Understanding the Site Map Editor

Clicking on Site Map in the white Admin Toolbar opens the Site Map Editor. Your site map is essentially a list of the pages on your website and how they relate to one another.

Here’s how to use the Site Map Editor to build and organize the structure of your website.

How to build and organize your site with the Site Map Editor

1

Understanding levels of navigation

Your site map is organized hierarchically (i.e., with tiers/levels of importance), and your website can contain a maximum of four “levels.” The sitemap is color-coded to help distinguish between the different levels of your site.

Level 1 - Blue
Level 2 - Green
Level 3 - Purple
Level 4 - Yellow

The Site Map Editor displays all 4 levels by default. To filter out levels 3 and 4 from view, click the appropriate number in the Levels menu at the bottom right of the Site Map Editor (illustrated above). e.g., Clicking 2 will display levels 1 and 2 only; Clicking 3 will display levels 1, 2, and 3 only, etc.

2

How to rearrange pages and other elements

Organize pages, secure pages, and links in the site map using drag and drop. Simply click and drag an element from one location and drop it wherever you'd like it to appear (illustrated below).

3

How to delete pages and other elements

To delete pages and other elements from your site map, hover your cursor over an existing element, then click the trash can icon to delete it (illustrated below).

FAQ: How many items will fit in my main navigation bar?

There isn't a black-and-white answer to this question; the total number of items that will fit in your main navigation bar depends on the number of characters in the names of your main navigation items.

For example, having main navigation items with short navigation names (e.g., News, Media, Donate) will allow you to have a greater total number of items in your main navigation bar. This is because each item consists of a relatively small number of characters. On the other hand, having main navigation items with long navigation names (e.g., Annual Appeal, Eucharistic Adoration) means a fewer total number of items will fit in your main navigation bar.

Regardless, we recommend using 4-6 main navigation items on your website.

NOTE: For more general tips on how to build a clear and helpful site map, check out The art of building an awesome site map on the eCatholic blog.

Next step: Start adding elements to your site map

Use the links below to learn how to add specific elements in the Site Map Editor: