The add-on is included in the SEO package for CS-Cart (it is free for owners of the package with an active subscription to updates).

What is the main problem that add-on solves?

By default, the CS-Cart platform uses a filter’s technical page to display a list of brands (authors, collections, etc.) by the appropriate feature, for example, to display a list of brands, this page is formed:
domain.com/index.php?dispatch=product_features.view_all&filter_id=10
where 10 is the filter id according to the Brand feature. There is no possibility of simple management of SEO attributes and SEO name for such a page, which complicates the promotion. Fixing this problem is often a point of SEO audit.
Also, by default, there is no way to manage the layouts of filter pages, as well as feature variants page (specific brand options, authors, collections), which does not allow to individualize pages of different types.
And quite often we get requests “we want landing page for the Apple brand” (looking ahead, and the add-on solves this problem).

For filter pages for feature with the Brand Purpose add-on allows:

• to perform SEO optimization of pages - lists of Brands, Collections, Authors and other features with the Brand Purpose. Such a page receives a SEO name for address (like domain.com/brands/), canonicity, the ability to add description text (with control of the output location), management of all SEO attributes - meta tags and H1 page header;
  • to perform SEO optimization of pages - lists of Brands, Collections, Authors and other features with the Brand Purpose. Such a page receives a SEO name for address (like domain.com/brands/), canonicity, the ability to add description text (with control of the output location), management of all SEO attributes - meta tags and H1 page header;
  • to manage the layout of such pages. You can edit the default layout blocks (added by the add-on during installation) or create an alternative layout page (filter pages by features with the Brand Purpose);
  • to manage the content and statuses of the blocks in the Layouts tab on the filter edit page (similar to the Layouts tab for the edit page for products, categories, etc.);
  • adds a filter name to the breadcrumbs of the added page.

For variants of the feature with the Brand Purpose add-on allows:
• to manage page layouts individually for variant of features with the Brand Purpose (which opens up unlimited possibilities for creating alternative layouts for selected variants for organizing an alternative display goal, for example, creating a landing page for the desired brand or collection variant). You can edit the default layout blocks (added by the add-on during installation) or create an alternative layout page (features with the Brand Purpose);
• to manage the content and statuses of the blocks in the Layouts tab on the feature variant edit page (similar to the Layouts tab for the edit page for products, categories, etc.);
• adds a link to the list page of all variants of this feature to the breadcrumbs of the feature variant.

Expected results from using the add-on

The features added with the add-on allow you to improve the SEO and UI performance of filter pages for features with the Brand Purpose and their variants, which are not enough for the full promotion of such pages in the search and increase the indicators of user engagement. As a result, you can separately promote such pages as:
• domain.com/brands/
• domain.com/series/
• domain.com/collections-of-brand-x/
• domain.com/collections-of-brand-y/
Landings (with a completely alternative look) for the selected variants of feature with the Brand Purpose, for example
• domain.com/adidas.html

Features expected in next releases:
• managing the appearance of the brand page, author, collection by selecting a display template;
• the ability to create demo content - a full-fledged landing page for the Brand option for UniTheme (using advanced banners).

Add-on is compatible with the following Themes:

• YoupiTheme (compatible with correspond CS-Cart version);
• UniTheme2 (compatible with correspond CS-Cart version);
• Responsive.

General technical support conditions are available at this link (be sure to review these conditions, all solutions from the AlexBranding development team come with limited technical support).

In order to use our technical support, you need to:

1. Log in with your order owner account on https://cs-cart.alexbranding.com;
2. Go to the page My Account → Orders;
3. Find the corresponding order with the problem add-on in the orders list and pass to its details;
4. Find the “Support” link next to the corresponding add-on name (near you can find Documentation link also) and click on it;
5. Fill in the data with the problem, provide access to your CS-Cart installation (path to the administration panel, admin mail, admin password + FTP access) and create a ticket (after you will create the ticket, you will receive an e-mail and a special code to track the ticket in the future);
6. Wait for the specialist answer in accordance with the regulations of the technical support service and the priority of your ticket.

If you didn't receive an answer within the deadlines, according to the chosen ticket priority, send e-mail info@alexbranding.com with the ticket number, for which you did not receive an answer in time, and the team manager will solve the problem in compliance with regulations.

You can test the addon work with admin access using our demo server Demos for CS-Cart solutions from Alexbranding by choosing it in Addons list or just follow the link.

We recommend to note general restrictions:

1. All solutions from AlexBranding developers team require pre-installation of the AB: Addons Manager service addon. It is delivered free of charge and is responsible for such services: installation, upgrades, license verifications. Excluding this service addon usage is not possible;
2. Addon files may have a closed (encoded) part, in which only a license check is located;
3. The addon will work only on those domains, that are specified in the user's license. If you try to use the solution on CS-Cart installations, whose domains are not included in the license, the addon will be automatically turned off;
4. Local installation is not possible, so that the addon works on the additional domain (subdomain), enter this domain (subdomain) in the Domain field, when ordering (or write to info@alexbranding.com) - adding technical domains for the developing or for testing is always free.

After your order has been processed by our manager, it will be transferred to Completed state, you will receive an email to your mailbox with ordered add-ons license numbers (usually it takes from 15 minutes to 8 hours depending on the day time and week day).

Then follow the steps below, which differs depending on your version of the CS-Cart platform:

You can also install the add-on with a standard installation for CS-Cart. To do this, download the appropriate archive with an add-on version compatible with your version of the CS-Cart platform.
Go to the website cs-cart.alexbranding.com, log in under the account of the order holder and go to the page My Profile → Orders → Relevant Order, go to details and you will see a list of available archives for the ordered add-on. Download the version (archive) you need and make the installation (standard for CS-Cart installation: Add-ons → Downloaded add-ons and in the gearwheel menu select Manual installation).

Add-on adds a new layout page for filters by features with the "Brand, author, etc." purpose. If you already have such a page then the system will not rewrite it.
To get the access to the filter's settings go to the page Administration panel → Products → Filters → [filter of brand] and open AB: SEO for brands tab.

Add-on allows:

1. to manage the page layouts individually for variants by feature with "Brand, author, etc." purpose;
2. to create alternative layout pages in unlimited number.

To edit the layout of one page of variant by feature with "Brand, author, etc." purpose, go to the page Administration panel → Products → Features → [Feature of brand] → tab Variants, click gearwheel menu AB: Edit layout variant of the appropriate brand. Layout page will be opened which changes will influence on the one brand only and the rest brands will stay according to the settings of the general layout Brand.

To create a new layout of the variant of the features with the Brand Purpose go to the page Administration panel → Design → Layouts and click the Add new layout page... button. In a popup window New layout page in the filed Page choose the value View product features, give a name for the layout and fill in all necessary fields. When the new layout is created you may add and delete, switch on and off the sections and blocks in the container Content. All changes that you have made will influence on the selected features with "Brand, author, etc." purpose only that you have chosen in the layout settings. The rest pages will be displayed according to the general layout Brand.

Add-on allows to change the layout for filter by feature with "Brand, author, etc." purpose where you may activate or disable embedded sections and blocks. To edit the filter layout go to the page Administration panel → Products → Filters → [filter name] and select the Layouts tab. If you wish not only activate/ disable sections and blocks but add new as well, then go to the page Administration panel → Design → Layouts and select the Brands layout.

There are two functions available on the page that may help you to reset or actualize the layouts of brands pages quick and accurately.
1) You may reset the page in any layout to the default state for the actual version of the add-on.
2) You may download XML-file of a layout page and import it manually.

Reset of the layouts of brands page to the default state for the actual version of the add-on is useful in the following cases:

• If you already have the layout of brands page with the sections and blocks but you wish to get the page appearance as at demo of the add-on.
• If you updated the add-on and wish to get the actual version of the layout.
• If you deleted any sections or blocks and wish to restore it.

To reset the layouts pages of brands go to the page Administration panel → AB: Add-ons → AB: SEO for brands → Layouts, choose the layout (AB: Brand or AB: Filter) and click the Reset button. To download the XML-file of the layout page for further import click on the name of the appropriate theme (e.g., bright_theme) and save layout file that is opened on the new browser tab. This functions allow to have a quick access to the last actual version of the layout and return to its settings quickly in case of undesired changes in the layout.

To import the saved XML-file of layout page go to the page Administration panel → Design → Layouts and choose in gearwheel menu to import layout. Then choose the saved XML-file and select the download type (Create new layout or Update current layout).