custom code. Having a top utility menu gives your visitors quick access to important utilities or links like “My Account” or “Help” while keeping your primary navigation uncluttered and focused on the main pages of your site. 

Success stories

Read genuine feedback from our users about their journey with MaxiBlocks

Just wanted to say this is an awesome product. Yall outdid yourselves. Designs are great and super easy to use.

Roman

Andrew_D

This is a promising great plugin that takes the WordPress Gutenberg a step forward & makes life much easier & site building more fun.

Ahrale

Ahrale

I picked this up on it’s first run and it’s proven to be a brilliant purchase. he team have been consistent in rolling out updates and have been helpful when I’ve sent them messages.

MarkJDraper

MarkJDraper

I bought Maxi after receiving the bill for next year of Elementor… Library of pages, elements or icons is huge. I’m building new pages in Maxi and didn’t need to learn too much. 

marcin945

marcin945

4 WordPress navigation menus that need more advanced setup

Not all WordPress navigation menus can be created with a few clicks. Some menu types call for more customisation, and occasionally a bit of code or a specific plugin. These more advanced menus tend to appear on creative websites or those that need to guide visitors through a particular experience. They’re not difficult to build if you know your way around WordPress, but they do take extra planning and setup. The result, however, is often worth the effort.  

1. Scroll-triggered navigation

Some menus update as the visitor scrolls through the page. These are often used on single-page sites or landing pages where each section links to a different part of the content. The menu highlights the current section, giving a visual cue to show where someone is on the page. This type of menu usually stays fixed at the top of the screen and may require JavaScript or theme support to work smoothly.  

2. Interactive navigation

These menus are more visual and involve movement or animation. Some might include hover-triggered scenes, animated backgrounds, or effects that change as someone explores the site. They’re mostly seen on creative websites, and often rely on a mix of CSS animations, JavaScript, or external scripts. These menus can help create a strong first impression but need more design input than standard layouts.  

3. Contextual or in-page navigation

Used mostly on long pages, this type of menu helps people jump to different sections quickly. It’s often shown as a sticky sidebar or top menu that follows the visitor as they scroll. This keeps navigation close by, especially useful on content-heavy pages like documentation, service breakdowns, or pricing. It’s mostly built using anchor tags, and works well in block-based editors with good layout control.  

4. Icon-based navigation

Menus with icons instead of text need more design attention but can create a clean and modern layout. They’re often used for quick links, mobile menus, or visual shortcuts like social icons or product categories. Icons must be clear and familiar, or they risk confusing visitors. Page builders like MaxiBlocks offer built-in icon sets that make this easier, but it still takes time to get the design just right.  

These more complex WordPress navigation menus take a bit more time to get right. But for websites that benefit from added interactivity or visual structure, they can make a big difference. With the right tools, they’re well within reach for most website creators.  

Win the website design competition!
Get MaxiBlocks now!

Navigation menu guidelines: a 4 section checklist for better user experience

A navigation menu plays a central role in how people use a website. Menus are often the first thing someone interacts with, and when they don’t work properly, frustration sets in quickly. Good user experience or also referred to as UX depends on clear, easy-to-use navigation that helps people find what they’re looking for without thinking too hard. Yet many menus are still hidden, unclear, or oddly placed. This causes visitors to get lost, click away, or miss key content. This checklist covers common issues and gives practical suggestions to help improve how navigation menus are built and used. It’s aimed at anyone who wants to make menus that work better for the people using them. 

Here are four sections that provide a closer look at what is involved in making sure that UX or User Experience is clear and provided for at all times. 

1. Making navigation visible

When people land on a website, they rely on the navigation menu to get their bearings. If the menu is hidden, unclear, or placed in an unexpected spot, it slows them down or puts them off entirely. A visible, well-placed menu gives immediate context, helping visitors understand the site’s structure and what’s available. It’s not just about wayfinding, it also communicates what kind of site they’re on and what sort of content or services they can expect. Hiding navigation on larger screens or making it hard to spot is one of the more common mistakes, and also one of the easiest to avoid. Here are some tricks to keep in mind. 

Show navigation on larger screens: menus should be visible by default on desktops and large laptops. Hiding navigation under a hamburger icon might work for mobiles, but on bigger screens it makes content harder to find. People don’t always go looking for hidden menus, and if they can’t see navigation at a glance, they may never realise what’s available. Visible menus help to show the range of content and give a better first impression. 

Put menus in expected locations: people tend to look for navigation in predictable places. On a website, the primary menu is usually across the top or down the left-hand side. Utility links are often placed above or beside the main menu, and footer links go at the bottom. When navigation appears in the usual spots, people find it faster and need less time to figure out how to get around the site. 

Use link-text colours that contrast with the background: links should stand out clearly from the rest of the content. If the text blends into the background, visitors won’t even notice the links are there. Poor contrast makes menus harder to read and harder to use, especially for people with visual impairments or on screens with glare. A good menu looks obvious and is easy to scan. 

Don’t cover the screen with the menu on larger screens: opening a menu should not block everything else from view. Mega menus and dropdowns are useful, but if they take over the whole screen, they can be confusing. Some visitors might think they’ve landed on a new page or lose track of where they are. Menus should appear as part of the current view, not replace it. 

2. Tell the user where they are at any given time

People need to know where they are on a website to feel in control. A good navigation menu gives clear signs so visitors don’t get lost or confused, especially if they arrive from a search engine and land on a content page rather than the home page.  

Indicate the current location in the menu: every page should make it clear which section the visitor is in. Highlighting the active menu item, using breadcrumbs, or including headings can help people understand their current position. Without these cues, visitors may struggle to navigate back or explore nearby pages. 

Provide local navigation for related content: if a section has multiple related pages, show them together in a local menu. This makes it easier to compare options or complete tasks without having to jump back and forth. It reduces frustration and keeps people focused on the content that matters.  

3. Let people see what their options are

Navigation menus should give a clear picture of what’s available on the site. If the labels are vague or the structure is confusing, visitors won’t know where to go next. Good menus help people make decisions quickly and avoid unnecessary clicks or backtracking. 

Use clear and familiar link labels: menu items should use words that visitors already understand. Avoid internal jargon, clever wordplay, or vague categories. People scan menus quickly, so the labels need to be obvious and relevant to the content they lead to. 

Make labels easy to scan: short, front-loaded labels help people find what they need faster. Left-aligned menus and consistent formatting allow for quick scanning. This matters most on vertical menus, where the eye moves down a list looking for familiar terms. 

Show more levels when the site is large: on bigger websites, a menu might need more than one level. Mega menus or well-structured dropdowns can help visitors skip steps and get to what they need. Mobile menus often use step-by-step levels instead, but the goal is the same and that is to make deeper content easy to reach. 

Add visual cues for long menus: icons or subtle images can help explain menu items, especially when the list is long. These cues shouldn’t replace text, but they can make scanning easier and reduce the mental load. Used carefully, they improve both understanding and speed. 

4. Make it easy to use the menu

Even the best-designed navigation menus fail if they’re awkward to use. Menus should respond reliably across devices, be simple to tap or click, and offer clear signals about what’s interactive. Small details in how the menu behaves can make a big difference to how people experience the site. 

Make links easy to tap or click: menu links should be large enough and spaced well so people can use them comfortably, especially on mobile. Small or crowded links often lead to misclicks, which frustrate users and slow them down. 

Show when a submenu is available: use small arrows or carets to signal that more options are tucked under a menu item. Without these, people may not realise a menu expands, and they could miss key content. 

Use click to open submenus, not hover: hover-based menus don’t work well on touchscreens and can be fiddly even with a mouse. Click-activated menus are more stable, easier to control, and work consistently across different devices. 

Avoid deep, cascading dropdowns: too many levels in a dropdown menu are hard to handle. They often close accidentally or make it easy to click the wrong thing. Use mega menus for complex sites, or link to a page with more choices if needed.  

Final thoughts on UX guidelines for navigation menus

A good navigation menu does more than just link to pages. It gives people confidence, shows them what’s possible, and helps them get there without effort. The four sections in this checklist cover the basics of making menus that work: keeping them visible, helping people understand where they are, making all options clear, and making the menu itself easy to use. Most of these guidelines don’t require complicated tools, just attention to how real people behave. And when navigation works well, the rest of the site has a much better chance of doing its job.  

Use case sample: building a church publication website with clear navigation menus

When designing a website for a publication, clarity is everything. Visitors need to find articles, archives, subscription details, and contact information quickly, often without much time or patience. A small web design agency took on the project of building a website for a church-run publication, with a focus on readability, accessibility, and simple navigation. The designer, working solo, chose WordPress with MaxiBlocks for the flexibility and speed it offered, especially when dealing with layout and menu design. 

Background context

A small church publication wanted to move from print to a web-based format. Their readers ranged widely in age and tech ability, so ease of use was critical. They wanted to showcase their latest articles, list past issues, provide downloadable content, and allow donations. The publication didn’t have an in-house team, so the website had to be easy to maintain as well. 

User actions

The designer used WordPress with the MaxiBlocks website builder and Go theme to build the site. MaxiBlocks offered a fast way to test layout options and gave her access to useful patterns for headers, footers, and menu layouts. She avoided using a hamburger menu on desktop and instead placed the navigation clearly across the top, using simple, clear link labels. For the articles section, she added a sticky in-page navigation menu to help readers jump to topics within each issue. 

Observations and results

The project came together quickly. Using MaxiBlocks allowed the designer to test multiple navigation options without starting from scratch each time. The church team appreciated how easy it was to see where everything went, and how well the menu worked across devices. Older readers liked the visible menu and simple labels, while younger visitors responded well to the mobile experience. 

Insights and performance notes

 The designer found that using pre-built patterns in MaxiBlocks helped her avoid reinventing layout structures. For example, she used a two-level menu for main sections and archives, and a sticky local menu on long article pages. These options were easy to adjust and worked well with the reading habits of the publication’s audience. There was no need for complex plugins or extra coding. 

Takeaway for other users

 For a publication or content-heavy website, visible and easy-to-use navigation makes all the difference. Tools like WordPress and MaxiBlocks offer flexible ways to build and test these features quickly, even for small teams or solo designers. 

Take away

This project showed how the right combination of builder and theme can help a designer focus on structure and content rather than technical workarounds. Using clear, visible navigation with thoughtful menu patterns helped the site feel familiar and useful from the start. And with WordPress and MaxiBlocks, the site remains easy for the client to manage over time. 

Final thoughts

A WordPress navigation menu can be as simple as a few text links or as detailed as a multi-level structure with dropdowns, icons, and scrolling effects. You will have found a fairly extensive description of a variety of menu types, from standard headers to sticky in-page menus, full-screen overlays, and even interactive or icon-based layouts. Each one serves a different purpose depending on the site, the audience, and the volume of content. Choosing the right type of navigation menu is often about balance. A more complex design may suit a content-heavy site, while a simple, visible menu might work best for a smaller or more focused project. In each case, you need to think about what the visitor needs, what device they’re using, and how quickly they should be able to get from one section to the next. 

But picking the right layout is just one part of the work. A good WordPress navigation menu also depends on how clearly it follows user experience guidelines. These include making the menu visible at all times, showing people where they are, making all options easy to understand, and designing it so that it’s easy to use on both desktop and mobile. Visitors rely on navigation menus to make sense of a site, and poor navigation is one of the fastest ways to lose trust or interest. The checklist we’ve worked through here gives practical ways to avoid those common mistakes. Instead of worrying about clever layouts or unnecessary animations, it puts the focus on what actually helps people. In the end, the best navigation menu is the one that does the job well without drawing too much attention. 

FAQ’s on WordPress page builder

What are WordPress icons and why are they useful?

WordPress icons are small design elements that help highlight important parts of a page, such as calls to action or navigation features. They improve the visual flow of a site and make it easier for visitors to find key information quickly.

Resources

Technical and coding

WebTNG
A helpful blog by a developer who shares insights and tutorials based on real-world experience. The goal is to give back after benefiting from others’ generosity online.

SolidWP
A company focused on WordPress security. They develop and sell trusted tools for improving site protection.

TechRadar
A well-known tech website offering buying advice, product reviews, and tutorials. Their mission is to help people understand and enjoy everyday technology.

SEO

Search Engine Journal
A respected source for SEO strategies, industry news, and expert insights into search engine marketing.

WordPress

Why WordPress?
WordPress is an ideal platform for creative freedom. It empowers both beginners and professionals to create sites that showcase their work. Artists and creatives use WordPress to build a strong online presence that goes beyond physical galleries.

This description is shared by Ultahost, a top-rated WordPress hosting provider offering services suited to creatives and businesses alike.

Learning WordPress

WordPress.org tutorials
Explore free lessons for beginners and advanced users at WordPress.org. A great place to start learning how to build your site from scratch.

Darrel Wilson on YouTube
Darrel teaches users how to make WordPress websites without needing coding knowledge. His videos focus on drag-and-drop builders and beginner-friendly design.

Jamie WP YouTube channel
Jamie creates WordPress tutorials and plugin development videos. He also offers premium courses for deeper learning, available through his website.