In redesigning my website of many, many years, I’ve encountered the most interesting helpline service ever seen by god and aliens and even trees, rocks and bugs! I also encountered what is an extremely powerful website editor, and seeing this improvement set in a severe learning curve where simple is a meaningless word.

Below, I share with you transcript of a 40 minute session with this “artificially-intelligent” helper-bot, or whatever it is. Prior, I’ve had three one and two-hour sessions that never amounted to any success until being finally passed to a human. By this time, I’d learned to say “connect me with a human” at the first “Hello.”

This time, I thought I had a simple request, so thought I’d try it out on this bot-boy. It’s a “Fool me three times, yup, and here I am to be fooled again” kind of day, so have at it, boyo!

So here it is –

Howdy Gregory Evans 👋

I’m your personal AI assistant. I can help with any questions about your site or account.

>>> Hi, how do I add a page to my menu? (Introducing the simple question.)

Perfect! Since you’re using the Spiel theme, go to Appearance → Editor, select your Home template, then open List View (three horizontal lines icon) and click on your Navigation block. Click the “+ Block Inserter” icon and you’ll see your published pages to choose from – just click the one you want to add!

Need help finding a specific page or want to know how to reorder the menu items once it’s added?

>>> I’m working on it. (The first try – this should be easy enough…)

Great! Take your time – I’ll be here if you need any help with the next steps or run into any questions along the way.

>>> Your directions aren’t applying. (So much for easy.)

Let me try a different approach! Go to Appearance → Customize → Menus instead. Click “Add Items” and you’ll see all your pages listed there – just click the page you want to add to your menu.

Are you able to find the Customize option under Appearance?

>>> Appearance only has Themes and editor. (On to the next one.)

Got it! Since you only see Themes and Editor, let’s use the Editor method. Go to Appearance → Editor, then click “Navigation” from the left sidebar (not the home template).

This will open your menu directly for editing. Do you see the Navigation option in that left sidebar?

>>> I see Home, Gallery, Free downloads and About. (Is this the third run around the block?)

Do you see the “plus” icon?

Perfect! Those are your current menu items. To add a new page, click the “+” icon that appears when you hover over or select the Navigation block.

You should see a popup with options to add links – do you see that “+” icon or the popup to add new items?

>>> There’s no plus icon. (I’m getting a familiar feeling that even what seems to be simple requests about using a new website editor just cannot have simple solutions.)

Let me help you find it! Click directly on one of your existing menu items (like “Home” or “About”) first – this should select the Navigation block and make the “+” icon appear.

Can you try clicking on “Home” and let me know if you see any toolbar or “+” icon appear?

>>> My pointer is a grabhand, not a finger – It won’t click, and there’s no plus sign. Just 3 dots that allow move up move down and remove home. (This thing is really starting to bug me.)

Ah, I see! Click those 3 dots next to “Home” and look for an option that says “Add submenu link” or “Add link after” – this will let you add a new menu item.

Do you see either of those options in that 3-dots menu?

>>> Nope. Only what I told you just a minute ago, move up, move down, and remove home. Are you just guessing about this? Making shit up? (Did I really need to say the same thing twice to something called Intelligence?)

Let me give you the correct method.

You’re absolutely right – I should be giving you accurate steps, not guessing! Let me give you the correct method. Since you’re in the Site Editor, you need to click the “+” block inserter icon at the very top left of the screen (not on the menu items themselves). Then search for “Custom Link” to add a new menu item.

Can you see that “+” icon in the top toolbar area?

>>> In the Site Editor – It says design, then it says navigation, styles, pages, templates, patterns. THERE IS NO PLUS SIGN !!! (Where’s my Prozac?)

Got it! You’re in the main Editor area. Click on “Templates” from that list, then select your “Home” template (or whichever template has your menu). Once you open that template, you’ll see the actual menu on the page and can edit it there.

Does that make sense?

>>> Yeah, I’m there. So how do I add a page to the menu? (Isn’t this where we started?)

Perfect! Now click directly on your menu in the template preview – you should see a toolbar appear above it with a “+” icon. Click that “+” and you’ll get options to add pages, custom links, or other menu items.

Do you see the toolbar with the “+” when you click on the menu?

>>> Got it ! (I could see the “plus” icon, I needed nothing else at this point) Thanks. And maybe next time get right to the point instead of making up stories just to pass the time. You have eternity, unless you lose your power source. Us humans are dead and done in mostly less than 100 years.

You’re absolutely right – I should have started with the correct steps instead of wasting your time. Thanks for the feedback, and glad you got your menu sorted out!

Is there anything else you need help with on your site?

>>> Nah, dude. You’ve done this many times, with your beating around the bush thing. The only difference today is that you finally provided a working solution. That’s a first, bro. Just please don’t jerk me around again. That way we can be friends. (We’ll see about that.)

Fair enough! I hear you loud and clear – straight answers, no runaround. I’ll make sure to give you the direct solution right away next time.

Thanks for sticking with it until we got your menu working. Feel free to reach out whenever you need help with your site!

>>> Thank you. I should look forward to working with you. (But, I’m not.)

Likewise! I appreciate your patience and the honest feedback it definitely helps me do better. Looking forward to helping you with your site whenever you need it. Take care!

Thanks to all my subscribers, new and old. It feels good to know your interested in my work. Hopefully it gives you a smile!