The directory search page lets visitors narrow the listings by category, minimum rating and distance, and shows every active filter as a chip they can remove. It is for site owners who want to know what visitors see and which settings change it.
Before you start
- You need a page with the directory search results shortcode or block (the demo uses a page at /directory/).
- Near me needs a browser that supports location and a visitor who allows it.
- Listings need coordinates to appear in distance searches.
How to use it
- Open the directory page. The Filters sidebar sits on the left on desktop.
- Under Categories, click a category. Each row shows a count, and the results narrow straight away.
- Type in Filter categories… to find a category in a long list.
- Under Minimum rating, click 4+, 3+ or 2+. Any switches the rating filter off.
- Check the chips above the results. You will see the category name and 4+ stars.
- Click the x on a chip to remove just that filter. The others stay.
- Click Clear all filters at the bottom of the sidebar to start again.
- Click the near me pin button in the search bar (its tooltip is Search near me). Your browser asks for permission to share your location.
- Once allowed, a Distance group appears in the sidebar and a chip reads Within 25km of me (25 is the default radius).
- Drag the slider to change the radius, from 1 km to 100 km. The value beside it updates as you drag.
- Open the Sort menu and choose Closest. The nearest businesses come first.
- Click Clear next to the radius value to drop the location filter.
Good to know
- Category and rating filters combine: results must match both.
- Clear all filters resets categories, rating, Featured, Verified, Open now, Features and the sort order to Most relevant. It does not remove a near me location: use Clear in the Distance group for that.
- Closest stays disabled in the Sort menu (labelled “Closest (allow location)”) until a location has been shared.
- The radius slider runs from 1 km to 100 km in 1 km steps. Its starting value comes from Default Search Radius on the Maps tab of the plugin settings (25 unless you change it; miles are converted to kilometres).
- On screens 960 pixels wide or narrower, the sidebar becomes a drawer opened by the Filters button. A number on the button shows how many filters are active. Close the drawer with the x button, the Escape key or by tapping outside it.
- The address bar keeps the search text, category, minimum rating, Featured, Verified and sort choices, so those links can be shared. The location and radius are not saved in the address.
- For the Open now toggle see the Open Now doc. For the facility checkboxes see the Features facet doc. For the image slider on cards see the Photo gallery slider doc.
FAQ
Why is nothing showing after I filter?
No listing matches every filter. The page suggests you try removing a filter or widening the search radius.
What if a visitor blocks location access?
The page shows “Location access denied.” and the results stay as they were. The category and rating filters still work.
Can I change the starting radius?
Yes. Change Default Search Radius in the Maps tab of the plugin settings. It accepts 1 to 500, and the slider on the page is capped at 100 km.
Does the Any rating button remove the chip?
Yes. Choosing Any sets the minimum rating back to none, and the 4+ stars chip disappears.
Can visitors hide the sidebar on a laptop?
No. The drawer with the Filters button only appears on screens 960 pixels wide or narrower.