How to Replace Search Result Titles with Employer Categories in WordPress?

Are you tired of seeing boring and generic search result titles on your WordPress website? Do you want to take your search functionality to the next level by displaying employer categories instead? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process on how to replace search result titles with employer categories in WordPress.

Why Use Employer Categories in Search Results?

Using employer categories in search results can greatly enhance the user experience and provide more relevant information to your visitors. Here are a few reasons why:

• Improved relevance**: By displaying employer categories, users can quickly identify the type of job or company they’re looking for, making their search more targeted and efficient.
• Enhanced filtering**: With employer categories, users can filter their search results by specific categories, making it easier to find what they’re looking for.
• Better search engine optimization (SEO)**: Using employer categories can help improve your website’s SEO by providing more specific and relevant keywords.

Prerequisites and Setup

Before we dive into the tutorial, make sure you have the following:

• A WordPress website with a search functionality enabled.
• A plugin or custom code that allows you to create and manage employer categories (we’ll use the wp_job_manager plugin as an example).
• A basic understanding of PHP and WordPress development.

Step 1: Create Employer Categories

Using the wp_job_manager plugin, create a new custom taxonomy for employer categories. Go to WP Admin > Job Manager > Settings > Custom Fields and click on the “Add New” button.

taxonomy = 'employer_category';
label = 'Employer Categories';
singular_label = 'Employer Category';
description = 'Select an employer category for the job listing.';

Save the changes and create a few sample employer categories, such as “Software Development”, “Marketing”, “Finance”, etc.

Step 2: Create a Custom Search Result Template

Create a new file in your theme’s directory called search.php. This file will override the default WordPress search result template.

<?php
/**
 * Search Results Template
 *
 * This file is used to display search results.
 */
?>

In this file, we’ll add a custom loop to display the search results with employer categories.

Step 3: Modify the Search Result Loop

Replace the default search result loop with the following code:

<?php
if ( have_posts() ) :
    while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();
        $employer_category = get_the_terms( get_the_ID(), 'employer_category' );
        if ( $employer_category ) {
            $employer_category_name = $employer_category[0]->name;
        } else {
            $employer_category_name = 'Uncategorized';
        }
        ?>
        <h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php echo $employer_category_name; ?></a></h2>
        <p><?php the_excerpt(); ?></p>
    endwhile;
endif;
?>

This code retrieves the employer category for each search result using the get_the_terms() function and displays it as the title.

Step 4: Style and Customize

Use CSS to style and customize the search result template to fit your theme’s design. You can target the employer category title using the following code:

<style>
.search-result {
    margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.search-result h2 {
    font-size: 18px;
    font-weight: bold;
    margin-bottom: 10px;
}
.search-result h2 a {
    color: #337ab7;
    text-decoration: none;
}
.search-result p {
    font-size: 14px;
    color: #666;
}
</style>

Conclusion

That’s it! You’ve successfully replaced search result titles with employer categories in WordPress. This customization can greatly improve the user experience and provide more relevant information to your visitors. Remember to test and refine your code to ensure it’s working as expected.

Pros	Cons
Improved user experience	Requires PHP and WordPress development knowledge
Enhanced filtering capabilities	May require additional styling and customization
Better SEO	Dependent on the wp_job_manager plugin or custom code for employer categories

By following this tutorial, you’ve taken a significant step in enhancing your WordPress website’s search functionality. Remember to stay creative and experiment with different approaches to improve your website’s overall user experience.

Frequently Asked Question

Have you ever wondered how to replace search result titles with employer categories in WordPress? Look no further! We’ve got the answers to your burning questions.