Improving the User Experience and Engagement on Your Website
Enhancing the user experience and engagement on your website is crucial for establishing a loyal audience. One effective method of achieving this is by incorporating arrow-key keyboard navigation into your WordPress site. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to easily add arrow-key keyboard navigation to your WordPress site.
The Significance of Arrow-Key Keyboard Navigation
Arrow-key keyboard navigation offers numerous benefits for your WordPress website. It allows users to effortlessly navigate through your posts, which is particularly advantageous when presenting content in a sequential order. Whether you’re sharing chapters of a book, portfolio items, or historical events, arrow-key navigation enables users to smoothly transition from one post to the next.
Additionally, arrow-key keyboard navigation encourages visitors to explore more of your site. By simplifying the navigation process between posts, users are more likely to engage with your content and spend additional time on your website.
Adding Arrow-Key Keyboard Navigation in WordPress
Method 1: Use a Code Snippets Plugin
Step 1: Install and Activate a Code Snippets Plugin
To begin, you need to install and activate a reliable code snippets plugin such as WPCode. This plugin allows you to add custom code snippets to your WordPress site. If you’re uncertain about how to install a WordPress plugin, consult our beginner’s guide.
Step 2: Create a Custom Code Snippet
After activating WPCode, access the Code Snippets » + Add Snippet page in your WordPress admin dashboard. Click on the ‘Use Snippet’ button under ‘Add Your Custom Code (New Snippet)’.
On the ‘Create Custom Snippet’ page, assign a name to your code snippet. Next, select ‘Universal Snippet’ as the ‘Code Type’ from the dropdown menu.
Copy and paste the code provided below into the ‘Code Preview’ box:
(function($) {
$(document).keydown(function(e) {
if (e.keyCode == 37) { // left arrow key
var url = $(‘.nav-previous a’).attr(‘href’);
if (url) {
window.location = url;
}
}
else if (e.keyCode == 39) { // right arrow key
var url = $(‘.nav-next a’).attr(‘href’);
if (url) {
window.location = url;
}
}
});
})(jQuery);
Scroll down to the ‘Insertion’ section and select ‘Site Wide Footer’ as the location. Choose ‘Auto Insert’ as the insertion method.
Scroll back up and switch the toggle from ‘Inactive’ to ‘Active’. Finally, click on the ‘Save Snippet’ button.
Congratulations! You have successfully added arrow-key keyboard navigation to your WordPress site.
Method 2: Utilize the Arrow Keys Navigation Plugin
Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin
If you prefer not to add custom code to your site, you can opt for the Arrow Keys Navigation plugin. Install and activate the plugin following our detailed step-by-step guide.
Step 2: Navigate with Arrow Keys
Once the plugin is activated, you can easily navigate between previous and next posts on your site using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard. This straightforward plugin requires no additional configuration.
Please note that this plugin only enables navigation between different posts, not between different pages on your site.
Advanced Functionality
If you desire to expand the functionalities of arrow-key navigation to control images or sliders with arrow keys, you can leverage popular WordPress gallery and slider plugins. Many of these plugins include built-in arrow-key navigation features, making it seamless to implement these functionalities on your site.
By integrating arrow-key keyboard navigation, you can significantly enhance the user experience on your WordPress website and encourage visitors to explore more. Stay updated with our YouTube Channel for additional WordPress tutorials and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.
