How to add pagination in a WordPress website

Plagination is an important feature for organizing content and improving user experience on your WordPress website. It assists in breaking up large amounts of content into manageable sections, such as splitting blog posts across multiple pages or dividing long articles.

This guide will explain to you how to add pagination to your WordPress site.

Why Use Pagination?

• Improves Navigation: Makes it easier for users to browse your content.
• Enhances Performance: Reduces load times by displaying content in smaller chunks.
• Boosts SEO: Helps search engines index your content efficiently.

Methods to Add Pagination in WordPress:

Method 1: Using WordPress Settings (Default Pagination)

1. Enable Pagination in Blog Posts:
   1. Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   2. Navigate to Settings > Reading.
      
   3. Set the number of posts to display per page under “Blog pages show at most”.
      
2. Save Changes:
   Click Save Changes to enable default pagination for your blog.

Method 2: Adding Pagination to Custom Templates (Using Code)

For custom templates, you can manually add pagination by editing your theme files.

1. Edit the Relevant Theme File:
   1. Navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor.
      
   2. Open the file where you want pagination (e.g., index.php, archive.php, or category.php).
      
2. Insert the Pagination Code:
   Add the following code where you want pagination to appear:

   <?php
   
   if (function_exists(‘the_posts_pagination’)) {
   
   the_posts_pagination(array(
   ‘mid_size’
   => 2,
   ‘prev_text’
   => __(‘&laquo; Previous’, ‘textdomain’),
   ‘next_text’
   => __(‘Next &raquo;’, ‘textdomain’),
   ));
   }
   
   ?>

3. Save Changes
   Click Update File to save the changes.
   

Method 3: Paginating a Single Post or Page
To split a single long post or page into multiple pages:

1. Edit the post or page in the WordPress editor.
2. Insert the <!–nextpage–> tag where you want to split the content.

   Content for the first page.
   <!--nextpage-->
   Content for the second page.
   <!--nextpage-->
   Content for the third page.

3. Update or publish the post/page.

Method 4: Using a Pagination Plugin
If you want more advanced features, consider using a plugin like:

1. WP-PageNavi
2. Pagination by BestWebSoft

Steps to Use a Plugin:

1. Install and activate the plugin.
   
2. Configure the settings as per your requirements.
3. The plugin will automatically add pagination or provide a shortcode/widget to place it manually.

Testing and Troubleshooting Pagination:

1. Ensure Theme Compatibility: Some themes may not support custom pagination; consider switching to a theme that does.
2. Check Permalinks: Navigate to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to refresh the permalink structure.
   
3. Inspect Plugins: Deactivate conflicting plugins if pagination isn’t working correctly.

By implementing pagination, you can significantly enhance your website’s usability and ensure a smoother browsing experience for your visitors.