How to Add Navigation Menu in WordPress (Beginner’s Guide)

Do you want to add a navigation menu to your WordPress site?

WordPress comes with a drag and drop menu interface that you can use to create header menus, menus with dropdown options, and more.

In this step by step guide, we will show you how to easily add a navigation menu in WordPress.

What is a Navigation Menu?

A navigation menu is a list of a links pointing to important areas of a website. They are usually presented as a horizontal bar of links at the top of every page on a website.

Navigation menus give your site structure and help visitors find what they’re looking for. Here’s how the navigation menu looks on WPBeginner:

WordPress makes it really easy to add menus and sub-menus. You can add links to your most important pages, categories or topics, blog posts, and even custom links such as your social media profile.

The exact location of your menu will depend on your WordPress theme. Most themes will have several options, so you can create different menus that can be displayed in different places.

For instance, most WordPress themes come with a primary menu that appears on the top. Some themes may include a secondary menu, a footer menu, or a mobile navigation menu as well.

Creating Your First Custom Navigation Menu

To create a navigation menu, you need to visit the Appearance » Menus page in your WordPress admin dashboard.

First, you need to provide a name for your menu, like ‘Top Navigation Menu’ and then click the ‘Create Menu’ button. This will expand the menu area, and it will look like this:

Next, you can choose the pages you want to add to the menu. You can either automatically add all new top-level pages, or you can select specific pages from the left column.

First, click the ‘View All’ tab to see all your site’s pages. After that click the box next to each of the pages you want to add to your menu, and then click on the ‘Add to Menu’ button.

Once your pages have been added, you can move them around by dragging and dropping them.

Note: All menus have their items listed in a vertical (top to bottom) list in the menu editor. When you put the menu live on your site, it’ll either display vertically or horizontally (left to right), depending on the location you select.

Most themes have several different locations where you can put menus. In this example, we’re using the default 2020 theme, which has 5 different locations.

After adding pages to the menu, select the location where you want to display the menu and click on the ‘Save Menu’ button.

Tip: If you’re not sure where each location is, try saving the menu in different places, then visiting your site to see how it looks. You probably won’t want to use all the locations, but you might want to use more than one.

Here’s our finished menu on the site:

Creating Drop-Down Menus in WordPress

Drop-down menus, sometimes called nested menus, are navigation menus with parent and child menu items. When you run your cursor over a parent item, all the child items will appear beneath it in a sub-menu.

To create a sub menu, drag an item below the parent item, and then drag it slightly to the right. We’ve done that with 3 sub-items beneath ‘Services’ in our menu:

Here’s the sub-menu live on the site:

You can even add multiple layers of dropdown, so that your sub menu can have a sub menu. This can end up looking at bit cluttered, and many themes do not support multi-layer drop-down menus.

In this example, you can see that ‘Logo Design’ (a child item of ‘Services’) has two child items of its own.

Adding Categories to WordPress Menus

If you’re using WordPress to run a blog, then you may want to add your blog categories as a drop-down in your WordPress menu. We do this on WPBeginner:

You can easily add categories to your menu by clicking the Categories tab on the left side of the Menus screen. You may also need to click the ‘View All’ tab to see all your categories.

Simply select the categories you want to add to the menu, and then click the ‘Add to Menu’ button.

The categories will appear as regular menu items at the bottom of your menu. You can drag and drop them into position. We’re going to put all of these categories under the Blog menu item.

Do you want to have a blog page on your site that’s separate from your homepage? If so, check out our tutorial on how to create a separate page for blog posts in WordPress.

Adding Custom Links to Your WordPress Navigation Menus

Aside from categories and pages, WordPress also makes it super easy to add custom links to your menu. You can use it to link to your social media profiles, your online store, and / or other websites that you own.

You will need to use the ‘Custom Links’ tab on the Menu screen. Simply add the link along with the text you want to use in your menu.

You can even get creative and add social media icons in your menu.

Editing or Removing a Menu Item in WordPress Navigation Menus

When you add pages or categories to your custom navigation menu, WordPress uses the page title or category name as the link text. You can change this if you want.

Any menu item can be edited by clicking on the downward arrow next to it.

You can change the name of the menu item here. This is also where you can click ‘Remove’ to take the link off your menu altogether.

If you’re struggling with the drag and drop interface, then you can also move the menu item around by clicking the appropriate ‘Move’ link.

Adding WordPress Menus in Sidebars and Footers

You don’t have to just stick to the display locations for your theme. You can add navigation menus in any area that uses widgets, like your sidebar or footer.

Simply go to Appearance » Widgets and add the ‘Navigation Menu’ widget to your sidebar. Next, add a title for the widget and choose the correct menu from the ‘Select Menu’ drop down list.

Here’s an example of a custom WordPress footer menu built on Syed Balkhi website.

Going Further with Navigation Menus

If you want to create a truly epic menu with loads of links, we’ve got a tutorial on how to create a mega menu in WordPress. This lets you create a drop-down with lots of items including images.

Mega menus are a great option if you have a large site, like an online store or news site. This type of menu is used by sites like Reuters, Buzzfeed, Starbucks, etc.

We hope this article helped you learn how to add a navigation menu in WordPress. You may also want to check out our guides on how to style navigation menus in WordPress and how to create a sticky floating navigation menu in WordPress.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Add Navigation Menu in WordPress (Beginner’s Guide) appeared first on WPBeginner.

April 14, 2020 at 05:17PM

How to Buy a Domain Name That is Taken (9 Pro Tips)

We often hear from readers who want to buy a domain name that’s already been taken.

If you’re in that position, then you might be wondering how to go about getting hold of a domain name that someone already owns.

The easiest solution would be to find another suitable domain name. However, sometimes this may not be the best option.

In this article, we’re going to share our expert tips on how to buy a taken domain and give you some insider tips on what to watch out for. We will also cover few proven strategies that you can use if your domain isn’t available.

Note: Unlike other guides on the internet, this resource is based on our actual collective experience of buying premium domains. We have spent anywhere from few hundred to few million dollars in buying premium domains and established website businesses.

The Basics of Buying a Domain Name That’s Already Taken

All websites need a domain name. It is your website’s address on the internet. See our beginner’s guide on how domain names work if you’re not 100% sure what a domain name actually is.

You can register a new domain name for around $10 – $15 from any of the top domain registrars. Alternatively, you can even get a free domain name when you sign up with hosting companies like Bluehost, Dreamhost, etc.

But what if the domain name you want is already taken?

In that case, you have two options: come up with a different name or buy the one you really want from it’s current owner.

Buying a taken domain name from someone who’s already registered it could be a great move for your business.

However, it’s important to beware of risks and scams, so you don’t waste time or money. That’s why we have put together these tips on how to buy a taken domain as safely as possible.

What to Consider Before Buying a Domain Name

One key question to ask yourself is whether you want to purchase a domain name alone or an established website.

Buying a website, if it’s one that has a consistent track record of making money, can be a great shortcut. It lets you get a money-making business straight away rather than having to build one from scratch.

However, it’s going to be way more expensive to buy a website than just a domain name. You’ll also have more risks and legal liabilities to consider.

How to Actually Buy a Taken Domain Name

There are two main routes to buying domain names that are already taken:

• Privately approaching the domain name’s owner and agreeing on the sale
• Look for the name in domain marketplaces.

The first method avoids involving a third-party into the sale, and you may be able to persuade the owner towards more favorable pricing.

If the domain name already has a website with a contact form, then you can use that to reach out to the site owner.

Alternatively, you can search for it using the Domain WHOIS tool. You may be able to get the contact details of the owner from the domain details there.

The second method is to look for the name using online domain marketplaces. This is where many domain owners go to sell their domain names.

We recommend using Domain.com. It is one of the best places to register a domain name or buy a domain name for sale.

Simply search for the domain name you are looking for to see if it is available for sale.

Domain names that are already taken may be highlighted as a premium domain name with a higher price. If you find the domain name listed there, then you can add it to the cart and proceed to payment.

You can try multiple domain marketplaces like Sedo, Flippa, etc to see if the domain is listed for sale there.

If the domain name is not listed anywhere, then it is probably not available for sale. You can still try the first method of approaching the owner with your offer.

That being said, let’s take a look at tips on making sure that you buy your domain name safely.

Tip 1. Avoid Using a Different Extension Instead

If you find that your domain name is taken when using a .com, then you might be tempted to use a different domain extension like .net or .org.

However, this can cause problems as people may forget your domain name and type in .com or .org.

You may even face legal issues if the .com owner argues that you’re trying to infringe on their brand name. This is particularly the case if they’ve registered it as a trademark.

We cover more on why you need a .com domain in our article on how to choose the best domain name.

Tip 2. Check the Domain Name isn’t a Registered Trademark

If the domain name is a registered trademark of an existing business, then you could end up having to take your website offline completely in the future.

It’s well worth doing a quick search of the US trademark database to check whether your domain name is already being used by another company. You may also want to check local databases too.

Even a domain name that uses a trademark within it could be a problem. For instance, you can’t use the word “WordPress” in your domain name.

Tip 3. Don’t Get Too Emotionally Attached

Starting a new online business idea is exciting. Since your domain name plays a crucial role, it’s easy to get emotionally attached to a specific name.

However you need to be smart and rational about all financial investment decisions, including this one.

We recommend keeping your options open and look around for multiple domain names, or at least give them serious considerations.

This will help you in negotiation, so you can get the best deal without overpaying for your domain name.

Remember, the cost of premium domain names can vary from few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars.

Having options make sure that you don’t end up paying a huge sum of money for a domain name that’s really not any better than something else that was 1/10th of the price.

Tip 4. Check if a Website Has Ever Been Built There

Make sure that you check website history using the Wayback Machine. It is possible that the domain name may have been used by someone else.

It is alright if the domain name has been used before, but you want to make sure that it wasn’t used for malicious, spammy, or illegal activities.

This may harm your business’ reputation and may even cause legal issues in the future. If there’s a Google penalty on the domain, then that could take a lot of work and resources to wipe out.

WayBack Machine is also a smart way of finding domain owner information as well.

Tip 5. Figure Out What the Domain is Worth

Domain name pricing is tricky. If you’re new to buying domains, then you might wonder whether the price you’re being quoted is a bargain, a rip-off, or something in between.

Well, the truth is that there is no standard regulation for premium domain name pricing. Sellers independently decide the price, and it’s up to you as a buyer to decide if it’s worth the investment.

Premium domain names can range from few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars. Some rare premium domain names even go into the million dollar range.

If you’re new, then you can use a tool like EstiBot to get a general idea of what the domain may be worth.

Disclaimer: Automatic domain name evaluations aren’t necessarily very accurate, but they do show similar domain sales data which is helpful.

If the domain is priced too high (and it often will be), then you’ll need to be prepared to haggle. Don’t start by offering the maximum you’d be willing to consider. Instead, start at a lower price with the expectation that you’ll likely end up meeting half-way.

Keep in mind that there’s a limit to how low the seller will go. Don’t expect someone to accept $500 if they originally asked for $20,000.

However just because someone asked for $20,000 doesn’t mean you need to meet them half way either. We’ve often secured $20k domain deals in the $3k – $6k range.

Tip 6. Know Exactly What You’re Buying

Make sure you know exactly what you’re going to be getting. Is it just the domain name you’re buying? Or are you buying a website too? If you’re buying the website, then does this include all the content?

Established websites may well use lots of different plugins and tools that the owner has licenses for. It’s unlikely that these licenses will be transferred over to you along with the sale, so you’ll need to be prepared to purchase them for yourself.

You’ll also want to be clear on whether you’re receiving assets like the website’s email list data.

If the domain name or website is a large purchase, then you should definitely have a lawyer draw up a contract for you. Consult someone who’s an expert in IP (Intellectual Property) law.

Even if you’re making a small purchase, be sure to get crucial details in writing at the very least.

Bonus: ask if the owner has access to existing social media accounts for the domain name, so you can get that as part of the deal.

Tip 7. Make Sure You’re Buying From the Domain’s Owner

Imagine this. You hand over your money for a domain name, only to find that the domain has been stolen. You never see your money again, and you’re not the legal owner of the domain either.

It’s a nightmare scenario, but unfortunately, it can happen. A good initial check is to use a tool such as DNS Trails to see whether there have been any recent changes to the DNS records. If you see something odd, then ask for an explanation.

If all your contact with the domain name owner has been through email, it’s well worth getting a phone number, so you actually talk to them. Email accounts can be hacked and email addresses can be faked.

Tip 8. Use Escrow to Transfer the Money

You might be nervous about buying a domain name, particularly for a significant sum. What if the seller takes your money and doesn’t hand over the domain name?

The best solution is to use a site like Escrow.com. You give your money to the site, and they hold it securely until you confirm you’ve received the domain name. At that point, they hand the money to the seller.

Escrow.com has been used for the purchase of some hugely famous domain names, including Twitter.com, Gmail.com, WordPress.com and more. Note that you will need to pay a fee to Escrow.com.

Important: Don’t take a shortcut here and try to save on Escrow fees. We always use Escrow for domain purchases unless the domain owner is willing to transfer the domain to us before receiving payments. Trust us, it’s not worth the risk!

Tip 9. Consider Backordering a Domain You Want

Every day, thousands of domain names get expired and are not renewed or registered. A lot of businesses fail to take off or the domain owners lose interest.

In some cases, the owner might simply forget to re-register the domain.

You don’t have to watch the domain name to see when it’s about to expire. Instead, there are plenty of services that will monitor the domain name on your behalf. They’ll automatically try to register it the moment it’s available.

You can use GoDaddy for domain backorders. There are plenty of other sites that offer a similar service too.

The problem with back-ordering is that it may not work at all. The domain owner may renew their domain name, or someone else may have placed a backorder before you which will be given priority.

Final Thoughts + Alternative Strategies

Buying a domain name that’s already taken is not easy, and the process can take anywhere from few days to a few months. And if the owner doesn’t want to sell, then it can even take years to convince them.

This is why we always recommend having few options when you’re searching for domains. You can use a domain name generator like Nameboy to come up with ideas.

Here are some clever tips that can help you come up with alternatives:

• Add a verb to your keyword – for example: getpocket.com, getcloudapp.com, and tryinteract.com
• Extend your brand with a keyword – for example: invisionapp.com, gogoair.com, etc. Remember Tesla didn’t own tesla.com, so they started with TeslaMotors.com. Buffer didn’t own buffer.com, so they used bufferapp.com in the beginning.
• Use abbreviations – for example: wpbeginner.com, wpforms.com, etc.
• Use a catch phrase or adjective – for example: optinmonster.com, trustpulse.com, monsterinsights.com, etc.

We hope this article helped you learn how to buy a domain name that’s taken. You may also want to see our guide on proven ways to make money online, and our comparison of the best website builder platforms.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Buy a Domain Name That is Taken (9 Pro Tips) appeared first on WPBeginner.

April 13, 2020 at 07:01PM

21 Best WordPress Themes for Fitness Blogs (2020)

Are you looking for the best WordPress themes for fitness blogs or gym websites?

As a fitness website owner, you may be looking for a theme with a specific look and features to help you promote your training, services, and products.

In this article, we will share some of the best WordPress themes for fitness blogs that you can use.

Starting Your Fitness Website with WordPress

WordPress is the best website builder in the market. And, over 35% of websites on the internet are built on WordPress.

There are two types of WordPress sites and choosing the right one is important for your success. See our comparison of WordPress.org vs WordPress.com for more details.

A self-hosted WordPress.org website gives you access to all features and complete control of your website.

To start a website, you’ll need a domain name and a WordPress hosting account.

We recommend using Bluehost. They are the most popular web hosting company, and an official WordPress hosting partner.

For WPBeginner users, they are giving a free domain name, free SSL, and a 60% discount on web hosting.

After signing up for the hosting, the next step is to install WordPress. See our guide on how to start a blog for step by step instructions.

That being said, let’s take a look at some of the best WordPress themes for fitness blogs that you can use.

1. Astra

Astra is a popular WordPress multipurpose theme. It is fast and lightweight, which makes it perfect for any kind of website.

The theme comes with dozens of starter sites, a 1-click demo content importer, and unlimited custom WordPress options to set up your fitness website quickly.

2. Divi

Divi is a powerful WordPress theme and an ultimate page builder plugin. It comes with multiple built-in modules and elements that let you set up your website quickly.

It is a 1-stop solution with 100s of layout packs for different business niches. You can find a perfect fitness website layout, including the homepage, contact page, and landing pages.

Their drag and drop page builder for WordPress is consistently ranked amongst the top in the market.

3. Ultra

Ultra is a highly flexible WordPress theme. It comes with ready-made website templates, including a fitness layout.

It ships with Themify drag and drop builder, which makes it even easier to create custom landing pages for your website. Ultra includes multiple addons to add pricing tables, countdown timers, Google Maps, and more to your site.

4. OceanWP

OceanWP is a free WordPress multipurpose theme designed for any type of website. It features a 1-click demo content importer addon and multiple starter sites to launch your fitness site.

The theme has built-in SEO optimization, which means you can rank your website in the search engines and increase your traffic. It also lets you set up an online fitness training program easily.

5. Hestia Pro

Hestia Pro is a multipurpose theme for WordPress websites. It has a fully customizable homepage layout with custom header that supports video and image backgrounds.

Other notable features include call-to-action buttons, custom logo, eye-catching colors, and useful homepage sections. It is easy to set up and works with all top WordPress page builders.

6. Lifestyle Pro

Lifestyle Pro is a magazine-style WordPress theme. It is built on top of the Genesis Theme Framework, which gives it a solid foundation to create a faster website.

The theme has a widgetized homepage to add your content and images quickly. It supports WooCommerce to sell fitness products and online training services.

StudioPress is now part of WP Engine, the most popular managed WordPress hosting company. You can get this theme and all 35+ other StudioPress themes when you sign up for WP Engine hosting to build your website.

Bonus: WPBeginner users also get an additional 20% OFF. Get started with WP Engine today!

7. Meridian Fitness

Meridian Fitness is a beautifully designed WordPress theme for health and fitness blogs, gyms, yoga clubs, and crossfit websites. It has easy-to-use sections for classes with schedules and trainers.

Inside you will also find several custom widgets, color schemes, templates for online schedules, contact form, and more. It is easy to set up with the help of a live theme customizer.

8. Sportify

If you are looking for a WordPress theme packed with features for fitness blogs, gyms, and sports websites, then check out Sportify. It has built-in homepage sections to easily add services, testimonials, team members, calendar, and more.

It comes with shortcodes to display call-to-action buttons, pricing tables, and tabbed content. It also ships with a powerful featured content slider plugin.

9. The WP Fitness

The WP Fitness is a perfect WordPress fitness theme. It includes a full-width custom header on top where you can add an image slider, a navigation menu, custom logo, and a call-to-action button.

The homepage has a grid layout that displays your featured posts beautifully. It is easy to set up, and all theme options are available in the WordPress live customizer.

10. Vigour

Vigour is a modern WordPress theme with a beautiful design for fitness websites, gyms, sports, yoga clubs, and health-related businesses. It has stylish homepage sections to add your services, image sliders, and image galleries.

It ships with a companion plugin to manage your fitness classes, schedules, and events. It also lets you embed videos of your training sessions on the homepage.

11. Energy

Energy is an excellent WordPress theme built for fitness websites, gyms, yoga studios, and weight loss programs. It features a full-width slider on the homepage followed by your most important content.

It includes 2 header styles, page templates, photo gallery, testimonials section, and a separate blog page. It lets you choose your colors and offers a theme options panel to help you set up your website easily.

12. Modules

If you need a flexible design for your website, then check out the Modules theme. It is packed with several ready-made websites that you can import in 1-click and add your content.

It is easy to create custom page layouts on Modules. It also comes with ready-made modules that you can drag and drop on any page to create a custom template for your fitness website.

13. The Styler

If you run a fitness blog for women, then take a look at The Styler. It is an elegantly designed theme with beautiful colors, crisp typography, and an eye-catching layout.

It includes custom widgets for social media networks, business hours, and more. You can choose a different combination of layouts using content widgets.

14. Inspiro

Inspiro is a stunning WordPress multipurpose theme. It comes with fullscreen video background, video gallery, and lightbox popup to watch videos in night mode.

It features unique homepage sections and comes with a drag and drop page builder for your custom page layouts. It is easy to set up and includes a theme settings panel for advanced options.

15. Advance Fitness Gym

Advance Fitness Gym is a free WordPress theme perfect for fitness bloggers, crossfit, and sports blogs. It comes with a welcome area on the homepage that you can use to introduce yourself to users.

It has a featured content slider, carousel slider, and services section. The theme also includes social media icons in the header section.

16. Spencer

Spencer is a beautiful WordPress theme for fitness businesses and lifestyle bloggers. It features a widgetized homepage layout with unlimited colors, sticky navigation menu, call-to-action button, and a newsletter signup form.

You can choose from different column settings, effects, sidebars, and customize everything to match your style. It also supports the Elementor page builder plugin.

17. Grandstand

If you are looking for a traditional WordPress fitness blog theme, then you should check out Grandstand. It has a 2-column layout with your blog posts in the left column and sidebar in the right column.

It comes with a navigation menu on the top next to social media profiles and a fullscreen search overlay. It offers dedicated spots to display ads and a custom ads template to attract new advertisers.

18. Neve

Neve is an elegant WordPress multipurpose theme. It ships with dozens of ready-made sites, including a fully functional fitness website template.

You get a fullscreen layout with a custom header background image, unlimited color choices, CTAs, and more. It also features homepage sections for your classes, schedules, and services.

19. Salon

Salon is a health and fitness theme for WordPress. It features a unique and modern layout which is easy to set up using the custom content widgets.

It includes homepage sections to add your services, staff profiles, photo galleries, and videos. You can choose from different color schemes or switch colors for each page easily.

20. Indigo

Want a magazine-style theme for your fitness blog? Indigo is a fantastic WordPress multipurpose theme. It has a minimalist approach with a spacious white layout that makes your content highly visible to users.

It includes a sticky navigation menu, featured content slider, 3-column widget area, categories, and more. It has a custom theme options panel, which makes it easy to set up.

21. Wellness Pro

Wellness Pro is a classic WordPress fitness theme for lifestyle bloggers, yoga clubs, and health-related businesses. It has a full-width custom header where you can display a welcome note and a call-to-action button.

It offers 12 different widgets for the homepage and landing pages. The theme is fully translation-ready to create a multilingual website easily.

We hope this article helped you find the best WordPress themes for fitness blogs. You may also want to check out our article on how to start an online store and best WordPress plugins for websites.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 21 Best WordPress Themes for Fitness Blogs (2020) appeared first on WPBeginner.

April 10, 2020 at 06:06PM