Browse by Map for Listing

Introduction

In the realm of online directories, providing intuitive and visually engaging navigation is paramount for a positive user experience. The "Browse By Map" plugin for eDirectory offers a powerful way to elevate your site's usability by integrating an interactive map feature. This allows users to explore listings geographically, making it easier to discover businesses and services in specific areas. This article will guide you through the simple steps of configuring and adding the "Browse By Map" plugin to your eDirectory website.

Configuring Browse By Map Settings:

1. Access General Settings:
   • Log in to your eDirectory Site Manager.
   • Navigate to Settings → General Settings.
   • Click on the "Plugins" tab.
   • Locate the "Browse by Map" plugin within the list.

Within the plugin's settings window, you will have the ability to customize the visual appearance and geographical scope of the map. You can:

• Change Map and Background Colors: Select colors that align with your site's design for both the map itself and its background.
• Define Map Display Area: Choose the initial area the map will display to users. Options include showing the entire world, a specific continent, or even a particular country based on the locations registered within your eDirectory.
• Enable Density-Based Coloring: Select an option to make the map colors more intense in areas with a higher concentration (quantity) of listings. This visually highlights popular locations.
• Choose Map Type: Select the desired style or type of map to be displayed.

Once you have made your desired configurations, click "Save Changes".

2. Adding the Browse By Map Widget to a Page:

• Go to Design → Page Editor.
• Click to edit the Desired Page where you want to integrate the "Browse By Map" widget (for example, your home page or a dedicated "Browse by Location" page).

• On the page editor, click the button "Add a Widget".

• Locate and add the "Browse By Map" widget to the selected area of the page.

• Click "Save" on the page editor to ensure the widget is successfully added and displayed.

3. Using the Browse By Map Widget:

Once the "Browse By Map" widget has been added to your site's pages, it becomes interactive. Areas on the map that contain registered listings will be clickable. The following illustrates how the widget functions when the list density button is enabled:

With the list density feature activated, users gain a dynamic and interactive browsing experience, allowing them to quickly identify areas with a significant number of listings. Clicking on a highlighted area will typically zoom into that region and potentially display the associated listings.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully configured and integrated the "Browse By Map" plugin into your eDirectory website. This valuable addition will undoubtedly enhance the user experience by providing a visually appealing and intuitive way for visitors to explore your directory's listings based on location. Should you have any questions or encounter any difficulties during this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to our dedicated support team for assistance at support@edirectory.com.

Thank you for choosing eDirectory. We are confident that the "Browse By Map" plugin will significantly elevate the navigation experience for your site visitors, making it easier for them to find what they are looking for.