WooCommerce: Displaying More Products on Your Site – A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction:
WooCommerce, the leading e-commerce platform for WordPress, offers incredible flexibility in setting up your online store. A key element in optimizing the user experience, and ultimately boosting sales, is how many products you display on your shop pages and category archives. While the default settings might suffice for some smaller stores, many businesses need to show more products per page to enhance browsing, improve search engine optimization (SEO), and increase the likelihood of a purchase. This article will guide you through various methods for displaying more products on your WooCommerce site, highlighting the benefits and potential drawbacks of each approach. Let’s dive in and learn how to maximize product visibility for your customers.
Main Part: Multiple Ways to Show More Products in WooCommerce
There are several effective ways to increase the number of products displayed on your WooCommerce store pages. We’ll explore the most common and adaptable methods:
1. Adjusting the Explore this article on How To Trigger Ontraport Campaigns From Woocommerce WooCommerce Settings
This is the easiest and quickest method, suitable for basic adjustments.
- Navigate to WordPress Dashboard > Appearance > Customize > WooCommerce > Product Catalog.
- Look for the option labeled “Products per row” and “Rows per page.”
- Increase the number of “Rows per page” to display more products. The “Products per row” option controls how many products are displayed horizontally.
- Click “Publish” to save your changes.
- Open your `functions.php` file. Caution: Make a backup of your `functions.php` file before editing it. Editing the wrong code can break your site. A safer alternative is to use a Code Snippets plugin (easily searchable in the WordPress Plugin repository).
- Add the following code snippet:
This method works well for simple modifications and doesn’t require any coding. However, it might not offer granular control over the layout or appearance.
2. Using the `woocommerce_loop_shop_per_page` Filter
This method involves adding a code snippet to your theme’s `functions.php` file or using a code snippets plugin. It’s a more robust and flexible approach.
add_filter( 'loop_shop_per_page', 'new_loop_shop_per_page', 20 );
function new_loop_shop_per_page( $cols ) {
// $cols contains the current number of products per page based on the value in Settings -> Products -> Products per page
// You can change the number to any positive integer.
return 24;
}
- Modify the `return 24;` line to reflect the desired number of products to display per page. Change `24` to your preferred number.
- Save the file or activate the Code Snippet.
This code snippet overrides the default WooCommerce setting for products per page. Using a Code Snippets plugin ensures that your changes persist even when you update your theme. Remember to adjust the number (`24` in this example) to your desired product count.
3. Modifying the WordPress “Posts per page” Setting
WooCommerce often inherits the “Posts per page” setting from WordPress. Increasing this value can indirectly affect the number of products displayed.
- Navigate to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Reading.
- Look for the option labeled “Blog pages show at most.”
- Increase the number to a higher value than your current WooCommerce product display setting.
- Click “Save Changes.”
While this might seem like a simpler solution, it’s often less reliable and can impact the number of posts displayed on your blog pages as well, which might not be desirable. It’s generally recommended to use the WooCommerce-specific methods outlined above.
4. Using WooCommerce Plugins
Several plugins offer advanced product display options, including customizable layouts, infinite scroll, and load more buttons.
- Search for plugins like “WooCommerce Product Grid,” “WooCommerce Product Table,” or “WooCommerce Load More Products” in the WordPress Plugin Repository.
- Install and activate the plugin of your choice.
- Configure the plugin settings according to your preferences. These plugins often offer a visual interface to customize the layout, number of products, and loading behavior.
Plugins can provide a user-friendly interface and advanced features, but it’s crucial to choose reputable plugins with good reviews and regular updates to avoid conflicts or security vulnerabilities. Always test a plugin in a staging environment before deploying it to your live site.
Considerations:
- Page Load Speed: Displaying more products can impact page load speed. Optimize your images and use a caching plugin to mitigate this.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your product display remains responsive and user-friendly on all devices. Test thoroughly on different screen sizes.
- User Experience: Find the right balance between displaying enough products and avoiding information overload. Consider using filters and sorting options to help users find what they’re looking for.
Conclusion:
Displaying more products on your WooCommerce store can significantly enhance the browsing experience, improve SEO, and increase sales. By using the methods outlined in this article, you can effectively customize the number of products displayed on your shop pages and category archives. Remember to prioritize page load speed, mobile responsiveness, and user experience to ensure a positive shopping journey for your customers. Experiment with different approaches to find the optimal solution that aligns with your business needs and goals. Using these methods, you can successfully show more products on your WooCommerce site and improve its overall performance.
