How to Create Categories and Menus in Blogger (Step-by-Step Guide for 2025)

If you want your blog to look professional and user-friendly in 2025, you must organize it with clear categories and a clean navigation menu. Readers should immediately understand what your blog is about and be able to find posts by topic in just a few clicks. This is important for:

  • Better user experience (UX)
  • Lower bounce rate
  • Higher page views per visitor
  • AdSense approval and long-term SEO

In Blogger (Blogspot), you don’t see “Categories” like in WordPress. Instead, you use Labels + Pages + Menu links to create a proper category and menu system. This step-by-step guide will show you exactly how to do it — even if you are a complete beginner.

You can keep this article open in one tab and your Blogger dashboard in another, and follow each step in order.

How Categories Work in Blogger (Labels = Categories)

Unlike WordPress, Blogger does not have a separate “Categories” section. Instead, it uses Labels. Each label you add to a post acts like a category or tag. When users click a label link, they see all posts with that label.

For example, you might use labels like:

  • blogging tips
  • seo basics
  • online business
  • email marketing
  • ecommerce tips

Later, you can use these label URLs to create menu items like “Blogging Tips”, “SEO”, “Online Business” in your blog navigation bar.

If you want to learn more about UX before designing menus, this guide will help: How to Improve Blog User Experience (UX): Best Practices for 2025

Step 1: Plan Your Main Categories (Labels)

Before you click anything in the dashboard, spend a few minutes planning your main categories. This will keep your menu structure clean and easy to use.

1.1 Decide 4–7 Main Topics Only

Too many categories confuse readers. Start with 4 to 7 main labels that match your blog content. Examples for a blogging/online business blog:

  • Blogging Tips
  • SEO & Traffic
  • Online Business
  • Email Marketing
  • E-Commerce
  • Affiliate Marketing

These labels will become items in your menu bar later.

1.2 Make Labels Consistent

Use simple, lowercase labels with hyphens or spaces. For example:

  • blogging tips
  • seo basics
  • online business

Don’t create separate labels for small variations like “blogging tip” and “blogging tips”. Keep one standard version.

Step 2: Add and Manage Labels in Your Posts

Now that you know your main categories, it’s time to apply them to your blog posts.

2.1 Add Labels When Writing a New Post

  • Open your Blogger dashboard.
  • Click Posts → New post.
  • Write your article.
  • On the right side, find the panel for Labels (in the post settings).
  • Type your category label (for example online business), then press Enter.
  • You can add more than one label if needed (but avoid more than 3–4 per post).

When you publish the post, Blogger automatically generates a URL for that label, such as:

https://yourblogname.blogspot.com/search/label/online%20business

That URL will show all posts with the online business label. We will use this in your menu later.

2.2 Add Labels to Existing Posts (Bulk Improvement)

To organize older content:

  • Go to Posts in your Blogger dashboard.
  • Open each post and click the Labels option on the right.
  • Add the appropriate main label(s) based on your plan.
  • Update the post.

It might take some time, but once done, your label-based categories will look clean and professional.

Step 3: Create Static Pages for Menu (Home, About, Contact, etc.)

Most professional blogs have static pages like:

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure / Terms

3.1 Create a New Page in Blogger

  • In your dashboard, click Pages.
  • Click New page.
  • Write the page title (e.g. About, Contact).
  • Add your content and click Publish.

Repeat this for each important static page. These pages will be added to your menu so visitors can find them easily.

Pages like Privacy Policy and Disclosure are also important for AdSense and affiliate approval. For monetization strategy, you can refer to: How to Monetize Your Blog with Multiple Income Streams in 2025

Step 4: Get Label URLs to Use as Category Links

To create a menu item that opens a category page, you need the label URL.

4.1 How to Find Label URLs

  • Open your blog in a new tab (public view, not dashboard).
  • Click on a label shown under any post (for example online business).
  • You will be taken to a page that lists all posts with that label.
  • Copy the link from your browser address bar.

It will look something like:

https://yourblogname.blogspot.com/search/label/online%20business

Save these URLs in a simple text file or document. You will add them as menu items in the next step.

Step 5: Create the Top Menu in Blogger (New Interface)

Now it’s time to create your navigation menu using Pages + External Links (Label URLs).

5.1 Open the Layout Section

  • In the Blogger dashboard, click Layout.
  • Look for a section named Top Navigation, Header Menu, Page List or similar (varies by theme).
  • Click Edit on the gadget that controls the menu (commonly “Pages” gadget or “Page list”).

5.2 Add Static Pages to the Menu

In the Pages gadget:

  • Tick the checkboxes for pages like Home, About, Contact, etc. to show them in the menu.
  • Click Save.

This will automatically add those pages to your navigation bar.

5.3 Add Label-Based Category Links to the Menu

To add category links using label URLs:

  • In the same Pages gadget, look for an option like + Add external link or Add Link.
  • Click it and fill the fields:
    • Page title: The menu name you want users to see (e.g. Blogging Tips).
    • Web address (URL): Paste the label URL you copied earlier (e.g. https://yourblogname.blogspot.com/search/label/blogging%20tips).
  • Click Save link.

Repeat this process for each main category you want in the menu, such as:

  • Blogging Tips
  • SEO Basics
  • Online Business
  • E-Commerce
  • Email Marketing

Finally, click Save in the gadget window and again on the top right of the Layout page if needed.

Step 6: Arrange Menu Order and Clean Up

Most themes allow you to change the order of items in your menu.

  • Open the Pages gadget again (Layout → Pages → Edit).
  • Drag and drop items to rearrange them in the order you want.
  • Keep important links like Home, About, Blog (or main category), Contact at the beginning.
  • Hide or remove unnecessary pages or old links that are not needed in the main menu.

A clean, simple menu is better for UX and AdSense than a long, crowded bar with many items.

Step 7: Create a Category Section or Dropdown (Optional)

Some Blogger themes allow dropdown menus or extra link lists. Even if your main menu is simple, you can:

  • Add a Label gadget in the sidebar to show categories.
  • Add another Link List gadget with category links.

7.1 Add Labels Widget for Sidebar Category List

  • Go to Layout.
  • In a sidebar area, click Add a Gadget.
  • Select Labels.
  • Choose to show:
    • Selected labels only (for main categories), or
    • All labels (if your labels are already well organized).
  • Choose display style (List or Cloud).
  • Click Save.

Now users can click category labels from the sidebar as well as the top menu.

Step 8: UX and SEO Tips for Categories & Menus

Clean categories and menus are not only about design — they also help with SEO and user engagement.

  • Limit main categories: 4–7 is ideal. Use sub-topics inside posts, not in the main menu.
  • Use human-friendly names: “Blogging Tips” is better than “blog-cat1”.
  • Keep URL structure natural: Label URLs are fine; focus on content quality.
  • Avoid duplicate labels: Don’t use “SEO”, “SEO tips”, “search optimization” separately for same topic.
  • Regularly review menu: Once your blog grows, adjust categories based on traffic and content.

For structuring content and monetizing with ads and affiliates, this guide will support your next steps: Digital Marketing Basics for Bloggers in 2025 — Complete Beginner’s Guide

Simple Example: Menu Structure for a Blogging & Online Business Blog

Here’s a sample menu you can model:

  • Home → homepage
  • Blogging Tips → label: blogging tips
  • SEO & Traffic → label: seo basics
  • Online Business → label: online business
  • Monetization → label: blog monetization
  • Tools & Resources → label: blogging tools
  • About → About page
  • Contact → Contact page

You can adjust labels based on your actual content, like email marketing, e-commerce, dropshipping, digital products, etc.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Fixes

  • Menu not visible?
    Check if the Pages gadget is placed in the correct Layout section (e.g. Header or Top). Some themes use different names.
  • Label link shows no posts?
    Make sure at least one post actually has that label assigned; otherwise the label page will be empty.
  • Too many labels appearing?
    Clean up labels by editing posts and removing unnecessary ones. Only keep labels that support your category plan.
  • Menu text overlaps or wraps badly?
    Shorten menu names (e.g. use “SEO” instead of “Search Engine Optimization Tips For Beginners”) or reduce the number of menu items.

Conclusion – Categories and Menus Turn a Simple Blog into a Professional Website

Creating categories and menus in Blogger is not complicated, but it makes a huge difference in how readers experience your blog. With a clear structure:

  • Visitors know instantly what your blog covers.
  • They can quickly find the topics they care about.
  • Your site looks more professional to AdSense reviewers and brands.
  • SEO improves because users stay longer and explore more pages.

You don’t need a complex setup. Start with a few main labels, organize your posts, and build a simple menu using Pages + label URLs. As your blog grows, you can refine and expand your structure based on real traffic and reader behavior.

Once your categories and menus are in place, your next focus should be content quality + monetization. For that, this guide will help you plan multiple income streams: How to Monetize Your Blog with Multiple Income Streams in 2025

Take it one step at a time: plan your labels today, update a few posts tomorrow, then set up your menu — within a few days, your Blogger blog will feel like a well-structured, professional website.

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