WordPress: How to Add a New Page

Create and Optimise Essential Pages to Enhance Your Website Structure and User Experience

Introduction

A well-structured website is vital for business success. For WordPress users, adding new pages is fundamental, but strategic page creation significantly impacts your online presence. This guide will walk you through creating and optimising new pages in WordPress, ensuring they contribute to your website architecture, improve user experience, and support business objectives. We will focus on practical implementation using the intuitive Gutenberg editor and integrating new pages seamlessly into your site.

Understanding WordPress Pages

WordPress distinguishes between posts (chronological blog entries) and pages (static, hierarchical content like 'About Us' or 'Contact Us'). This distinction is key to building a logical and user-friendly website. WordPress's flexibility, powered by its block editor and extensive plugin ecosystem, allows for powerful page creation tailored to your business needs.

Step-by-Step Guide: Adding a New Page in WordPress

Follow these steps to create a new page on your WordPress website:

1. Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard

   • Navigate to your WordPress admin area (yourdomain.co.uk/wp-admin) and log in with your credentials.

2. Navigate to the 'Add New Page' Section

   • From the Dashboard, hover over Pages in the left-hand sidebar, then click Add New.

3. Choose a pattern for your page layout. This will show depending on various settings.

4. Enter Your Page Title

   • In the Gutenberg editor, add a clear and descriptive title in the Add title field. This title is crucial for visitors and SEO.

5. Add Content Using Blocks

   • Use the + icon (Block Inserter) to add various content blocks:

     • Paragraph Block: For standard text.

     • Heading Block: For section titles (e.g., H2, H3).

     • Image Block: Insert images from your Media Library or upload new ones.

     • List Block: For bulleted or numbered lists.

     • Button Block: Create call-to-action buttons.

   • Experiment with blocks to build your page layout effectively.

6. Configure Page Settings (Document Sidebar)

   • The Document settings sidebar (gear icon in the top right) allows you to configure important settings. If you have an SEO Plugin it will appear at the bottom of the page the various settings. It is important that you complete the focused keywords, SEO Title, Slug and Meta Description.

     • Status & Visibility: Control page visibility (public, private, password-protected) and publication date.

     • Permalink: Edit the URL slug for better SEO.

     • Featured Image: Set an image representing your page, often used in social media or theme layouts.

     • Page Attributes: Assign a Parent Page for hierarchical organisation (e.g., 'Services' for 'Web Design'). Select a Template if your theme offers different layouts.

7. Save and Preview Your Page

   • Click Save to save your work without publishing.

   • Click Preview to see how your page will appear to visitors - this is the box with an arrow out of it to the right of Save.

8. Publish Your Page

   • Once satisfied, click Publish. Confirm to make your page live on your website.

Advanced Techniques for Page Optimisation

• SEO Optimisation: Use an SEO plugin (e.g., Yoast SEO, Rank Math) to optimise your page title, meta description, and content for keywords, improving search engine visibility.

• Internal Linking: Link your new page to relevant existing pages to improve user navigation and SEO.

• Responsive Design: Ensure your page displays correctly on all devices. Modern WordPress themes are typically responsive, but always verify.

• Page Builder Plugins: For complex layouts without coding, consider plugins like Elementor or Beaver Builder, offering drag-and-drop interfaces and extensive design options.

Troubleshooting Common Page Issues

• Page Not Appearing in Menu: Manually add your new page to your navigation menu via Appearance > Menus in your Dashboard.

• Incorrect Layout/Styling: Check Page Attributes for correct template application. Clear caching plugins if changes aren't visible. This can also be due to theme conflicts.

• Slow Page Load Times: Optimise images before uploading. Use caching (e.g., WP Rocket) and image optimisation plugins (e.g., Smush) for better performance.

• 404 Error (Page Not Found): Go to Settings > Permalinks in your Dashboard and click Save Changes to flush permalink rules, often resolving the issue.

Key Takeaways

Adding new pages in WordPress is straightforward and powerful when approached strategically. By focusing on clear titles, structured content with blocks, and optimising page settings, you create effective pages that enhance user experience and support business goals. Remember to integrate pages into navigation, optimise for SEO, and troubleshoot common issues for a high-performing site. Regular review and updates ensure your pages remain relevant and drive value.

The Wordpress eco-system can be a little complex to make sure you read and plan ahead for any changes. There are a set of useful detailed guides here.