How To Set Up Shop By Brand In Woocommerce

How to Set Up a “Shop by Brand” Feature in WooCommerce (For Beginners!)

Want to make it super easy for your customers to find their favorite brands on your WooCommerce store? A “Shop by Brand” feature is a fantastic way to improve navigation, boost sales, and create a more user-friendly experience. Think of it like the clothing racks in a department store – organized by brand so you can quickly find what you’re looking for.

This guide will walk you through setting up a “Shop by Brand” functionality in WooCommerce, even if you’re a total beginner. We’ll break it down step-by-step, so you can get started today!

Why “Shop by Brand” is a Great Idea

Imagine you’re selling cameras. You have brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm. A customer knows they only want a Sony camera. Instead of sifting through your entire camera catalog, they can click on “Sony” and see only Sony cameras. This provides a more targeted and efficient shopping experience. Here’s why it’s so beneficial:

• Improved Navigation: Customers can easily find products from their preferred brands.
• Increased Sales: Simpler navigation leads to faster purchase decisions and higher conversion rates.
• Enhanced User Experience: A user-friendly website builds trust and encourages repeat business.
• Better SEO: Optimized brand pages can attract search engine traffic looking for specific brands. Remember to add relevant keywords to your brand descriptions!

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up “Shop by Brand”

We’ll use a plugin for this. While there are several options available, we’ll demonstrate with a popular and reliable choice, *Brands for WooCommerce* (free version). There are paid options with more features, but the free version is often enough to get you started.

1. Install and Activate the Plugin:

• Go to your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
• Search for “Brands for WooCommerce”.
• Install and activate the plugin by WebToffee.

2. Creating Your Brands:

The plugin adds a new section called “Brands” in your WordPress dashboard. This is where you’ll manage your brand names.

• Go to Products > Brands.
• You’ll see a screen similar to managing categories or tags.
• Enter the name of the brand (e.g., “Nike”).
• Optionally, add a slug (a URL-friendly version of the name, usually lowercase and with hyphens – e.g., “nike”). If you leave it blank, WordPress will automatically generate one.
• Add a description for the brand. This is crucial for SEO! Describe what makes the brand unique. For example: “Nike is a leading sportswear brand known for its innovative designs, high-performance apparel, and iconic sneakers.”
• Upload a brand image. This will be displayed on your brand pages.
• Click Add New Brand.

Repeat this process for all the brands you carry.

Example:

Let’s say you sell shoes. You might create brands like:

• Adidas: Description: “Adidas is a global leader in athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories, known for its iconic three-stripe design and focus on innovation.” Image: Adidas Logo
• Puma: Description: “Puma is a global athletic brand that fuses influences from sport, lifestyle, and fashion.” Image: Puma Logo
• Converse: Description: “Converse is an American shoe company that has designed, distributed, and licensed sneakers, skating shoes, lifestyle brand footwear, apparel, and accessories since the early 20th century.” Image: Converse Logo

3. Assigning Brands to Products:

Now you need to tell WooCommerce which products belong to which brands.

• Go to Products > All Products.
• Edit a product.
• Look for the “Brands” box on the right-hand side of the screen.
• Select the brand(s) that apply to the product.
• Update the product.

Repeat this for all your products, ensuring each one is assigned to the correct brand(s). Consistency is key here!

4. Displaying the “Shop by Brand” Functionality:

There are several ways to display your brands on your website. Here are a couple of common methods:

* Using a Widget: Most “Brands for WooCommerce” plugins provide a widget.

• Go to Appearance > Widgets.
• Look for the “Brands” widget. (The exact name may vary slightly depending on the plugin).
• Drag the widget to your desired sidebar or widget area.
• Configure the widget settings (e.g., display as a list or grid, show brand logos, etc.).
• Save your changes.

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* Using a Shortcode: Some plugins provide a shortcode that you can insert into pages or posts. Refer to the plugin’s documentation for the specific shortcode. It might look something like this: `[brands_list]`

• Create a new page (e.g., “Shop by Brand”).
• Insert the shortcode into the content area.
• Publish the page.

* Adding Brands to Your Menu: You might want to add a “Shop by Brand” link directly to your main navigation menu. This can link to the page you created with the shortcode, or to a landing page Read more about How To Import Standard Tax Csv Woocommerce specifically designed to showcase all your brands.

• Go to Appearance > Menus.
• Create a custom link that points to the page where you are displaying your brands.
• Add Discover insights on How To Separate Products On Woocommerce it to your menu.

5. Customizing the Brand Pages (Optional but Recommended):

The standard brand pages (e.g., `yourwebsite.com/brand/nike`) might look a bit basic. You can customize them to improve their appearance and SEO.

• Edit the Brand Description: Revisit Products > Brands and ensure your brand descriptions are well-written, keyword-rich, and engaging.
• Use a Page Builder: If you use a page builder like Elementor or Beaver Builder, you might be able to create a custom template for your brand pages. This gives you more control over the layout and design.
• Consider Premium Plugins: Some premium “Brands for WooCommerce” plugins offer more advanced customization options, such as displaying featured products, adding brand-specific banners, and more.

6. Testing and Optimization:

• Test thoroughly: Click on all your brand links to make sure they’re working correctly. Check the display on different devices (desktop, mobile, tablet).
• Monitor performance: Use Google Analytics to track how users are interacting with your “Shop by Brand” feature. Are they using it? Are they converting?
• Optimize your brand pages: Continuously improve your brand descriptions, images, and page layouts based on user behavior and search engine rankings.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

* Brands Not Showing Up: Make sure you’ve assigned brands to products. Double-check that you’ve configured the widget or shortcode correctly.

* Brand Links Not Working: Verify that the brand slugs are correct. Check for any plugin conflicts.

* Design Issues: Experiment with Explore this article on WordPress How To Make A Woocommerce Product Carousel Slider different widget settings or consider customizing the brand pages using CSS or a page builder. Remember to check your theme’s documentation; some themes may have built-in styling that conflicts with the plugin.

Conclusion

Setting up a “Shop by Brand” feature in WooCommerce is a relatively simple process that can have a significant impact on your online store’s usability and sales. By following these steps, you can create a more user-friendly and engaging shopping experience for your customers, ultimately leading to increased revenue and customer satisfaction. Remember to regularly review and optimize your brand pages to ensure they are performing at their best!