MyListing Taxonomy Landing Pages
The {CODICTS} MyListing Taxonomy Landing Pages plugin lets you create custom Elementor-designed landing pages for taxonomy terms — categories, regions, tags, and custom taxonomies — instead of relying on the default archive templates. Design unique, SEO-optimized pages using Elementor’s visual builder, complete with dynamic tags, listing feeds, search forms, and any other Elementor widget, all automatically filtered to the current taxonomy.
Installation & Activation
Start by downloading the plugin from the Downloads page on your dashboard on the CoDicts website.
After downloading, install and activate the plugin in WordPress by navigating to “Plugins” > “Add New” > “Upload Plugin” and selecting the downloaded zip file. Click “Install Now” and then “Activate”.
The plugin automatically installs its template files into the child theme on activation. If taxonomy pages return a 404 after activation, go to Settings → Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to flush rewrite rules.
Important: A MyListing Child Theme is required. The plugin generates taxonomy template files directly in the child theme directory. Without a child theme, the plugin will display an error notice and will not function.
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Custom Elementor Template per Term | Attach any Elementor template to any taxonomy term via a dropdown in the term editor. |
| Automatic Taxonomy Filtering | The Explore widget, Listing Feed widget, and search forms automatically filter results based on the current taxonomy — no manual configuration required. |
| All Taxonomy Types | Works with categories, regions, tags, and custom taxonomies registered via MyListing. |
| SEO-Optimized | Each taxonomy term gets a dedicated landing page with a clean URL and unique content. |
| Explore Template Per Listing Type | Supports different Explore widget templates (map, no-map, classic) per listing type, with dynamic switching when users change tabs. |
| Permalink Manager Pro Compatible | Full compatibility with the Permalink Manager Pro plugin for custom permalink structures. |
| Search Form Integration | Automatically sets the correct listing type and filters on the [27-search-form] shortcode when used in a taxonomy landing page. |
| Clean Activation/Deactivation | Template files are automatically installed on activation and cleaned up on deactivation. |
How It Works
The plugin works in three stages:
1. You design an Elementor template — Create a landing page layout using Elementor’s visual builder, including dynamic tags, listing feeds, explore widgets, and any other content.
2. You attach the template to a taxonomy term — In the WordPress term editor (Categories, Regions, Tags, or Custom Taxonomies), select your Elementor template from a dropdown. The plugin generates the necessary template file and rewrite rules automatically.
3. Visitors see the custom landing page — When someone visits the taxonomy URL (e.g., /category/restaurants/), they see your custom Elementor-designed page with all listing widgets automatically filtered to show only listings from that taxonomy term.
Step 1 — Create an Elementor Template
Navigate to Templates → Saved Templates in the WordPress admin (or Elementor → My Templates). Click “Add New” and design your taxonomy landing page.
Here are some useful elements to include in your template:
Dynamic Taxonomy Title
1. Add a Heading widget.
2. Click the Dynamic Tags icon in the title field.
3. Select “Archive Title”.
4. Click the wrench icon and disable “Include Context” to show only the term name (e.g., “Restaurants” instead of “Category: Restaurants”).
Dynamic Description
Add a Text Editor widget and use the “Archive Description” dynamic tag. This pulls in the description you’ve entered for the taxonomy term.
Taxonomy Image (ACF)
If you use ACF to add images to taxonomy terms:
1. Add an Image widget.
2. Click the Dynamic Tags icon.
3. Select “ACF Image Field”.
4. Click the wrench icon and select “Term Options: Image” from the Key dropdown.
Listing Feed Widget
1. Add a Listing Feed widget.
2. Set “Find listings using” to “Filters”.
3. Leave all filter fields blank — the plugin auto-filters based on the taxonomy.
4. Set “Cache results for (in minutes)” to 0.
Important: Do not manually set category, region, or tag filters in the Listing Feed widget. The plugin handles this filtering automatically based on the current taxonomy term.
Explore Widget
1. Add the Explore Listings widget.
2. Select the appropriate listing type(s).
3. Remove any default filter values — the plugin handles filtering automatically.
4. Publish the template.
Step 2 — Attach the Template to a Taxonomy Term
1. Navigate to the taxonomy term editor. For example:
| Taxonomy | Where to Find It |
|---|---|
| Categories | Listings → Categories |
| Regions | Listings → Regions |
| Tags | Listings → Tags |
| Custom Taxonomies | Under the Listings menu |
2. Create a new term or edit an existing one.
3. At the bottom of the form, you’ll see a new field labeled “{CODICTS} MyListing Taxonomy Landing Pages” with a dropdown.
4. Select the Elementor template you created in Step 1.
5. Save the term.
The plugin automatically generates the necessary template file and rewrite rules. Your custom landing page is now live.
Step 3 — Visit the Taxonomy Page
Navigate to the taxonomy URL (e.g., /category/restaurants/ or /region/new-york/). You should see your custom Elementor-designed landing page with listings automatically filtered to that taxonomy term.
Tip: If the page returns a 404, go to Settings → Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to flush rewrite rules. Also clear any caching plugins and CDN caches (e.g., Cloudflare).
Supported Taxonomies
| Taxonomy | Default URL Base | Example URL |
|---|---|---|
| Categories | Configurable via MyListing Permalinks | /category/restaurants/ |
| Regions | Configurable via MyListing Permalinks | /region/new-york/ |
| Tags | Configurable via MyListing Permalinks | /tag/featured/ |
| Custom Taxonomies | Custom slug | /custom-tax/term-slug/ |
The plugin reads the permalink base for each taxonomy from MyListing’s permalink settings, ensuring compatibility with any customized permalink structures.
Automatic Filtering
One of the plugin’s most powerful features is that it automatically filters listing widgets on the taxonomy landing page. You don’t need to manually configure filters — the plugin detects the current taxonomy term and applies the appropriate filter to all listing-related widgets on the page.
What Gets Filtered Automatically
| Widget / Element | How It’s Filtered |
|---|---|
| Listing Feed | Taxonomy filter injected into the widget’s query. Must be set to “Filters” mode with filter fields left blank. |
| Explore Listings | Taxonomy values injected into the Explore widget’s active filters. Default filter values should be removed. |
| [27-search-form] | Correct listing type and taxonomy filters are set automatically via JavaScript. |
| Main WordPress query | The main page query is filtered to the current taxonomy. |
Hierarchical Terms
For categories and regions, the filtering includes child terms. This means a parent category page (e.g., “Food & Drink”) will also show listings from child categories (e.g., “Restaurants”, “Cafes”, “Bars”).
Explore Template Per Listing Type
The plugin supports different Explore widget templates per listing type. If your site has multiple listing types (e.g., Places, Events, Jobs), each type can use a different Explore layout — map view, no-map view, or classic view.
When a user switches between listing type tabs on the Explore widget, the plugin dynamically loads the appropriate template for that listing type via AJAX, with a loading spinner during the transition.
Using Different Templates for Different Terms
Each taxonomy term has its own dropdown, so you can assign a unique Elementor template to every term. For example:
A “Restaurants” category could have a template with a full Explore map, featured listing carousel, and review highlights.
A “Hotels” category could have a different template with a booking search form, star rating filter, and photo gallery.
A “New York” region could have a template with a neighborhood map, local guides section, and event calendar.
You can also reuse the same Elementor template across multiple terms — the dynamic tags and automatic filtering ensure the content is specific to each term.
Permalink Manager Pro Compatibility
The plugin provides full compatibility with the Permalink Manager Pro plugin. If you use Permalink Manager Pro for custom permalink structures or per-term URI overrides, the taxonomy landing pages will work correctly with your custom URLs.
If you experience any permalink conflicts after configuring custom structures, use Permalink Manager Pro’s regenerate/repair tool and then flush WordPress permalinks via Settings → Permalinks.
Template File Management
The plugin manages files in your child theme directory:
On Activation
The plugin copies a modified sections/explore.php template into your child theme’s sections/ directory. This override enables the automatic taxonomy filtering and per-listing-type template switching in the Explore widget.
On Term Save
For each taxonomy term with an assigned Elementor template, the plugin generates a file like taxonomy-job_listing_category-restaurants.php in the child theme root. WordPress’s template hierarchy automatically loads this file when the taxonomy URL is visited.
On Deactivation/Uninstall
All generated taxonomy files and the copied sections/explore.php template are removed from the child theme.
On Plugin Update
The sections/explore.php template is overwritten with the latest version. Your Elementor template assignments (stored as term meta) and the tracking data (stored in wp_options) are preserved.
Warning: If you’ve manually customized the
sections/explore.phpfile in your child theme, your changes will be overwritten on plugin updates. Consider using WordPress hooks and filters instead of direct template modifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the plugin require Elementor Pro?
No. The free version of Elementor is sufficient. The plugin renders Elementor templates via the [elementor-template] shortcode, which is available in the free version.
Can I use different templates for different taxonomy terms?
Yes. Each taxonomy term has its own dropdown, so you can assign a unique Elementor template to every category, region, tag, or custom taxonomy term.
Will my Elementor template changes be reflected immediately?
Yes. Since the generated file uses the [elementor-template] shortcode, any changes to the Elementor template are reflected immediately without needing to re-save the taxonomy term.
What happens when I delete a taxonomy term?
The plugin automatically cleans up: the generated taxonomy template file is deleted, the term is removed from tracking, and rewrite rules are flushed.
Does this work with custom taxonomies?
Yes. The plugin’s template selector field appears on all taxonomy term editors, including custom taxonomies registered via MyListing’s custom taxonomy settings.
Does the plugin affect SEO?
Positively. Each taxonomy term gets a dedicated landing page with a clean URL and unique content from your Elementor template. This is much better for SEO than generic archive pages that all look the same.
Will my template assignments survive a plugin update?
Yes. The Elementor template selections (stored as term meta) and tracked term IDs (stored in wp_options) persist across updates. The generated taxonomy files are regenerated with the latest version automatically.
How does the plugin handle parent/child categories?
Each term gets its own landing page regardless of hierarchy. Parent category pages include listings from child categories as well (the filter includes children).
Can I reuse the same Elementor template for multiple terms?
Yes. The dynamic tags (Archive Title, Archive Description, etc.) and automatic filtering ensure the content is specific to each term, even when using the same template layout.
Why is a child theme required?
The plugin generates PHP template files and copies template overrides directly into the theme directory. Using a child theme ensures these files are separate from the parent MyListing theme and won’t be lost during theme updates.
Troubleshooting
Taxonomy Landing Page Shows a 404
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Rewrite rules not flushed | Go to Settings → Permalinks and click “Save Changes”. This is the most common fix. |
| Caching | Clear all caching plugins (WP Super Cache, W3TC, LiteSpeed, etc.) and CDN caches (e.g., Cloudflare). |
| Child theme not active | Ensure a MyListing child theme is the active theme, not the parent MyListing theme directly. |
| Template file missing | Check the child theme directory for taxonomy-{taxonomy}-{slug}.php. If missing, re-save the taxonomy term to regenerate it. |
Listings Not Filtered Correctly
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Listing Feed has manual filters | Set the Listing Feed widget to “Filters” mode and leave all filter fields blank. The plugin handles filtering automatically. |
| Explore widget has default values | Remove any default filter values from the Explore widget’s Elementor settings. |
| Cache enabled on widget | Set “Cache results for (in minutes)” to 0 on both Listing Feed and Explore widgets. |
| Permalink structure mismatch | Verify that MyListing’s permalink structure (under MyListing → Permalinks) matches the expected URL bases. |
| Conflicting plugin | Other plugins that modify listing queries may interfere. Try deactivating other plugins to test. |
Explore Widget Shows Wrong Results
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Default filter values set | Clear the “Default Values” field in the Explore widget’s Elementor settings. |
| Cached results | Set “Cache results for” to 0. |
| Wrong listing type | Ensure the Explore widget is configured for the listing type(s) relevant to the taxonomy. |
“MyListing Theme Not Detected” Error
Ensure the MyListing parent theme is installed and a MyListing Child Theme is the active theme. The plugin requires both.
“Elementor Plugin Not Detected” Error
Install and activate the Elementor plugin. The free version is sufficient.
Permalink Manager Pro Conflicts
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Custom structures not matching | Verify your custom permalink structures for taxonomies match the expected pattern. |
| Stale permalinks | Use Permalink Manager Pro’s regenerate/repair tool, then flush WordPress permalinks via Settings → Permalinks. |
| Outdated plugin version | Ensure both this plugin and Permalink Manager Pro are updated to their latest versions. |
Template Selector Not Appearing on Term Editor
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Plugin not activated | Verify the plugin is active in Plugins → Installed Plugins. |
| Dependencies not met | Check that MyListing theme, a MyListing child theme, and Elementor are all installed and active. |
Customizations to sections/explore.php Lost After Update
The plugin overwrites this file in the child theme on every version update. Instead of modifying the file directly, use WordPress hooks and filters for customizations so they persist across updates.
For further support, visit codicts.com or contact us at support@codicts.com.