In WordPress, a parent page is a top-level page that can have one or more subpages (also known as child pages) nested underneath it.
Parent pages can be useful for organizing your website’s content and creating a hierarchical structure. For example, if you have a website about cooking, you might create a parent page called “Recipes” and then create child pages for different types of recipes (e.g. “Desserts,” “Soups,” “Appetizers,” etc.).
Here are the main differences between a child page and a parent page:
Parent Page: As mentioned previously, a parent page in WordPress is a higher-level page that contains other pages, known as child pages. In website navigation, the parent page usually appears as the main category, and child pages appear as subcategories under it.
Child Page: A child page is a lower-level page that is associated with a parent page. It usually contains content that is related to the parent page’s topic or category. Child pages can be organized under multiple parent pages or categories, depending on the website’s structure.
URL: A child page usually has a URL that includes the parent page’s URL as a prefix. This helps identify the relationship between a parent page and a child page(s).
Content: The content of a parent page may be more general and provide an overview of a topic, while the child page may provide more detailed information on a specific aspect of the topic.
Both parent and child pages are useful for creating a structured website that makes it easy for visitors to navigate and find the content they’re looking for. By logically organizing your pages, you can also help search engines like Google understand your site’s hierarchy and improve your site’s SEO.
Setting Up Parent and Child Pages
To set up parent pages and child pages in WordPress,
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard and select “Pages” from the menu on the left-hand side. From there, choose the page that you want to make a child page and click “Edit.”
- Once you’re in the editor, look for the “Page Attributes” box on the right-hand side of the screen. In the “Parent” dropdown, select the page that you want to be the parent of the current page.
(If you don’t have any existing parent pages, you can create one by clicking “Add New Page” and making it the parent).
- Once you’ve set a parent page, save your changes and your child page is now linked to its parent page. You can repeat this process for any additional child pages you want to create.
It’s important to note that the order of the pages may also affect how they are displayed on your website. By default, pages are displayed in chronological order, but you can change the order using the drag-and-drop feature in the “Pages” screen or by using a plugin that allows for custom sorting.
Tips to use parent pages and child pages effectively
Using child and parent pages effectively in WordPress can help you create a well-organized and easy-to-navigate website. Here are some tips you can follow to use them effectively:
Plan your site structure: Before creating any pages, plan out your site structure and decide which pages will be parent pages and which will be child pages. This will help you create a logical hierarchy that makes sense to your visitors.
Use descriptive page titles: Make sure your page titles accurately describe the content on the page. This will help visitors as well as search engines in understanding what the page is about.
Link to parent and child pages: Include links to your parent and child pages within your content, as well as in your navigation menu. This will make it easy for visitors to navigate your site and find the information they’re looking for.
Use custom templates: If you have a specific page layout that you want to use for your parent or child pages, you can create a custom template. This will allow you to have a consistent look and feel across your site and make it easier to manage your content.
Set up redirects: If you change the URL of a parent or child page, make sure to set up a redirect so that visitors don’t get a 404 error when they try to access the page.
Optimize for SEO: Use keywords in your page titles and content to optimize your pages for search engines. Also, make sure to include meta descriptions and alt tags for images to improve your site’s SEO.
You can search for other similar tips as well.
To devise and implement effective SEO strategies, it is highly recommended to outsource SEO services to experts. Bluehost offers expert Managed SEO services to help your website get ranked across search engines. You can even request a free consultation to discuss your business needs and understand more about our services.
Hope this article was helpful to you.
