How to Create an Article Archive using Elementor in WordPress
Creating an organized article archive is essential for user-friendly navigation, better SEO, and a polished website design. This guide walks you through the steps to build a functional and visually consistent archive system in WordPress.
Why Create an Article Post Archive?
- Better Organization:
Help users easily find content through categories, search, and date filters. - Consistent Design:
Ensure a cohesive and professional look for all archive pages. - SEO Advantages:
Well-structured archives make it easier for search engines to index your content, improving visibility.
Steps to Create an Article Post Archive in WordPress
Step 1: Install Elementor and Elementor Pro
- Install and activate both Elementor and Elementor Pro plugins. These are necessary for designing custom templates.
- Create custom post types like galleries or products to meet specific client needs and organize unique content effectively.
Step 2: Create Article Posts and Categories
The purpose of this step is to create content, like articles or news, that will fill your article archive. These posts help organize your content and improve navigation for a better user experience.
- Create Article Posts:
Create article posts based on the type of content your website requires, such as articles or news. - Assign Categories:
Organize your posts into categories. For instance, group similar content under Articles or News for easier filtering and navigation.
Step 3: Create the Main Article Archive Template
The purpose of this step is to create a template that will display all your article posts in a consistent layout, making them easy to navigate and search.
- Access Templates:
Go to Templates > Add New Template in WordPress.
2. Select Archive Template:
Choose Archive as the template type and name it appropriately (e.g., “Article Archive”).
3. Design the Template: Add widgets for functionality:
- Post Widget: Displays all posts.
- Category Widget: Allows filtering by categories.
- Search Widget: Enables keyword-based searches.
- Archive Widget: Filters posts by month or year.
4. Set the Template Condition:
- Set the template condition to “Post Archives” to make it the default layout for displaying article posts.
Step 4: Create Specific Templates for Categories, Search Results, and Date Archives
Use the same design as the post archive template for consistency by saving it as a template and naming it, for example, “Article Archive Template.” Then, apply this template to categories, search results, and date archives. The templates will share the same design, but you’ll need to (set the query source) and (conditions) for each template individually.
Based on the picture above, here’s how to save a template that can be applied or reused with the same design on any pages.
- Click the arrow button.
- Click “Display Condition.”
- Enter a name for the template “Article Archive Template”.
- Save the template.
1. Create the Templates:
First, create separate templates for categories, search results, and date archives This example only shown for categories only.
2. Search and insert the “Article Archive Template”:
After creating the templates, insert the “Article Archive Template” into each of them.
3. Set Query Source for Posts Widget:
For each template, configure the query source for the posts widget to ensure that the posts displayed match the page’s context (e.g., category posts, search results, or posts from a specific date).
The query source should be set as the main query to ensure the posts displayed are directly related to the context of the page. This ensures that the content is accurate and relevant.
For example:
- In the category template, set the query source as the main query to display posts from the selected category.
- In the search results template, set the query source as the main query to show posts that match the search query.
Setting the query source as the main query helps align the displayed content with the page’s context and prevents the display of unrelated or incorrect posts.
4. Set Conditions:
Set display conditions for each template, such as ensuring the category template applies only to category pages, the search result template to search result pages, and the date archive template to date archive pages.
for each template, set the display condition according to the page type:
- Category template → Set condition as “Categories.”
- Date Archive template → Set condition as “Date Archive.”
- Search Results template → Set condition as “Search Results.”
Step 5: Create a Single Article Template
- Create Single Post Template:
- Create a new template for individual article posts.
- This template will display a single article with its content, images, and post navigation (such as previous/next articles).
- Design it according to your desired layout for individual posts.
2. Set Template Condition:
-
- Set the condition to posts.
- This ensures that the template will be used whenever a user views an individual article post under the blog menu.
Step 6: Final Checks
- Return to the Main Article Archive Template and verify all widgets (Post, Category, Search, Archive) are correctly configured.
- Test each archive page to confirm functionality:
- Categories display the correct posts.
- Search results show relevant posts.
- Date archives filter posts by time.
- Single article post
Why Consistent Design Matters
- Improves User Experience:
A cohesive layout makes navigation intuitive. - Reinforces Branding:
Consistency strengthens your site’s professional image. - Simplifies Maintenance:
Unified design is easier to manage and update.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can create a professional and user-friendly article post archive in WordPress. Proper organization, consistent design, and functional widgets will enhance navigation, improve SEO, and deliver a polished experience for your audience.