Introduction


Having accurate location information is crucial for enhancing the user experience and search functionality of your eDirectory website. Properly configured location settings allow your listings to provide precise addresses, enable visitor location detection, and showcase nearby results. Follow this step-by-step guide to configure location settings and improve the navigation and usability of your eDirectory-powered site.

Configuring Location Settings: Step by Step


Step 1: Accessing Language & Geography Settings

  1. Log in to your eDirectory admin panel.
  2. Open the "Settings" tab.
  3. Click on the "Language & Geography" option.  

Step 2: Enabling Visitor Location Detection and Nearby Results


Visitor Location Detection & Nearby Results


Locations

  • To enable the usage of locations in your site, check the option "Enable usage of locations for this site"

Visitor Location Dectection

  • To enable automatic location detection that fills the "Where" field in the search form based on visitor location:
    • Check the "Enable Visitor Location Detection" box.
    • Click "Save Changes" to apply the setting.

Nearby Results

  • To display listings based on proximity to the user:
    • Check the option "Enable Nearby Results", and enter your Google API Key.
    • Type the default radius for the location-based searches in your site.
    • For detailed instructions on activating, and obtaining the API Key, refer to the article: How to Activate Google Maps and Nearby Results APIs

Step 3: Choosing Locations for Use and Configuring Location Hierarchy


Under the "Choose the Locations You Want to Use" section, define the geographical levels you want to use for your site. eDirectory supports a structured location hierarchy, which allows users to navigate logically from broader to more specific location options:

  • Level 1 - Country: The highest geographical level. (e.g. United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, etc)
  • Level 2 - Region: Subdivisions of a country. (e.g. North, South, East, West, Northern, etc. ) 
  • Level 3 - State: Divisions within a region. (e.g. Florida, Texas, Ohio, etc) 
  • Level 4 - City: Specific locations within a state. (e.g. New York, Orlando, Boston, etc) 
  • Level 5 - Neighborhood: Smaller localities within a city. ( e.g. SoHo, Chinatown, Greenwich Village, etc)



This hierarchical structure streamlines the user journey, enabling users to logically move from broader to more specific location options.


Note: It's important to note that upon the purchase of your eDirectory website, the "Country," "State," and "City" location levels are enabled by default under the "Settings → Language & Geography" page.



 To modify location settings:

  1. Enable or disable specific levels using the "Enable" checkbox.
  2. Customize the display name for each level by providing singular and plural forms.
  3. Lock a default location to guide user selections or leave it open for flexibility.
  4. Highlight featured locations by checking the "Featured" box, allowing them to appear on the front page and widgets.

  1. Disabling Locations and Re-enabling Locations

    • To disable a location, simply uncheck the relevant option.
    • If you need to enable a previously disabled location, ensure your site has no existing listings, events, or classifieds, as this prevents data inconsistencies. It’s recommended to finalize location settings before populating the site.

  2. Display Name

    • Customize the label of the location field. On the first field, type the singular form and on the second field, type the plural form. If you are going to use the default settings, no further action is needed here. The display name will be displayed to the users when they are adding a listing to the site on the location fields as demonstrated below:

  3. Default Location and Show Default

    • Setting a default location restricts users to only that location when adding listings. For example, selecting "United States" as the default locks listings to U.S. locations.
    • If you want your site users to freely choose the desired location, leave it as "No default".
    • The Show Default option is automatically checked when a default location is selected, ensuring a seamless user experience.
      Backend 
      Frontend

  4. Featured Locations

    • When checked, the location will be displayed on the front page, so that users can see the locations on the "Browse by location" widget, and click on them to see a list with all the listings within that specific location. For example, if the "City" is checked as featured, the "Browse by location" widget will display the cities for users to click on and see the list of listings within that specific city. 
      Backend 
      Frontend



Note: If you would like to learn more about how the Browse by location widget works on eDirectory, check out this article: Browse by Category and Location Widgets


Step 4: Adding Additional Location Data


Once the location settings are configured, load the location data to your site. Refer to the article How Do I Add Additional Locations to My Site for step-by-step instructions.

Conclusion


Setting up accurate location settings is a critical step in optimizing your eDirectory website. With these configurations, your listings will feature precise addresses, and users will benefit from a seamless search experience. Not only does this improve usability, but it also enhances your directory's credibility and success. For further assistance, contact the eDirectory support team.