Article Association for Listing

Introduction

The "Article Association for Listings" plugin is a powerful feature designed to seamlessly connect your directory listings with relevant articles, enriching the information available to your users. By displaying associated articles directly on the listing detail page, you provide valuable context, expand on offerings, and establish your directory as a comprehensive resource. This instructional guide will walk you through the necessary steps to effectively implement and leverage this plugin, maximizing its benefits for your directory website and user engagement.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Define Maximum Quantity of Associated Articles:

Begin by navigating to the "Settings" section within your directory dashboard. Next, locate and click on "Products & Plans" and proceed to click on "Manage Products". Within the settings for each listing level, identify the field that allows you to define the "Number of associated articles." Enter the desired maximum quantity of articles that clients at each level can link to their listings. Finally, click on "Save Changes" to apply these settings across your directory.

2. Configuring the Listing Template:

To ensure the associated articles are displayed correctly on your listings, you need to configure your listing templates. Access the template management area by navigating to Content → Listings → Listing templates. Select each of your active listing templates for editing. If you utilize multiple templates, repeating these steps for each is crucial for consistent article display.

Once you have opened a listing template for editing, click on the "+" sign to add a new tab to the listing detail page layout. Name this new tab "Articles" or any other label that clearly indicates to users where they can find related articles. After naming the tab, click on the "Add a Widget" button.

From the available widgets, locate and add the "Associated Articles" widget to the newly created "Articles" tab. For optimal visibility and layout, it is also recommended to add another widget, such as "Contact Information," to the right-hand column of your listing template.

After adding and positioning the widgets, scroll back to the top of the template editor and click on "Save Changes" to finalize the configuration. These steps will ensure that listings on your site are equipped to display their associated articles under the designated "Articles" tab, as illustrated in step 5 of this guide.

3. Creating Associations:

The "Article Association for Listings" plugin allows you to establish connections between listings and articles from two convenient locations: the "Listing" section and the "Article" section of your directory dashboard.

• In the "Listing" section: While creating a new listing or editing an existing one, navigate to the "Article" tab within the listing management interface. Here, you will find options to search for and add or remove relevant articles to associate with the current listing.

• Similarly, in the "Article" section: When creating a new article or editing an existing one, you can access a section that allows you to search for and add or remove relevant listings from an available list, effectively linking the article back to related business offerings.

4. Association Criteria:

To ensure relevant associations are made, the plugin incorporates specific criteria during the linking process. When you are editing a listing and attempting to associate articles, the system will only display articles that are either directly related to the specific advertiser who owns the listing or articles that have not yet been associated with any listing.

Conversely, when you are editing an article and looking to associate listings, only listings that belong to the same advertiser who created the article will be available for selection. This intelligent filtering system helps maintain context and relevance within your directory.

5. Display on Listing Page:

The established associations between listings and articles will be prominently displayed on both the public-facing listing detail page and the article detail page, creating a clear and interconnected information flow for your users.

• On the listing detail page: Within the designated "Articles" tab, all articles associated with that specific listing will be displayed. This display typically includes the article's title, its standard featured image, and a brief summary or introductory text of the article.

• In the "Article" section: On the detail page for an article that has been associated with one or more listings, a direct link will be provided. This link will redirect the user to the specific listing that is offering or related to the content of the displayed article, creating a valuable pathway between informational content and business services.

Conclusion

The "Article Association for Listings" plugin provides a powerful and seamless integration between the informational content of your articles and the commercial offerings of your listings, significantly enriching the user experience on your directory website. By following the straightforward steps outlined in this guide, you can effectively harness the capabilities of this plugin to enhance the value of your listings, provide valuable and contextual information to your users, and establish your directory as a comprehensive and engaging resource for both information seekers and service providers. Implementing this feature will not only improve user engagement and satisfaction but also solidify your directory website as a go-to destination for relevant information and services within your niche.