Website Navigation — Headers & Footers
How to configure your author website's header navigation and footer links for a clean, professional user experience.
Your website navigation determines how visitors move through your content. A well-organized navigation helps readers find your books, about page, and blog quickly, while a cluttered navigation confuses and loses visitors.
What You'll Learn
- How to configure header navigation links
- How to set up footer links
- Navigation best practices
- Mobile navigation behavior
Accessing Navigation Settings
Navigate to Website > Navigation from the sidebar.
The navigation editor shows two sections:
- Header Navigation — the top menu bar
- Footer Navigation — links in the bottom footer
Header Navigation
Default Header Items
Your header navigation comes pre-configured with:
- Home — links to your website's homepage
- Books — links to your book listing page (auto-generated)
- Blog — links to your blog listing page (if you have posts)
Adding Navigation Links
- Click "+ Add Link" in the Header section
- Choose the link type:
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Page | Link to one of your custom pages | About, Contact, FAQ |
| External URL | Link to any external website | Amazon, Goodreads, social media |
| Blog | Link to your blog listing | Blog |
| Books | Link to your books listing | My Books |
- Set the label (what visitors see: "About," "Contact," etc.)
- Set the URL (auto-populated for pages; enter manually for external links)
- Click "Save"
Reordering Navigation Links
Drag and drop links to reorder them. The order in the editor matches the order on your live website (left to right).
Removing a Link
Click the ✕ icon next to any link to remove it from navigation. This doesn't delete the page — it only removes the menu entry.
Footer Navigation
The footer appears at the bottom of every page. Common footer links:
- Privacy Policy — if you have one
- Contact — your contact page
- Social links — auto-populated from your profile social links
- Copyright notice — automatically generated: "© 2026 Your Name"
Adding footer links works the same way as header links.
Navigation Best Practices
Keep It Simple
- Maximum 5-7 items in the header navigation
- Visitors get overwhelmed by too many choices
- Include only the most important destinations
Recommended Header Structure
For most authors, this navigation works well:
Home | Books | About | Blog | Contact
For authors with more content:
Home | Books | Series | About | Blog | Events | Contact
Prioritize by Reader Intent
- First-time visitors look for: Books, About
- Returning readers look for: Blog, New Releases
- Media/Professionals look for: About, Contact
Put the most common destinations first (leftmost position).
External Links
If you include external links (Amazon, Goodreads):
- Open them in a new tab (this is automatic for external URLs)
- Don't clutter the main navigation — consider putting them in the footer instead
Mobile Navigation
On mobile devices (screens under 768px):
- The header navigation collapses into a hamburger menu (☰)
- Tapping ☰ reveals a vertical menu with all navigation items
- The footer remains fully visible and scrollable
- This is automatic — you don't need to configure mobile navigation separately
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I create dropdown menus (sub-navigation)?
A: Dropdown menus are not currently supported. Keep your navigation flat with top-level links only.
Q: Can I add a "Buy My Book" button to the navigation?
A: Yes! Add an external link with the label "Buy Now" pointing to your book's BookAuth page or external retailer. Style it to stand out using custom CSS (Pro/Business).
Q: How many footer links can I have?
A: There's no strict limit, but keep it under 10 for a clean footer layout.
Q: Can I hide the navigation on specific pages?
A: Navigation appears on all pages consistently. Per-page navigation hiding is not currently supported.
Related Articles
- Your Author Website — Overview
- Creating & Managing Pages
- Customizing Your Website Theme & Design