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Design your directory live in the Customizer

Set colour scheme, homepage sections and listing page blocks in Appearance > Customize > Site Design, then publish.

The Smart Directory Pro theme keeps its design options in one place, Appearance > Customize > Site Design, and shows every change in a live preview before you publish. It is for site owners who want to set colours, homepage sections and listing page blocks without touching code.

Switching the colour scheme, renaming a homepage section, turning off the map on listing pages and publishing.

Before you start

  • The Smart Directory Pro theme must be your active theme.
  • You need an account that can open the Customizer (an Administrator).

How to use it

  1. Go to Appearance > Customize.
  2. Click Site Design. Its description reads “Colours, fonts, header, homepage, listing pages and footer for your directory.”
  3. Click Colours & Mode.
  4. Click a swatch under Colour scheme, for example Forest Whispers. The preview on the right changes straight away.
  5. Under Light or dark mode, choose Light, Dark or Auto (follow system preference).
  6. Click Back, then click Homepage.
  7. Choose a Home Layout card: Classic, City Focus, Minimal or Bold.
  8. Scroll to the Recent listings controls. Set Number of recent listings (for example 4) and change Recent listings: heading (for example “New in Milton Keynes”).
  9. Click Back, then click Listing Pages.
  10. Untick a block you do not want, such as Show location map.
  11. Click Publish. The button changes to Published when the save is done.
  12. Open your site’s homepage to see the change live.
Colours & Mode section of the Customizer Site Design Colours & Mode Pick a colour scheme and choose whether visitors see the light or dark version. Light or dark mode Light Dark Auto (follow system preference) Colour scheme Buttons, links, hover states and accents across the theme and plugin follow this scheme. Ocean Blue Forest Whispers Midnight Teal Forest Whispers Each swatch shows four bands: dark, primary, accent, light. Your Directory Find the Best Local Businesses Search Live preview (colours change as you click)
Choosing a swatch in Colours & Mode updates the live preview at once. Colours shown are the Forest Whispers values from the theme.
Homepage section controls Homepage Layout, hero and the sections shown on the Directory Landing Page template. Home Layout Classic City Focus Minimal Bold Show section: Recent listings Number of recent listings 4 Recent listings: heading New in Milton Keynes JUST ADDED New in Milton Keynes Four cards, matching the count of 4
Typing a count and a heading in Homepage changes the Recent listings section in the preview.
Listing Pages toggles Listing Pages Choose which blocks appear on each business listing page. Show claim prompt below the business name Only appears on unclaimed listings while claims are switched on in the plugin. Show photo gallery Show location map Show opening hours Show reviews and review form Publish Changes show in the preview first. Publish saves them to the live site.
Each listing page block has its own checkbox. All are on by default.

Good to know

  • Default colour scheme is Ocean Blue. Default mode is Light. There are ten schemes in total.
  • The header light/dark toggle for visitors is on by default (Show light/dark toggle in header for visitors).
  • Homepage defaults: Featured listings 9, Browse by category 12, Recent listings 6. Recent listings allows up to 24, Featured up to 24, categories up to 48.
  • Other sections in Site Design: Typography (Site Font), Header (menu, tagline, search toggle) and several Footer sections (general, contact, social links, columns and menus, CTA banner, newsletter).
  • Nothing goes live until you click Publish.

FAQ

Can I try a colour scheme without changing my live site?

Yes. The preview updates as you click, and the live site only changes after you click Publish. Close the Customizer without publishing to discard the changes.

Do the colours affect the plugin too?

The colour scheme description says buttons, links, hover states and accents across the theme and plugin follow the scheme.

Where do I hide the map on business pages?

Go to Site Design > Listing Pages and untick Show location map.

Why does the newsletter signup not appear?

The signup forms stay hidden until you paste your email provider’s form action URL in Footer: Newsletter.

In section: Core Features Updated September 29, 2026
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