X-Cart:Rich Google Search Results

This article is a draft.

Overview

What Rich Google Search Results does

Rich Google Search Results is an add-on module for X-Cart that enables products to be displayed on a web search results page in an enhanced format that is more convenient and intuitive for potential buyers. After you install and configure the add-on module, information about the products sold at your store will be included into web search results in the "rich" format as soon as the respective product pages are indexed by the web search engine.

Why use Rich Google Search Results?

The following screenshot demonstrates how a product is presented in the Google search results without the Rich Google Search Results add-on module installed at the store:

Now compare it with the screenshot below displaying the same product after the add-on module has been installed, and the store pages have been indexed by the Google search bot:

As you can see, the presentation of the product in the search results has changed: what you see in the second screenshot looks a lot more attractive and provides more valuable information. Needless to say, the way your products are displayed in search results is important for your business: if a prospective buyer sees useful and relevant information brought from a page into the search results, they are more likely to click through.

Key features

So, what exactly helps your store's pages stand out from the search results delivered by a search engine when you use the Rich Google Search Results addon module?

• The path to your store page is displayed as a chain of breadcrumbs instead of just a URL.
• Product price is shown directly on the search results page.
• If your product has any options or variants that modify its price, a price range will be displayed.
• Customer star rating is shown directly on the search results page.
• Prospective customers can see whether reviews are available for the product.

Although this add-on module is focused in the first place on meeting the Google requirements, it uses the schema.org format for data, which is recognized by other major search engines as well.

System requirements

To be able to successfully install and use Rich Google Search Results module you must have a working copy of X-Cart Gold or X-Cart Pro version 4.1.0 or higher already installed on your server. Make sure that the version of the module is the same as the version of the installed copy of X-Cart.

Note: If you do not remember the version of X-Cart on which your store is based, you can look it up in the Environment info section of the Summary page in X-Cart Admin area.

Versions of module for X-Cart 4.2.3 and lower does not support star rating that is why they do not display this information in search results. In order to enable star rating you might want to use Advanced Customer Reviews X-Cart module.

Installation

The instructions on how to install the Rich Google Search Results module are the same both for X-Cart Gold and X-Cart Pro.

Installation for X-Cart 4.4.x - 4.5.x

To install the module for X-Cart 4.4.x - 4.5.x: 1. Obtain a distribution package for the Rich Google Search Results add-on module by downloading it from the File Area section of your Qualiteam Account. The distribution package you need is contained in the archive file x-rich-gsearch-results-x.y.z.tgz where x, y andz are the version numbers of the module. Make sure the version of the module is the same as the version of the installed X-Cart.

2. Put the distribution package to the X-Cart root directory on your server or hosting account.

If you use a Windows-based server, or a UNIX-based server without terminal access:

a) Decompress the archive with the Rich Google Search Results distribution package to a directory on your system using your favorite compression program (WinZIP or any other archiver with support for TAR files).

b) Use an FTP client to upload all the files contained in the archive (retaining the directory structure) to the X-Cart root directory on your server or your hosting account.

If you use a UNIX-based server with terminal access:

a) Use an FTP client to upload the archive with the distribution package to the X-Cart root directory on your server or your hosting account.

b) Decompress the package using the following commands.

tar -xzvf x-rich-gsearch-results-x.y.z.tgz

Important: After you have uninstalled X-ProductNotifications, be sure to remove the X-ProductNotifications distribution package from your web directory as well.

3. In a web browser, run the installation script httр://<YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN>/install-rich-gsearch-results.php replacing the variable <YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN> with the true name of the domain where X-Cart is installed.

4. Enter the Auth code, accept the License Agreement and click the Next button.

Note: The Auth code is a random code that was generated after you installed your copy of X-Cart. If you do not remember the Auth code, find it on the Summary page in X-Cart Admin area before the License info subsection. Another way to know the code is to retrieve the value of the variable $installation_auth_code from the file <xcart_dir>include/install.php.

5. The installation script patches the files and activates the module. Click the Next button to continue the installation.

Note: if you are using custom skin, you will need to manually apply the patches to it. Otherwise, the module will not work in this skin.

6. The installation script generates a new system fingerprint. Click the Next button to complete the installation.

7. Use the ADMINISTRATOR AREA link to log in to the Admin area.

Installation for X-Cart 4.1.12, 4.2.3, 4.3.2

To install the module for X-Cart 4.1.12, 4.2.3 or 4.3.2:

1. Obtain a distribution package for the Rich Google Search Results add-on module by downloading it from the File Area section of your X-Cart Account. The distribution package you need is contained in the archive file x-rich-gsearch-results-x.y.z-without-installer.tgz where x, y and z are the version numbers of the module. Make sure the version of the module is the same as the version of the installed copy of X-Cart. 2. Put the distribution package to some directory on your server or hosting account (it can be not X-Cart directory)

If you use a Windows-based server, or a UNIX-based server without terminal access:

a) Decompress the archive with the Rich Google Searh Results distribution package to a directory on your system using your favorite compression program (WinZIP or any other archiver with support for TAR files).

b) Use an FTP client to upload all the files contained in the archive (retaining the directory structure) to the X-Cart root directory on your server or your hosting account.

If you use a UNIX-based server with terminal access:

a) Use an FTP client to upload the archive with the distribution package to the X-Cart root directory on your server or your hosting account.

b) Decompress the package using the following commands. tar -xzvf x-rich-gsearch-results-x.y.z.tgz

Important: Make sure you keep the directory structure while unpacking and uploading the distribution package, otherwise some necessary files can be overwritten!

3. In the directory find the 'INSTALL.X-RICH-GOOGLE-SEARCH-RESULTS' document and use instructions from this file in order to manually install the module.

Enabling and Configuring

To begin using the module:

1. Enable Rich Google Search Results module (Settings menu->Modules).

When the module is enabled, you can see the Rich Google Search Results section in General settings->Modules section.

2. Adjust the module settings via General settings/Modules->Rich Google Search Results.

• Code of your primary currency: 3-letter currency code according to ISO 4217.
• Use Star rating instead of Socialize Like button: This setting allows to use default Customer Reviews star rating even though Socialize module is enabled. Socialize’s Facebook comments will keep working.

3. Click the Save button.