Catagories - should I use locations, or business features?

I'm doing a particular business type directory here, an Australian divorce lawyer directory (an offshoot of this australian divorce website ) and it's a really difficult decision how to structure it - before all the work goes into it, I'd like opinions on whether I should list the catagories as Australian divorce lawyer specialities (such as divoce, child custody, etc.) OR should I make the catagories the actual location in Australia (for example Sydney, Melbourne, Perth).
Location is obviously very important in the search for a lawyer - but then, so is the particular law services you are seeking!
I've done some reading in here for a couple of nights, but apart from people saying that they are having difficulties with address searches, etc. there's no definitive guide.
When I first bought the theme, I assumed I could have both location and features as category selections, but it seems that if I did that it would just create confusion for the businesses listing themselves.
Can I please have opinions? I really want to get on with this, I've been sitting on it for a month now...
One more questions - re the logo, your specified size is really quite small - is there a way to customise the theme for it to be an image across the entire top header/banner?
Thank you!

 

Sorry, further to this, I guess what I'm wanting is two category columns for advertisers to select from - 1 category where they select their legal specialities, and the other where they select their Australian state/city/locality or town

Is this possible? It is important that people be able to select from menus of either/both?

 

Hi, can I please have a reply? Would appreciate it, keep checking in and other threads are being answered but not this one?

 

Hello,

You can create two categories
1) For legal specialities.
2) Address.

And then create sub categories for these categories.
And set a note below category field through custom fields for user (Like: Please select sub-categories from both categories).
It will make searching easy and accurate.


For logo
You can add logo image of max 550px or if you want to add banner image
Paste this code in Custom CSS
Appearance > Theme Option > Styling Option > Custom CSS

Code:

.header_wrapper .header {
background: your image address;
}

 

Thank you for your reply - so I've done my catagories with "parents" for the top catagories and so the "children" would be the sub catagories? I want only the two top parent catagories to show on the home page, but it shows all catagories on the home page if an entry is selected as being in them? I don't want absolutely every category showing up on the home page or it will look messy - what am I doing wrong please?

 

Hello,

It is not possible to limit categories from the sidebar.
Sidebar widget is controlled from the Appearance > Widgets > Home page widget area. You can add or remove it from there.
You can add your two parent categories in the menu navigation bar with the help of custom menu.

 

"You can add your two parent categories in the menu navigation bar with the help of custom menu" - thanks, but I don't want this - plus there is actually two double-ups "add new listing" & "search" there and I don't know why?
What I need is TWO catagories showing only - the two top catagories - why does it show all of them, even the sub catagories with no distinction between the catagories
I must admit, I'm not finding this theme anywhere near as easy as it is advertised to be...

 

Hello,

There is one more solution for your issue.
Create custom menu and select your two parent categories "Find Family Law Businesses by location" and "Find Family Law Businesses by speciality" after that go to the widgets drag "custom menu" widget and drop it in the "Home page widget area" and select custom menu which you have creates.
It will show your two parent categories at the front page.

 

I gave up and left this alone for a few days, and then came back to find your answer, thanks. I tried what you said, but the only catagories I could add to a custom menu widget were the wordpress standard catagories, and I couldn't see how to add the geo catagories to a custom menu? And it seems that business listings cannot be added to any standard catagories, just geo catagories? Thanks again.

 

Hello,

I think you have not checked "Listing Categories" from screen options. That's why "Listing Categories" are not visible.
Please follow steps shown in the image.

 

I can't see the image, I'm sorry - could you repost it?

 

Check image from here.

http://content.screencast.com/users...34-4012-9855-dbc3df461f45/2013-06-11_1609.png

 

Thank you, I could see and follow that! Some more questions please!

Is it possible to add the Custom menu selections to the Add Listing page so that people listing their business can select from main catagories, AND the custom menu?

Is there a way to set the Google map to Australia as a starting point?

How do you remove the "recent listings" from the home page (as this seems like free advertising), as I have tried removing the widget "recent posts" but that must be something different?

 

Would love a reply please?

 

Greetings Singlemum

To remove the recent listings in the widget area remove the widget called Geocraft recent posts. I tested this on my site by removing it and then putting it back. It worked on both occassions.

Hope that helps..

 

Thanks nzcid, will try that now!
I'm also bumping this topic for an admin answer to the other qs please - such a long time!

 

I just tried this, but although I dragged the widget off the home page, they still show - what am I doing wrong please nzcid? Thank you!

 

Hi Single mum, check you are removing the widget from the Home Page Widget Area and that the widget you are removing is Geocraft Recent Posts, if this is what you are doing ad the recent posts are still there check you plugins in particular if you are running a cache plugin, try deactivating your SEO plugin and Cache plugin and reactivating again, or deactivate all plugins and activate again, you may have a plugin conflicting. Hope this helps.

Best regards
Tob

 

Thanks Tob - never did work

 

Do you mean you want to remove thhe left hand section you have labled , Just Listed'?