How To Relocate Woocommerce Category Descriptions

How to Move Your WooCommerce Category Descriptions: A Beginner’s Guide

WooCommerce category descriptions are a fantastic way to boost your SEO and improve the shopping experience for your customers. They provide essential details about the products within a specific category, helping search engines understand what your page is about and guiding shoppers to the right items.

But what if you’re not happy with the default placement of your category descriptions? Maybe they’re too low on the page, getting lost among the products, or you want a different design. This article will guide you through the process of relocating your WooCommerce category descriptions, even if you’re not a coding expert.

Why Move Your Category Descriptions?

Think of your WooCommerce category pages like aisles in a physical store. A well-placed and engaging description is like a helpful sign that tells customers what they’ll find in that aisle and why they might want to browse. Relocating the description can:

• Improve SEO: Placing the description higher on the page makes it more likely to be crawled and indexed by search engines. Remember, search engines prioritize content they can easily find.
• Enhance User Experience: Moving the description to a more prominent position can immediately inform visitors about the category’s contents, potentially reducing bounce rates (the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page).
• Control Design & Layout: Perhaps your theme’s default positioning clashes with your overall design aesthetic. Relocating the description allows you to customize its appearance and integrate it more seamlessly.
• Highlight Important Information: Moving the description higher up can draw attention to key selling points or special offers related to the category. For example, a category for “Organic Coffee Beans” could highlight the fair trade practices and unique growing regions right at the top.

Methods for Relocating Your WooCommerce Category Descriptions

There are a few ways to achieve this, ranging from simple theme modifications to using plugins. We’ll start with the most straightforward options and then explore the more advanced ones.

#### 1. Check Your Theme Options (The Easiest Way!)

Before diving into code, check your theme’s customization options. Many modern WooCommerce themes offer built-in settings to control the placement Discover insights on How To Change The Woocommerce Checkout Page of category descriptions.

• How to Check: Go to *Appearance > Customize* in your WordPress dashboard. Look for sections related to *WooCommerce > Product Catalog* or similar naming. See if there are options to move or hide the category description.

Example: The popular Astra theme often has options within its WooCommerce customization settings to control the display of various elements on the category page, including the description.

#### 2. Using a Code Snippet (Recommended for Tech-Savvy Beginners)

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If your theme doesn’t offer built-in options, a code snippet provides a relatively simple way to reposition the category description. This involves adding a small piece of PHP code to your theme’s `functions.php` file (or, preferably, a child theme’s `functions.php` to avoid losing changes when the theme updates).

Important: Always back up your website before making changes to your theme files! A mistake in the code can break your site. Using a child theme is highly recommended for this reason.

Here’s a code snippet to move the category description *above* the products:

 remove_action( 'woocommerce_archive_description', 'woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description', 10 ); add_action( 'woocommerce_before_main_content', 'woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description', 10 ); 

Explanation:

• `remove_action(‘woocommerce_archive_description’, ‘woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description’, 10)`: This line *removes* the default action that displays the category description. The `10` is the priority, which is important for actions.
• `add_action(‘woocommerce_before_main_content’, ‘woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description’, 10)`: This line *adds* the action back, but this time hooking into the `woocommerce_before_main_content` action hook, which is located before the main content area (where the product listings are displayed). Again, `10` defines the priority.

How to Implement:

1. Access Your `functions.php` File: You can access this file via FTP (using a program like FileZilla) or through your WordPress dashboard by going to *Appearance > Theme Editor*. REMEMBER to use a Child Theme!!

2. Add the Code: Paste the code snippet at the *end* of your `functions.php` file, before the closing `?>` tag (if it exists).

3. Update File: Click the “Update File” button.

4. Test Your Site: Visit a WooCommerce category page to see if the description has moved.

To move the description *below* the products, change the action hook:

 remove_action( 'woocommerce_archive_description', 'woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description', 10 ); add_action( 'woocommerce_after_main_content', 'woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description', 10 ); 

#### 3. Using Plugins (The Easiest if Coding Isn’t Your Thing)

If you’re not comfortable working with code, several plugins can help you move your WooCommerce category descriptions without any programming.

Example Plugins:

* WooCommerce Category Description Injector: Allows you to move or display the description, with options for position, formatting, and more. It often gives you drag-and-drop control.

* Custom CSS & JS: While not specifically for moving descriptions, a plugin like “Custom CSS & JS” allows you to target the description element with CSS and adjust its position using CSS properties like `float`, `position`, and `margin`. This requires some CSS knowledge.

Benefits of Using Plugins:

• User-Friendly: Plugins typically offer a visual interface, making it easy to configure the placement of your category descriptions.
• No Coding Required: You don’t need to write any code, reducing the risk of errors.
• Additional Features: Some plugins offer advanced features like custom formatting, conditional display, and more.

Considerations:

• Plugin Bloat: Using too many plugins can slow down your website. Choose plugins carefully and only install those you need.
• Plugin Compatibility: Ensure that the plugin is compatible with your version of WooCommerce and your theme.

#### 4. Custom Template Overrides (Advanced)

For advanced users who need maximum control over the layout, you can override WooCommerce template files. This involves copying the relevant template file (usually `archive-product.php` or `taxonomy.php`) from the WooCommerce plugin to your theme’s directory and then modifying it.

This is the most complex option and requires a strong understanding of PHP and WooCommerce templates. Proceed with caution!

Example:

1. Locate Read more about How To Add Color And Size In Woocommerce Product the Template: Find the `archive-product.php` file within the WooCommerce plugin’s `templates` directory.

2. Create the Directory Structure: In your *child theme*, create a directory named `woocommerce`.

3. Copy the File: Copy `archive-product.php` from the plugin to your child theme’s `woocommerce` directory.

4. Edit the File: Open the `archive-product.php` file in your child theme and move the line that outputs the category description (`woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description()`) to the desired location.

Benefits:

• Maximum Control: You have complete control over the layout and design of the category page.
• No Plugin Dependencies: You don’t need to rely on plugins, reducing the risk of compatibility issues.

Considerations:

• Highly Technical: Requires advanced knowledge of PHP and WooCommerce templates.
• Maintenance: You’re responsible for maintaining the overridden template files and ensuring they remain compatible with future WooCommerce updates.

Which Method Should You Choose?

• Theme Options: Always check your theme options first – this is the simplest and safest approach.
• Code Snippet: If you’re comfortable adding a small piece of code to your `functions.php` file, this is a good option.
• Plugin: If you prefer a visual interface and don’t want to touch code, a plugin is the way to go.
• Template Overrides: Only choose this option if you have advanced technical skills and need maximum control over the layout.

No matter which method you choose, relocating your WooCommerce category descriptions can significantly improve your SEO and enhance the user experience on your online store. Good luck!