Since one of my websites has over 250 articles, navigation becomes a big issue with a new site design.

And, since WordPress was created as blogging software, it organizes sites by date, or by date within a category. It wasn’t planned as a content management system (CMS).

The problem is, date order and simple categories are not intuitive for a first-time site visitor, when dates aren’t really relevant. Not when a site is huge, anyway. And, with sub-categories, the sidebar can expand to a ridiculous height.

So, here’s what I’m working with, until someone comes up with a better way to use WordPress as a CMS. All of these are plugins and generate content and site updates automatically.

- A folding navigation system

- A tags list

- A popularity list

- A search form (already in the template)

- A sitemap

All of these are available, free. Generally, I find them through WordPress’s own Plugins lists. Some need minor PHP or CSS tweaking. Some don’t function completely with Branford Magazine (and probably not with Mimbo); that’s okay, they work well enough.

I am learning as I redesign my larger sites. The smaller ones have been easy, but the larger ones–and planning for sites (such as this one) that may expand, big time–is still a learning experience for me. I’m sharing the most important notes with you, so nobody’s reinventing the wheel.

It will get easier.

Since so many of us are using WordPress as a CMS, I’m confident that better plugins will evolve over the upcoming months. And, with WordPress 2.5 scheduled for release soon (March 2008), some plugin developers may be waiting for that.

April 2008 update: I upgraded this site and a couple of others to WordPress 2.5 and I’m not happy about that. Many of the plugins don’t work well, yet.  I know that the plugins will be upgraded as time permits, but — until then — I can’t recommend WordPress 2.5.

For me, using ‘plain vanilla’ Branford Magazine isn’t an option.  Plugins are essential to my design!  So… take my advice and don’t install WordPress 2.5 unless you check the plugins first (and the WordPress Forums for wails) to be sure that everything will play well together.