Should We Migrate To Use Default Taxonomy Archive Pages for Category, Location and Tag?

[obiPlabon]

We utilize custom pages for category, location, and tag archive pages. Typically, users create three pages and add respective shortcodes to them. Subsequently, they configure settings to assign these three pages as taxonomy archive pages. However, the Directorist plugin automates the entire process, alleviating the challenges associated with manual management.

Consider a Restaurant directory with three taxonomy archive pages: Single Category for the category archive, Single Location for the location archive, and Single Tag for the tag archive pages. The URLs of a single term archive will be as follows:

• Category archive: example.com/single-category/bengali-dish
• Location archive: example.com/single-location/dhaka
• Tag archive: example.com/single-tag/puran-dhaka

In light of our decision to utilize custom taxonomy archive pages initially, let us consider the advantages and disadvantages of this approach:

🙂 Pros:

1. Custom design without the need for a page builder or site builder plugin.
2. Control over the loop and all configurable elements using shortcodes.

🤯 Cons:

1. SEO plugins do not function automatically. We must employ hooks to ensure compatibility, but occasional bugs persist. Additionally, the schema data remains inoperable.
2. Multilingual plugins (like WPML, Polylang) compatibility issue.
3. XML sitemaps display different URLs.
4. Page builders cannot override the archive pages, although it is possible to customize custom pages using page builders.
5. We have inadvertently modified the default system, resulting in redirects and additional loops to retrieve archive data from the database.
6. Custom rewrite rules for SEO-friendly URLs.

Given the prevalence of cons, the valuable pros suggest that we should migrate to the default archive pages. However, we must address the following challenges:

1. Ensuring that search engine indexing is not adversely affected.
2. Maintaining URL consistency and seamless functionality.
3. Unpublishing custom archive pages to avoid conflicts with the default archive pages.
4. Removing related page selection settings.
5. Preserving the integrity of archive page designs with minimal effort.

💡 Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

[HeyMehedi]

Proposal: Flexible Archive Page System in Directorist

After reviewing the pros/cons of custom vs default archive pages, we suggest implementing dual options to accommodate all users while improving SEO and maintainability.

🛠 Two Archive Systems

1. Current System (Custom Pages)

   • ✅ Full design control via shortcodes
   • ✅ Backward compatibility
   • ❌ Requires manual SEO/schema fixes

2. New Default System (Native WP Archives)

   • ✅ Automatic SEO/schema support
   • ✅ Cleaner URLs, no redirect chains
   • ❌ Less design flexibility out-of-the-box

🚀 Implementation Plan

• New Installs: Default to native archives
• Existing Sites: Keep current system (opt-in toggle for migration)
• Settings: Add archive mode switcher in Directorist settings

[a1amin]

User Feedback:

[MahfuzulAlam]

Many users are already comfortable with the existing system. So, if we make a complete change, it will cause a lot of confusion, and it might also break the SEO links already saved on Google. To avoid these issues, we have developed a temporary solution to address the concerns of users who are coming to us with complaints. With this solution, they can use the native taxonomy page, which eliminates all the issues they were facing, while still allowing them to use the current shortcode and design.

Most of the complaints are focused on two main issues:

-- SEO concerns
-- Hierarchical URLs (e.g., site.com/location/bangladesh/dhaka/mirpur/)

For now, we’ve developed an extension that allows the old system to remain active by default, while also giving users the option to use the native system if they prefer. Most importantly, the design must not be compromised. The pages need to remain customizable, just like they are now.

-- https://prnt.sc/00dSy_nuK-W8

A permanent solution is necessary in the long run.