cm – WooCommerce offers great flexibility for online stores, including the ability to create a user-friendly and SEO-optimized product catalog.
This article covers how to install the best WooCommerce plugins for product catalogs, along with shortcodes that can be used to professionally display products on your website.
Why Create a Product Catalog in WooCommerce?
A product catalog makes it easy for customers to view available items without dealing with the complexity of checkout. In some cases, catalogs are only used to showcase products without direct purchasing options, such as in B2B businesses where price negotiation is required.
Some benefits of a product catalog:
- Better User Experience: Easy navigation allows customers to find products faster.
- SEO Optimized: With the right setup, catalog pages can boost search engine rankings.
- Attractive Visuals: WooCommerce plugins allow you to create beautiful product displays with various layouts.
Best WooCommerce Plugins for Product Catalogs
1. YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode
This plugin is very popular as it easily turns your WooCommerce store into catalog mode. For example, if you want to display products without a “Buy Now” button, this plugin is the solution.
Key Features:
- Hides the “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now” buttons
- Adds a contact button or external link for price negotiation
- Product visibility settings based on user login status
How to Install:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Click Plugins > Add New, then search for YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode.
- Click Install Now and activate the plugin.
- Shortcode: This plugin doesn’t require specific shortcodes since all settings are managed through WooCommerce Settings.
2. WooCommerce Product Table
This plugin helps display products in a table format, making it easier for users to view complete information on one page.
Key Features:
- Products are displayed in a table with customizable columns
- Product filtering options by category, price, or other attributes
- Add to Cart directly from the table
How to Install:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Click Plugins > Add New, search for WooCommerce Product Table, then click Install Now and activate.
- Shortcode:
[product_table]This shortcode displays the default table of all products. If you want to customize the columns and display, use additional parameters, such as:
[product_table columns="image,name,price,add-to-cart" filters="true" rows_per_page="10"]3. WooCommerce Catalog Visibility Options
This plugin is very flexible for managing product visibility. You can specify which products are displayed in the catalog or which can be purchased directly.
Key Features:
- Hide or show add-to-cart buttons for specific products
- Add options for products that can only be purchased by registered or verified users
- Custom visibility settings for each product
How to Install:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard, click Plugins > Add New.
- Search for WooCommerce Catalog Visibility Options, then click Install Now and activate.
- Shortcode: This plugin focuses on visibility settings and doesn’t require specific shortcodes. All settings are done in WooCommerce > Settings > Catalog Visibility.
Guide to Using Plugins and Shortcodes in WooCommerce
1. Installing WooCommerce
Before adding additional plugins, make sure WooCommerce is already installed on your WordPress site. Steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard, click Plugins > Add New.
- Search for WooCommerce, click Install Now then Activate.
Once activated, you can follow the setup wizard to configure the basics of your online store, such as location, currency, and payment methods.
2. Using WooCommerce Shortcodes
Shortcodes are a quick and easy way to display products or catalogs on any webpage without coding from scratch. Here are some important shortcodes you can use:
- Display All Products:
[products]This displays all products in your store in the default format.
- Display Products by Category:
[products category="fashion"]Replace “fashion” with the appropriate category name for your products.
- Display Products in a Grid Layout:
[products limit="12" columns="4"]This shortcode displays 12 products in a grid with 4 columns.
- Newest Products:
[recent_products per_page="8" columns="4"]This displays the 8 latest products in 4 columns.
- Custom Product Table: If you are using WooCommerce Product Table, this shortcode can be used to display a more specific product table:
[product_table columns="image,name,price,add-to-cart" sort_by="price" search_box="true" filters="true"]With this shortcode, customers can search for products and use filters directly on the catalog page.
SEO Tips for WooCommerce Product Catalogs
To ensure your product catalog ranks highly on search engines, here are a few SEO tips you can apply:
- Optimize Meta Tags:
Ensure every product page in the catalog has an optimized meta title and description. Meta descriptions should be attention-grabbing and contain keywords, for example: “Explore the latest sneaker collection at our online store. Find shoes that fit your everyday activities at the best prices!” - Alt Text for Product Images:
Every product image should have alt text that is descriptive and relevant to the product. This helps Google understand the image content and boosts SEO. - Internal Linking:
Link catalog pages to other articles or product pages on your site. Internal linking helps Google crawl the site better and enhances the user experience. - Page Speed:
Ensure your catalog pages are not too heavy. Use optimized images and caching plugins like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache to speed up page loading.
Ready to boost your online store’s performance with a well-structured and professional product catalog? If you’re still feeling confused or find it too complicated, don’t worry!
We at Team Crediblemark are ready to help you create a beautiful, fast, and SEO-optimized WooCommerce product catalog. Contact us now and boost your online sales with the best e-commerce services!
Conclusion
By using the best WooCommerce plugins like YITH WooCommerce Catalog Mode, WooCommerce Product Table, and WooCommerce Catalog Visibility Options, you can create a beautiful, functional, and user-friendly product catalog.
Don’t forget, SEO optimization is also crucial to ensure your product catalog can be easily found on search engines.
