Pages are among the most important content types in WordPress. They are typically used for permanently available content such as the homepage, about us, contact, services, or legal information.
You can create a new WordPress page directly in the admin area and design it with the block editor. Unlike blog posts, pages are usually not organized chronologically and do not have categories or tags by default.
In this guide, we will show you step by step how to create a new WordPress page, insert content, check the permalink, use page hierarchies, select a template, and publish the finished page.
Briefly explained: Open in the WordPress admin area Pages → Create, provide a meaningful title and add your content. Before publishing, check in particular the URL, a possible parent page, the template used, and the public appearance.
What is a page in WordPress? #
A page is a WordPress content type for content that is normally not part of a chronologically structured blog.
Typical examples are:
- Home
- About us
- Contact
- Services
- Products or service overviews
- FAQ
- Imprint
- Privacy Policy
Technically, WordPress refers to this content type as page.
Pages can be used permanently at a specific location on the website regardless of their creation date and made accessible via menus or internal links.
What is the difference between pages and posts? #
Pages and posts are both used for content, but serve different purposes in WordPress.
Pages are particularly suited for permanently structured website content.
Posts are typically used for blog posts, news, guides, or other editorial content.
Posts usually have:
- a publication date
- Categories
- optional keywords
- categorization into blog and archive structures
Pages, on the other hand, do not have categories or tags by default and can be organized hierarchically.
If you want to create a blog post, you can find the corresponding instructions at Creating a blog post in WordPress: Step-by-step guide.
When should I use a page? #
A single page is usually the right choice when the content forms an integral part of the website structure.
For example:
- About us continuously describes your company.
- Contact contains permanent contact options.
- Services describe your offer.
- Imprint provides legal information.
An article like „The 10 most important WordPress new features“ would typically be a contribution against this, because it is part of an editorial section.
Create new WordPress site #
You create a new page directly in the WordPress admin area.
Create new page #
- Log in to your WordPress admin area.
- Open Pages → Create.
- Enter a title for the new page.
- Add the desired content.
- Check the page settings.
- Check the page via the preview.
- Click on Publish, if everything is correct.
If you are not yet familiar with the WordPress admin area, we explain how to access it at WordPress Login: How to log in to the admin area.
Enter page title #
Above in the editor you will find the field for the page title.
The title should clearly describe the content the page offers.
Examples of understandable page titles are:
- About us
- Contact
- Web design
- Our services
- Frequently Asked Questions
The page title is frequently output by the theme or template used as the main heading of the page.
Page title and H1 heading #
In many WordPress themes, the page title is automatically H1 Heading issued.
In this case, you shouldn't normally add a second H1 in the actual content.
The main sections within the page are structured with H2 headings instead. Subsections can use H3.
Whether the page title is actually displayed visibly as an H1 depends, however, on the theme or template used.
Important: Check the actual output of your page. With individual templates or page builders, the page title can be hidden and the H1 defined within the layout instead.
Create content with the block editor #
WordPress uses the block editor by default, often also called Gutenberg.
Each content area is treated as a separate block.
For example, you can use the following blocks:
- Paragraph
- Heading
- Image
- List
- Table
- Buttons
- Columns
- Gallery
- Quote
- Video
- File
Which additional blocks are available depends, among other things, on the installed plugins and the theme used.
Insert paragraphs and headings #
If you start writing below the page title, WordPress usually creates a paragraph block.
For a new section, you can add a heading block.
A simple page structure could look like this, for example:
H1: Web Design
Introduction
H2: Professional Websites for Businesses
Text
H2: Our Services
Text
H3: WordPress Web Design
Text
H3: WooCommerce Web Design
Text
H2: Get in Touch
Text
A logical heading hierarchy helps visitors grasp longer content more quickly.
Do not select headings based on font size #
H2, H3, and further heading levels describe the content structure of a document.
Therefore, do not use H4, for example, just because you like its preset font size better.
The visual presentation should be controlled via the theme or the design settings.
Insert images on a page #
Using an image block, you can insert images directly into the page content.
Add image #
- Insert a at the desired location Image block one.
- Select an existing image from the media library or upload a new file.
- Check the image size and orientation.
- Add a suitable alternative text to informative images.
- Check the rendering in the preview.
We explain how uploaded files are managed centrally at Managing media in WordPress.
Insert links on a WordPress page #
You can link text or other supported elements with internal and external destinations.
For a text link, highlight the desired text and use the editor's link function.
For internal links, you can often search directly for existing pages and posts on your WordPress installation.
Use link text that is as descriptive as possible.
Instead:
Click here
is for example:
Contact us
easier for visitors to understand.
Use internal links effectively #
Pages of a website should not exist in isolation from one another.
An internal link can make sense if another piece of content answers a question in more detail or logically belongs to the current topic.
Internal links help visitors navigate and clarify connections between the content.
Set links, but not just because a certain term appears somewhere on another page. The goal should actually be helpful to the reader.
What is the permalink of a page? #
Every published WordPress page has its own URL.
This could be, for example:
WordPress refers to permanent content URLs as Permalinks.
The individual URL component:
Contact
is used as Slug referred to as.
Check slug before publication #
WordPress usually generates the slug based on the page title.
Before publishing, you should check whether the resulting URL makes sense.
For a page titled:
Contact our company
could for example be a shorter slug like:
Contact
be sufficient.
The slug should be understandable and meaningfully describe the content of the page.
Do not change the slug of an already published page lightly #
For a new, unreleased page, you can usually correct the slug without any problems.
Greater caution is required with a page that has already been published.
A change can cause the previous URL to no longer be accessible.
If internal links, search engine entries, external backlinks, or saved bookmarks exist, they can still point to the old address.
We explain how permalinks work in principle at Configure permalink settings in WordPress.
What are parent and child pages? #
Unlike normal posts, WordPress pages can be organized hierarchically.
A page can have another page as its parent page.
For example, a website could use the following structure:
Services
├── Web design
├── Web hosting
└── SEO
Services would be the parent page. Web design, Web hosting and SEO would be subpages.
Create subpage #
If you want to nest a page under another page, you can select a parent page in the page settings.
Nest page #
- Open the desired page in the editor.
- Open page settings.
- Look for the setting for the parent page or the parent.
- Select the desired parent page.
- Save or publish the page.
- Then check the URL and navigation.
The exact name and position of the setting may vary depending on the WordPress version and the editor interface used.
Does the page hierarchy affect the URL? #
Yes, WordPress can include parent pages in the URL for hierarchical pages.
From:
Services
└── Web design
for example, the following URL can be generated:
If you change the parent page later, this may also change the URL of the child page.
Attention: Do not thoughtlessly change the page hierarchy of an already published website. If this causes URLs to change, existing links and, if applicable, redirects must be taken into account.
Page hierarchy and menu structure are not the same #
An important point: The hierarchical relationship between WordPress pages does not automatically determine the complete navigation of your website.
A child page does not necessarily have to appear as a sub-item in a menu.
Conversely, you can arrange menu items hierarchically without the corresponding pages necessarily having the same parent-child relationship.
So page structure and menu structure are two different things.
Does a new page appear automatically in the menu? #
Not necessarily.
A common beginner question is: „I published a new page – why don't I see it in the menu?“
Publishing a page and adding it to the navigation are fundamentally separate processes.
Depending on the theme and menu configuration, you will then need to manually add the new page to the desired menu.
We explain how this works at Creating and managing menus in WordPress.
What is a page template? #
A theme can provide different templates for rendering pages.
A template determines the basic structure or output of a page.
Depending on the theme, there may be different templates available for:
- Standard pages
- Pages with sidebar
- Pages without sidebar
- Full-width pages
- special landing pages
Which templates are available depends entirely on the active theme and any plugins being used.
Select a page template #
If your theme provides multiple page templates, you can select the desired template in the page settings.
The designations vary depending on the theme.
Do not change the template arbitrarily. A different template can affect the rendering of:
- Page title
- Header
- Sidebar
- Content width
- Footer
- additional theme elements
influence.
Templates in block themes #
Modern block themes use the WordPress Site Editor and a block-based template structure.
There, templates and template parts can, for example, control the display of the header, footer, and page content.
The way it works thus differs significantly in some respects from classic WordPress themes.
What is a featured image on a page? #
Even pages can have a Featured image own.
Whether and where this image is displayed depends on the used theme or template.
In some themes, for example, it is used as a large header image. In others, it is not displayed at all on normal pages.
Therefore, a set featured image does not guarantee that it will automatically appear in a specific position.
Set a featured image for a page #
Add featured image #
- Open the desired page.
- Open page settings.
- Search the area Featured image.
- Choose an image from the media library or upload a new one.
- Save or publish the page.
- Check the public image.
What is the page excerpt? #
Depending on the version, theme, and configuration, WordPress supports different metadata and functions for pages.
A theme or plugin can, for example, use an excerpt or a short description of a page.
However, you should not assume that such a text will automatically be displayed on the public page.
Whether and how it is used depends on the specific website configuration.
Save page as draft #
You don't have to publish a new page right away.
As long as it's not finished yet, you can use it as Draft save.
This is useful, for example, when:
- Texts are still missing
- Images are not yet available
- that still need to be checked
- another person should check the content
- the layout is not finished yet
A normal draft is not accessible to public visitors like a published page.
Publish page #
When the content and settings are correct, you can publish the page.
Depending on the editor, WordPress shows you various settings or a confirmation once again before final publication.
Use this step for a final check.
Check before publishing #
- Is the page title correct?
- Is the content complete?
- Is the heading structure logical?
- Is the slug correct?
- Is the correct parent page selected, if applicable?
- Is the correct template active?
- Are images and links correct?
- Does the preview look correct?
- Then publish the page.
Schedule page for a later time #
Like posts, pages can also be published at a future date.
Instead of publishing immediately, you set a future date and time for it.
This can be useful, for example, when a new service, campaign, or website section is supposed to go live at a specific time.
Take into account the timezone configured in WordPress.
We explain how to control these under Configure general WordPress settings.
Publish page privately #
WordPress can also display a page as private publish.
It is then not publicly visible in general, but only accessible to appropriately authorized logged-in users.
Which users can see such content depends on their roles and permissions.
Protect page with password #
Another option is the integrated password protection.
Visitors must enter the specified password before they can view the protected content.
This function is intended for simple access restrictions.
It does not replace a complete member, customer, or authorization system.
Use preview of a WordPress page #
Before publishing a page, you should check it using the preview function.
Check this in particular:
- Page title
- Headlines
- Text
- Pictures
- Buttons
- Links
- Tables
- Spacers
- Header and footer
The editor alone does not necessarily show the exact final public display.
Check mobile display #
A page should not only work on a large desktop screen.
Check the display on smaller screen sizes as well.
Particularly problematic can be:
- wide tables
- multi-column sections
- too large images
- long buttons
- long inseparable words
- rigid latitude specifications
A responsive website should adapt to different screen sizes.
Edit WordPress site with Elementor #
If Elementor is installed on your website, you can also design pages with Elementor depending on your configuration.
WordPress sites are particularly well-suited for custom layouts, for example:
- Homepages
- Landing pages
- Service pages
- Contact pages
- Company pages
Whether you use the standard WordPress block editor or a page builder depends on the structure of your website and the desired layout.
Do not mix Block Editor and Elementor thoughtlessly #
If a page has already been completely built with a page builder, you should understand which editor manages the actual content.
Do not haphazardly edit an existing complex page across different editors without first knowing how it was built.
Depending on the page builder and configuration, this can lead to unexpected layout issues.
Practical Tip: For an existing website, first check what the existing pages were built with. Use a consistent workflow for similar pages whenever possible.
Set as homepage #
Creating a page titled Home does not automatically make it the actual homepage of your WordPress website.
WordPress also needs to know which page should be used as the static home page.
This setting is managed via the reading settings.
We explain how this works at Configure reading settings in WordPress.
Set blog page #
If your website uses a static homepage, you can additionally set a page for the post overview.
This is often, for example, Blog, News or Current News named.
In this case, the actual output of the posts is generated by WordPress or the theme.
This assignment is also made via the reading settings.
Why isn't the content of my blog page showing up? #
When a page has been set as the posts page in the reading settings, it behaves differently than a normal static page.
WordPress uses it as the target for the posts page, and the theme determines the output.
Therefore, depending on the theme, the content entered directly in the page editor may not be displayed there like on a normal page.
This is not an error, but part of how WordPress works.
Add new page to menu #
After publishing a page, you may want to display it in the main navigation.
This does not necessarily happen automatically.
With classic themes, menus are typically organized via the menu management. Block themes can manage navigations through the Site Editor or the navigation block.
You can find our detailed guide at Creating and managing menus in WordPress.
Page does not need to be in the menu #
Not every published page belongs in the main navigation.
A website can have numerous pages that can only be accessed via:
- internal links
- Buttons
- Footer navigations
- Submenus
- Search functions
are reachable.
The main menu should remain clear and map the most important areas of the website.
Create legal pages #
Imprint, privacy policy, and other legally relevant content can generally be created as regular WordPress pages.
However, the legal correctness of this content does not result from WordPress publishing it as a page.
Which information is required depends, among other things, on the operator, the offering, the services used, and the applicable legal requirements.
WordPress itself does not replace a legal review.
Duplicate page #
By default and in certain configurations, WordPress does not include a general feature that allows any page to be completely duplicated with a single click.
Plugins or page builders can provide such a feature.
Duplicating can be useful if several pages have the same basic structure.
However, be sure to check in the case of a copy:
- Page title
- Slug
- Headlines
- Text
- Images and Alt Texts
- internal links
- Forms
- SEO data
A copied page should not be accidentally published with nearly identical content.
Do not create pages twice unnecessarily #
Before you create a new page, you should check if content with the same purpose already exists.
Several nearly identical pages like:
- Contact
- Contact us
- Contact
are usually unnecessary if they all fulfill the same function.
A clear website structure is usually more sensible than a large number of very similar pages.
Pages and SEO #
A page is not ranked well in search engines just because it was published in WordPress.
For a content-strong page, important factors include:
- a clearly defined topic
- an understandable page title
- a logical heading structure
- helpful and technically accurate content
- meaningful internal linking
- a user-friendly URL
- good mobile usability
- technical accessibility for search engines
SEO plugins can assist you with various technical and editorial settings. However, they cannot automatically transform weak or visitor-useless content into a good page.
Edit published page afterwards #
You can reopen and edit a published page at any time.
After the change, you click on Update, to save the new status.
Especially when changing the slug, page hierarchy, or template, you should subsequently check the public page.
Why don't I see my change? #
If WordPress has saved a change, but the public website still shows the old version, a cache may be involved.
Possible cache layers include, for example:
- browser cache
- WordPress cache plugin
- server-side cache
- CDN
- Page Builder Cache
First, check whether WordPress actually saved the change and, if necessary, test the page in a private browser window.
Page cannot be published or updated #
If WordPress displays an error when saving or publishing, you should note down the exact error message.
Possible causes can include, for example:
- Plugin conflicts
- JavaScript error
- REST API issues
- Server or PHP error
- faulty HTTPS configuration
- Safety rules
- Connection issues
- expired registration
A specific error message makes technical troubleshooting much easier.
Page order in WordPress #
WordPress pages can have an order or sorting that can be evaluated by themes or certain functions.
You should not assume, however, that an order defined there automatically determines the order of your main menu.
Navigation is usually managed separately.
Typical mistakes when creating WordPress sites #
- Confusing a page and a post
- inserting a second H1 even though the template already outputs an H1
- Select headings solely based on their visual size
- Do not check slug before publishing
- Confusing page hierarchy and menu structure
- assume that a published page automatically appears in the menu
- subsequently change parent page without controlling the URL
- use wrong page template
- mindlessly mixing block editor and page builder
- Creating multiple pages with nearly identical content
- Do not check links and mobile display before publication
- naming a page „Home“ and expecting WordPress to automatically use it as the homepage
Note: At first, a WordPress page is simply content. Where it appears on your website, how it is designed, and whether it is part of a menu, the homepage, or a page hierarchy is controlled via additional WordPress and theme settings.
Pre-release Checklist #
Check new page #
- Is the page title unique?
- Is the content complete?
- Is the heading structure logical?
- Is the slug correct?
- Are internal and external links correct?
- Do informative images have meaningful alt texts?
- Is the correct parent page selected, if applicable?
- Is the correct template set?
- Is the featured image correct, if one is needed?
- Does the page look correct on desktop and mobile devices?
- Does the page still need to be added to a menu?
When should you contact CURIAWEB support? #
If you, as a CURIAWEB customer, cannot technically create, save, or publish a WordPress page, you can contact our support.
Helpful in this regard are:
- the affected domain
- the title or the URL of the page
- a precise description of the problem
- an existing error message
- the editor or page builder used
- whether the problem occurred after a specific change or update
For individual layout, web design, or content work, a distinction must be made between technical WordPress support and actual website design or content creation.
Summary #
You create new WordPress pages under Pages → Create. Pages are primarily suitable for permanently structured website content such as the home page, about us, contact, or service pages, thus differing from chronologically or editorially organized blog posts.
Before publication, you should check in particular the page title, content, heading structure, slug, potential page hierarchy, and the template used. A published page does not automatically appear in the main menu, and a page titled „Home“ does not automatically become the homepage.
When working with parent and child pages, you should also consider that changes to the hierarchy can affect the URL. For pages that have already been published, such changes should therefore be made with caution.
How to modify or delete an existing page later is explained in our next article under Edit or delete pages in WordPress.
