Have you ever spent an afternoon organizing a cluttered bookshelf? After some effort, everything is neatly arranged, and you can easily find the exact book you want.
Organizing your WordPress site using categories is similar. A well-structured category system directs visitors to the content they need, enhancing their overall experience.
However, modifying your categories after your site is live can be intimidating. You may be concerned about broken links or negative impacts on your site’s SEO. At CanadaCreate, we have reorganized our content library multiple times, so we understand how to do it safely.
In this guide, we will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to change, move, and delete WordPress categories correctly, ensuring both a positive user experience and maintaining your search engine rankings.
Reasons to Change, Move, or Delete WordPress Categories?
Categories are essential for organizing your blog posts, making it easier for users to find what they are looking for. This keeps them on your website longer and increases the likelihood of conversions.
Nevertheless, planning all your categories in advance can be challenging. This is particularly true if you are new to WordPress or unsure about the direction of your new blog, online store, or small business website.
Consider experimenting with various categories and content, then analyze the results using Google Analytics in WordPress. This data will help you optimize your categories effectively.
At some point, you may need to modify your WordPress categories. This could involve renaming a category to include high-performing keywords identified during A/B testing or correcting a typographical error.
You might also restructure your categories and subcategories into new parent-child relationships to enhance content discovery for your visitors.
If these changes are not made thoughtfully, they could negatively impact user experience, harm your SEO rankings, and complicate navigation on your website.
Now, let’s explore how to effectively change, move, and delete WordPress categories. Use the quick links below to jump directly to the specific action you want to take:
- How to Rename or Edit a WordPress Category
- How to Move a WordPress Category Properly (Avoiding Broken Links)
- How to Delete a WordPress Category Safely
- How to Change the Default Uncategorized Category in WordPress
- How to Add a Subcategory in WordPress
- How to Easily Convert Categories into Tags in WordPress
- Common Questions About WordPress Categories
- Comprehensive Guides on WordPress Categories
1. How to Rename or Modify a WordPress Category
You can change a category’s name, assign it to a different parent category, or add a description to help other authors understand its purpose.
To make these changes, go to Posts » Categories.
Locate the category you want to modify and hover your mouse over it.
When the ‘Edit’ link appears, click on it.
This will take you to a page where you can rename the category, add a parent or subcategory, or write a description.
For instance, if you’ve identified new keywords using a research tool, you might want to rename the category to include those keywords.
To rename a category, simply enter the new title in the ‘Name’ field.
Once you’re satisfied with your changes, remember to click ‘Update’ to save your settings.
After this, WordPress will automatically refresh all posts within that category.
Note:Changing the name of a category does not automatically update its URL, known as the ‘slug’. If you need to change the URL, we will explain how to do that safely in the following section.
2. How to Move a WordPress Category Without Creating Broken Links
Each category in WordPress has its own archive page, as illustrated in the image below. These pages assist visitors in discovering related content, which can enhance your pageviews and lower the bounce rate on your site.
At times, you may wish to relocate this archive page. For instance, if you have renamed a category, you might also want to update its archive URL to prevent any confusion for your visitors.
However, changing the slug will result in a 404 error for anyone attempting to access the original URL.
This creates a poor user experience and can negatively affect your WordPress SEO. Fortunately, you can resolve this issue by setting up a redirect.
With this in mind, proceed to change the slug by navigating to Posts » Categories. Locate the category you wish to edit and hover your mouse over it.
When the ‘Edit’ button appears, click on it.
In the ‘Slug’ field, you will see the current slug for the archive page of this category.
Enter the desired new URL, ensuring it contains only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens.
Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the slug, scroll down and click ‘Update’ to save your changes.
After updating, you can access the archive page via the new URL, but attempting to visit the old link will result in an error.
The simplest method to redirect from the old URL to the new one is by utilizing AIOSEO.
AIOSEO is the top SEO plugin for WordPress, designed to help you attract more visitors from search engines like Google. It features a setup wizard that assists you in selecting the optimal SEO settings for your site, enhancing your rankings even if you’re new to search engine optimization.
Our Experience:We utilize All in One SEO (AIOSEO) on the CanadaCreate website. After transitioning from Yoast, we now depend on it for all our SEO configurations, including the robust Redirection Manager featured in this guide, which simplifies the process of managing URL changes.
For this tutorial, we will be using the AIOSEO Pro version, which includes the Redirection Manager necessary for setting up a redirect. However, there is also a free version of AIOSEO available that you can use to optimize your website, regardless of your budget.
Begin by installing and activating the plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, AIOSEO will automatically open the setup wizard. Simply click on ‘Let’s Get Started’ and follow the on-screen prompts to enhance your website’s search engine visibility.
For further details, please check our comprehensive guide on properly setting up All in One SEO for WordPress.
To access the premium features of the plugin, you will need to enter a license key when prompted. This information can be found in your account on the AIOSEO website.
After entering your license key, click the ‘Finish Setup’ button to save your settings and exit the setup wizard.
Now that you have completed the setup, navigate to All in One SEO » Redirects in your WordPress dashboard. Then, click on ‘Activate Redirects’ to enable the feature.
With the Redirection Manager activated, start by entering the source URL. This URL is the original web address of the category archive, typically beginning with /category/ followed by the name of the original category.
In this example, we are redirecting users attempting to access /category/search-engine-optimization.
After entering the source URL, click the small gear icon to access additional settings.
Make sure to check the box labeled ‘Regex.’ There’s no need to understand the technical details; this setting enhances your redirect, ensuring it captures all variations of the old URL and functions correctly for every visitor.
Next, navigate to the target URL, which is the new category archive page.
In the image below, visitors will be redirected to /category/seo.
Your next step is to select the type of redirect that AIOSEO should implement. There are different types of redirects, identified by numbers such as 301, 302, and 307.
If you are permanently relocating the archive to a new location, you should use a 301 redirect. This informs search engines that the page will always be found at this new address, allowing all traffic and backlinks from the old archive to be transferred to the new page.
Simply open the ‘Redirect Type’ dropdown menu and select ‘301 Moved Permanently.’
If you are only temporarily relocating the category archive page to a new URL, you should select ‘307 Temporary Redirect’ instead.
Once you have completed that, click the ‘Add Redirect’ button.
When you attempt to access the original category archive page, AIOSEO will seamlessly redirect you to the new target URL.
3. How to Effectively Remove a WordPress Category
There may come a time when a specific category is no longer necessary. For instance, you might have unintentionally created two similar categories or shifted the focus of your WordPress blog, resulting in content that no longer fits.
Before you delete a category, consider the implications for your WordPress site. Deleting a category will remove it from all associated posts, and any posts without a category will be labeled as ‘Uncategorized.’
Having a lot of uncategorized posts can hinder your visitors’ ability to navigate your site. Therefore, it’s advisable to review all posts within the category you intend to delete to ensure they are assigned to at least one other category.
You can also create a redirect for that category’s archive page by following the same steps mentioned earlier. This will help you address any broken links before they negatively impact your search engine rankings or user experience.
Once you’re ready to delete the category, simply navigate to Posts » CategoriesHover over the category and click the ‘Delete’ link that appears.
4. How to Change the Default Uncategorized Category
If you don’t assign a category to a post, WordPress will automatically assign one for you. By default, this category is labeled ‘uncategorized’, but you may wish to change it to a more suitable option.
Alternatively, you can keep using the ‘uncategorized’ category but rename it to something more descriptive and useful.
This adjustment is especially crucial if you manage a multi-author WordPress blog or accept guest posts, as contributors may forget to categorize their entries.
Changing the default category can enhance your WordPress SEO by ensuring that every post is categorized appropriately.
To rename the uncategorized category, navigate to Posts »Categories.
Locate ‘Uncategorized’, hover over it, and click the ‘Edit’ link when it appears.
Now, enter a new name in the ‘Name’ field.
Finally, scroll down and click ‘Save’ to apply your changes.
An alternative approach is to change the default category. This is particularly helpful if you’ve established a general category that you now wish to set as your default.
To implement this change, navigate to Settings » Writing in your WordPress dashboard. From there, you can access the ‘Default Post Category’ dropdown and select any category from the available options.
After making your selection, remember to click ‘Save Changes’ to apply your new settings.
5. How to Add a Subcategory in WordPress
WordPress enables you to create a category hierarchy, allowing you to add subcategories as necessary.
You can easily accomplish this by selecting the Parent Category from the dropdown menu on the Add New Category screen.
For further information, refer to our detailed guide on adding subcategories in WordPress.
6. How to Easily Convert Categories into Tags
Both categories and tags serve as methods to organize your content. Categories are intended for broad classifications of your posts, while tags provide specific details about the content within a post.
Occasionally, you may find that a category you created is too specific and would function better as a tag. Fortunately, WordPress includes a built-in feature that allows you to convert categories into tags without the need for additional plugins.
To access this feature, go to Navigate to Tools » Importlocated in your WordPress admin sidebar.
On this page, you will find a variety of import tools. Scroll down to locate ‘Categories and Tags Converter’ and click on the ‘Run Importer’ link. If this is your first time using it, WordPress may prompt you to install it, which only requires a single click.
This will direct you to the converter page. Simply check the box next to each category you wish to convert into a tag.
After making your selections, click the ‘Convert Categories to Tags’ button.
WordPress will convert the chosen categories into tags and automatically assign these new tags to the corresponding posts. You can also use this tool to convert tags back into categories by selecting the ‘Tags to Categories’ tab.
Common Questions About WordPress Categories
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding category management in WordPress.
1. What happens to my posts if I delete a category?
When you delete a category, WordPress will automatically reassign any posts linked to it to your default category, which is usually ‘Uncategorized.’ To maintain organization on your site, it’s advisable to reassign posts to a new category before deleting the old one.
2. Does changing a category’s URL impact SEO?
Changing the URL or slug of a category can lead to broken links, negatively impacting your SEO and user experience. To prevent this, always implement a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. This informs search engines that the page has permanently moved and helps retain SEO value.
3. What is the ideal number of categories for WordPress?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer for the number of categories. A good rule of thumb is to start with 5 to 10 broad categories that encompass the main topics of your website. You can always expand by adding more categories or creating subcategories as your content evolves.
4. Is it possible to assign a single post to multiple categories?
Yes, you can categorize a post under several categories. However, for optimal user experience, it’s advisable to limit the assignment to one or two of the most relevant categories. For more specific details within a post, consider using tags instead.
Comprehensive Guides on WordPress Categories
We hope this article has helped you understand how to effectively change, move, and delete categories in WordPress. You may also find these related articles on WordPress categories helpful:
- How to Add Categories and Subcategories in WordPress
- How to Merge and Bulk Edit Categories and Tags in WordPress
- A Beginner’s Guide to Properly Renaming Categories in WordPress
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Renaming the Uncategorized Category in WordPress
- Understanding Categories and Tags: SEO Best Practices for Organizing Your Content
- The Best Method for Searching by Category in WordPress
- The Ultimate Guide to Showing and Hiding Categories in WordPress
- How to Effectively Display Subcategories on Category Pages in WordPress
- Customizing the Style of Individual Categories in WordPress
- Essential Category Hacks and Must-Have Plugins for WordPress
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