Navigation Pro theme looks great and has many customization options.
This is my Navigation Pro YouTube playlist…
Only choose this theme if you’re using an up to date version of WordPress. You use the block editor, not the classic editor. And you’re happy to install Atomic Blocks plugin.
This StudioPress theme is a first. It takes full advantage of Genesis and Atomic Blocks combined.
Because this is such a cutting edge system. I also recommend you install a rollback plugin, such as WP Rollback.
WP Rollback enables you to roll back to an earlier version of a plugin if you want to. You might never need WP Rollback, but it’s good to have it just in case.
This is a great looking theme with a lot of options. It relies heavily on the Atomic Blocks plugin for the layout and styling.
Navigation Pro theme basics
- There are 4 ready made page layouts
- There are 21 ready made page sections
- To build a service business homepage, use the Law template
- To build a blog or magazine site homepage, use the Cuisine, Fitness or Travel template
- There are two types of content on the homepage, text & images you replace directly. And blog post listings you replace by changing the AB Post Grid settings
- Only use the automatic “Child Theme Setup” on a test site
Automatic Child Theme Setup wizard
When you install the theme you will see an option to install a starter pack…
“Navigation Pro offers a choice of starter packs. A starter pack is a bundle of content and/or plugins that will be automatically imported and set up for you.”
But! These starter packs will put content in your website that you probably don’t want to use. At some point you’ll have to manually remove that content.
I only use the starter packs on test sites, so I can quickly learn how the theme and the settings work.
Atomic Blocks Layout Selector
The homepage layouts can be easily added to any PAGE of your site via the layout selector. Click the layouts button in the top toolbar of the block editor.
You will then see the layout selector. It has three tabs, sections, layouts & favorites. select the middle tab, layouts.
Important note!
Make sure you are using the MIDDLE TAB Layouts. It’s easy to confuse sections and layouts.
Scroll down to the homepage layouts that are specific to Navigation Pro theme…
Select any of these full page layout templates to automatically build your homepage.
You need blog posts
The homepage templates rely heavily on blog posts.
If your site doesn’t have many blog posts, such as a service business homepage. Use the Law template, it only needs two blog posts to look like the demo page.
If your site has a lot of blog posts, use the Cuisine, Fitness or Travel templates. These need up to 18 blog posts to look like the demo pages.
Navigation Pro theme options
You have a lot of options available when you use Navigation Pro theme. These are just a few of them…
Logos
Customize Colors
Page Layouts
Pages and posts can have sidebar or no sidebar layout.
This blog post has a sidebar
Blog post with “Full Width Content”
Unboxed Content PAGE layout
The unboxed content layout looks great. However, it’s only available for pages, not blog posts.
Other options available in Navigation pro theme
There are many other options built into this theme. such as…
- Search icon in the navigation bar
- Intro paragraph styling for blog posts
- Four complete page templates
- Thirteen Navigation Pro page sections
- Multiple style options
- Blog & archive page intro text
Twenty One page sections
The real beauty of Navigation Pro theme is that you can add a whole page layout, or build your own page from page sections. And it only takes a few mouse clicks.
The two images below show the page sections.
In conclusion, this is a great looking theme with a lot of “one click” options. For instance, there are four complete page layouts, twenty one page sections and several styling options. I love it!