In the following documentation I have explained how to use GeoCraft theme for building a city directory. Just go through it once and surely you will realize how easy and flexible it is making a City Directory using GeoCraft theme.

For details on GeoCraft theme.
For preview of GeoCraft theme.

In the following article, I have covered the following points:
• How to Install GeoCraft theme?
• How to Configure GeoCraft?
• How to add listing from Front end and Backend?
• How to create pages?
• How to add widgets?
• Answers to some general queries.

Let’s get started-

1. How to Install GeoCraft theme?

Before you install GeoCraft theme on your website make sure that:
• You have a web server installed on your machine.
• You have installed WordPress on your Web site.
• You have purchased the GeoCraft theme from the InkThemes market.

Steps for installing the GeoCraft theme:

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard.

• Click on the “Appearance” section &  select the “Install Themes” option..

• Click on “Upload” option.

• Click on “Choose file” button.

• Now select GeoCraft’s zip file and open it.

• Click on “Install Now” button.

• After installing the theme click on “Activate” option. This will activate the theme on your website.

2. How to Configure GeoCraft?

After installing and activating the GeoCraft theme on the website, let’s see how GeoCraft can be configured?
Under the GeoCraft theme, there are two sections
• GeoCraft Settings.
• Business Listings.

Fields under the GeoCraft Settings – Various fields are available under GeoCraft setting:
• Theme options
• Payment Settings
• Custom Fields
• Transaction
• Leads Capture
• Import/Export

Uploading Logo, Image & favicon – Follow the steps and upload images, logo and favicon on the website.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>General Settings

Text for Post Button, Featured Slider & Recently Added Heading – Follow the steps and set the text for post button, featured slider heading and recently added heading.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>Homepage Settings

Enabling Lead Capture, Free & Paid Listing – Follow the steps and enable or disable lead capture form, free and paid listing.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>Listing Settings

Adding Color & Custom CSS to the Theme – Follow the steps and choose the color of the theme and also add custom CSS to the theme.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>Styling Options

Adding Text in the Footer – Follow the steps and add text in the footer section.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>Footer Settings

Adding Social Icons to the Website – Follow the steps and add the social icons to the website.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>Social Icons

Managing SEO options – Follow the steps and use meta keywords, descriptions and add the name of the author under SEO section.
GeoCraft Settings –>Theme Options –>SEO Options

Selecting Modes of Payment: There are three types of payment packages available under GeoCraft theme:-

• Free Payment Package: A listing owner doesn’t have to pay anything for listing the business and his listing would be active for a period of time mentioned in the theme options. This listing is free of cost.

• One Time Payment Package: Once the listing owner chooses this option the listing will be published as a paid listing for a period of time mentioned in the theme options. When the listing expires it goes to the draft mode where it can be reactivated again.
When the time period of listing expires, listing owner will get an email notification to reactivate his listing. Also he can choose to feature his listing on homepage slider/category slider by paying an extra amount.

• Recurring Payment Package: If the listing owner chooses this payment package then as long as the listing owner pays, the listing will be active. The time the listing owner stops paying his listing will be expired. Also with this package, the listing owner can choose to feature his listing on homepage slider/category slider.

Customizing the Fields on the Website: Follow the steps and customize the listings, lead capture form etc. as per your requirements.
GeoCraft Settings –>Custom Fields

Importing/Exporting CSV (Common Separated Values): Follow the steps and upload CSV.
GeoCraft Settings–>Import/Export
A listing owner can export/import his own CSV through “GeoCraft settings” option under the dashboard. Under the GeoCraft settings, there is an option of “Import/Export”. Select this option and first export the CSV document in the system. After downloading the document checkout:
• The format of the CSV document.
• Name of the column fields.
• Follow the same format in your own CSV.
After making CSV, click on “choose file” option. This will upload the CSV and at last click on “Import” button.

Creating Listing From Backend (Admin Side): An admin can create his own listings through the following steps: Dashboard –> Business Settings –>Add New

Add Listing Category (Admin): Add your Listing category from the available categories or click on “Add New” button to add a new category. Follow the steps:
Business Settings –>Listing Categories

Adding Listing Tags (Admin): Add your Listing tags from the available categories or click on “Add new category” button to add a new tag. Follow the step:
Business Settings –>Listing Tags

Creating Listing From Front-end (Listing Owner’ side): A listing owner can create his own listings through the following steps:
Dashboard –>Add New Listing

3. How to Create Pages?

Various templates for available for creating new pages. Follow the steps and add new pages on the website-
Dashboard –>Pages –>Add New

4. Building Menu With Menu Manager-

GeoCraft has a prebuilt feature of displaying all the pages and sub pages in the menu. However, you can build your custom menu through these steps:
Dashboard –> Appearance –>Menus –>Click on “Create Menu” button & enter the menu name.

5. How to Add Widgets?

Follow the steps and add widgets in the sidebar:
Dashboard –>Appearance –>Widgets

6. Have Queries?

Here are some general queries which may arise in your mind-

Q. What is the difference between a free listing and a paid listing?
A free listing is a regular listing. This listing has no blue box in its background and no premium tag. The leads for the free listings are not viewable on the listing owner’s dashboard.
On the other hand, a paid listing gives more exposure. The paid listings are shown under the premium listing menu item. A paid listing has a special blue background color with featured tag. It also has the lead capture option and all the leads data is viewable on the listing owner’s dashboard. It shows multiple images (while in case of free listing, it depends on the site administrator whether he wants to show one or more images on free listing).
Also through the “GeoCraft custom field” setting, the site administrator can decide whether he wants to display business listing data like phone no., website, email etc. on free listing or not.

Q. What does the “premium on home page slider/ category slider” mean?
Paid listing can be made premium by listing owner on homepage slider/category slider by paying an extra amount. The free listings cannot be made premium on the slider. However, the site administrator can make the free listing as premium on homepage slider/category slider through admin dashboard.

Q. What are the motivators for listing upgradation from free to paid?
For upgrading the listing from free to paid, various motivators are available like:
• Paid listing has the lead capture system.
• Paid listing shows multiple images.
• Paid listing shows complete business details.
• Paid listings are included in the featured listing menu item.
• Paid listing can be made premium on homepage slider/category slider.

Q. How the listing is upgraded?
A listing owner can upgrade his free listing into a paid one through his Dashboard. Under the dashboard there is an option of “Edit Your Listing” and at the bottom of the same option there is an “Upgrade” checkbox from where the listing owner can upgrade a free listing into a paid one. Once the listing owner marks that upgrade checkbox he can choose his payment package from the available payment packages and after that the listing will be a paid one.
Whereas, an admin can upgrade the listing from free to paid through “Business listing” option on his Dashboard. Under the business listing field, there is an option of “Listing Type” from where an admin can convert his free listing into a paid one.

Q. How to list your business?
A listing owner can list his business through “Add New Listing” or “Add Listing” option. The listing owner will have to mention the following things in his listing:
• Category of business listing.
• Details of listing (location, map, address etc.).
• Uploading images for business listing.
• Entire contact information (contact name, website name, phone number, links to social networking sites, email etc.).
• Listing description and time duration for business listing.
• Type of payment package.
Note: The number of images shown on the listing will be decided by the admin.

Q. How the listing import/export feature works?
A listing owner can export/import his own CSV (Comma Separated Values) through “GeoCraft settings” option under the dashboard. Under the GeoCraft settings, there is an option of “Import/Export”. Select this option and first export the CSV document in the system. After downloading the document checkout:
• The format of the CSV document.
• Name of the column fields.
• Follow the same format in your own CSV
After making CSV, click on “choose file” option. This will upload the CSV and at last click on “Import” button.

Q. Where can I hide multiple images or various business details like phone number, website URL or email address for a free listing?
A site administrator can set or hide the motivators according to his requirements through custom field option available under the “GeoCraft setting” field.

I hope this article will provide a complete approach to make a city business directory using GeoCraft theme. You may also like the following:
• How to install WordPress on your machine using WAMP server.
• How to create a child theme in WordPress: An approach to save Theme’s modifications.
• 12 Ways to Optimize Speed of Large WordPress Websites.