When running an online store on Shopify, well-designed menus are an important factor in improving the customer experience and driving sales growth. This article explains in detail the types of Shopify menus and how to add, edit, delete, and reorder the menu items that make them up. It's written so beginners can easily understand and put it into practice, so please read to the end.
Types of Menus (Navigation Menus)
When running an online store on Shopify, the menu (navigation menu) is an important element that guides customers as they move around your site. For beginners, learning that there are several different types of menus may seem a bit complicated at first, but each one has its own role and can be used to improve the customer's shopping experience.
A well-designed menu improves the user experience and also contributes to increased sales.
Main Menu (Header Menu)
First, the most basic type is the "main menu." This is placed at the top of the site, usually next to or below the logo, and includes links to important sections such as the home page, product listings, and contact page. Since it's the first navigation tool customers see when they visit your site, it should be simple and easy to understand.
Footer Menu
Next is the "footer menu." This is a menu placed at the very bottom of the page, in the footer section. It's well-suited for placing links to supplementary information, such as company information, terms of service, and privacy policy. While not as prominent as the main menu, it plays an important role for customers looking for detailed information.
Dropdown Menu
As a site grows larger, using a "dropdown menu" becomes effective. This is an additional menu that appears when you hover over or tap a main menu item. For example, you could display categories like "Men's," "Women's," and "Kids'" under a "Products" item. It's useful for organizing content when you have many product categories.
Hamburger Menu
When thinking about mobile compatibility, the "hamburger menu" becomes important. This is an icon represented by three horizontal lines (≡) that, when tapped, displays all menu items. It's a convenient feature that saves space on smaller-screen devices like smartphones while still allowing the menu to be shown when needed.
Sidebar Menu
On product pages and search results pages, the "sidebar menu" comes into play. It's displayed vertically on the left or right side of the page and is used for filtering products or providing detailed category breakdowns. It's very useful for helping customers narrow down the products they want.
Breadcrumbs
Finally, don't forget about "breadcrumbs." This is navigation that shows the hierarchical position of the current page, typically displayed at the top of the page like "Home > Category > Subcategory > Product Name." It helps customers understand where they are and makes it easy to go back to a previous page.
The blog article below introduces the pros and cons of breadcrumbs and three ways to display breadcrumbs on your Shopify site. Please use it as a reference.
What Are Menu Items?
Menu items are the individual links that make up a menu (navigation menu) on your Shopify store. For example, the main menu might include items like "Home," "Products," and "Contact."
Example of a menu
A menu is the overall navigation structure made up of a collection of these menu items. Main menus, footer menus, and sidebar menus all fall into this category.
Example of a menu item
A menu item functions as a link to a specific page or section, and can also be organized into a hierarchical structure. For example, you can place subcategories like "Men's" and "Women's" under "Products."
In Shopify, you can easily add, edit, delete, and reorder menu items. This lets you flexibly adjust your navigation structure as your store grows.
By properly setting up and organizing your menu items, you can build easy-to-use navigation that helps customers quickly find the information or products they're looking for.
Link Types You Can Set for Shopify Menu Items
In Shopify, you can create menu items that link to various types of pages and resources. The main types of links you can set include:
- Home page: A link to your store's main page
- Collection page: A link to a specific product category
- Product page: A link to an individual product detail page
- Blog page: A link to your store's blog section
- Blog post page: A link to a specific blog post
- Policy page: A link to your return policy, terms of service, etc.
- External website: A link to another website
- Email link: A link that lets customers send an email directly
How to Add a Menu
To add a new menu, follow these steps.
(1) In the Shopify admin, go to "Online Store" > "Navigation"
(2) Click "Add menu"
(3) Enter the "Title" and "Handle" for the menu
(4) Click "Save menu"
How to Add a Menu Item
To add a new menu item, follow these steps.
(1) In the Shopify admin, go to "Online Store" > "Navigation"
(2) Select the menu you want to edit
(3) Click "Add menu item"
(4) Select the link type and enter the required information
(5) Click "Add"
(6) Confirm that the menu item has been added, then click "Save menu"
With these steps, you can easily create new menu items and expand your store's navigation.
How to Edit a Menu Item
The process for editing an existing menu item is simple.
(1) In the Shopify admin, go to "Online Store" > "Navigation"
(2) Select the menu you want to edit
(3) Click the menu item you want to edit
(4) Change the menu item name or link destination
(5) Click "Apply changes"
(6) Confirm that the menu item has been changed, then click "Save menu"
This method lets you flexibly adjust your menu as your store grows or changes.
How to Delete a Menu Item
A menu item you no longer need can be deleted following these steps.
(1) In the Shopify admin, go to "Online Store" > "Navigation"
(2) Select the menu you want to edit
(3) Click "Remove" to the right of the menu item you want to delete
(4) Click "Delete" on the confirmation dialog
Before deleting, it's important to check whether that menu item links to any other important pages.
How to Change the Display Order of Menu Items
The order of your menu items has a big impact on the customer's navigation experience. You can change the order using the steps below.
(1) On the menu editing screen, drag and drop items to the position you want
(2) Once you have the order you want, click "Save menu"
How to Organize Menu Items Into a Hierarchy
Creating a hierarchical menu structure lets you keep complex navigation simple and organized.
(1) Create the parent menu item and the child menu item
(2) Select the child menu item and drag and drop it beneath the parent menu item.
(3) Confirm that the menu item is now organized in a hierarchy, then click "Save menu"
When creating a hierarchy, avoid making it too deep, and be mindful of keeping users from getting lost.
Summary
Effective menu design is an essential element for the success of your Shopify store. Use the various menu types and management methods introduced in this article to build navigation that's easy for customers to use. By keeping the following points in mind at all times, you can improve your store's usability:
- Understand your customers' needs and behavior patterns, and design a menu structure that matches them
- Aim for simple, intuitive navigation
- Don't forget mobile compatibility, and make appropriate use of things like the hamburger menu
- Periodically review your menu structure and adjust as needed
- When creating a hierarchy, avoid making it too deep, and be mindful of keeping users from getting lost
By keeping these points in mind and always striving to improve, you can boost customer satisfaction and, ultimately, increase sales. Make the most of Shopify's flexible menu management features to help lead your online store to success.
