WordPress Environment: Dynamic Page using shortcode - how to change the page name for sharing

Question

I am creating a dynamic page, in a WordPress environment. The page is created by a default standard WordPress page and then using shortcode. Combined with URL parameters in order to retrieve the necessary data.

The problem is, this page, including the URL parameters, is "shareable" to facebook and other social media. Thus the description that comes up is too generic. I assume this is because the default page, on which the shortcode resides, is also generic. That is what I want to change based on the data I am retrieving for display.

I have tried the code below and a few other variations, with no luck. In fact the filter is not even executed. Tried embedding the filter into an add_action call..the action call is done, but the filter remains executed.

 add_filter('wp_title','ChangeTitle', 10, 2);   
 function ChangeTitle($title, $id)
    {
    if ( $title== 'Details' ) 
       {
       $BusinessName = $_GET['Name'];   
       return $BusinessName;
       }
 return $title; 
 }

Does anyone have a clever way to do this? part two of the question, would be how to assign a logo to the share.... but one thing at a time.

Answer 1

So depending on your theme, you'll need to take a different approach. By the sounds of it, you're using a theme that adds WordPress theme support for title-tag e.g. twentynineteen. In this case, your code would look like this:

function add_dynamic_title( $aTitleParts ) {

    if ( isset( $aTitleParts[ 'title' ] ) && $aTitleParts[ 'title' ] == 'Details' ) {
        $aTitleParts[ 'title' ] = $_GET[ 'Name' ];
    }

    return $aTitleParts;
}

add_filter( 'document_title_parts', 'add_dynamic_title', 20 );

This filter uses an array where it contains, amongst other things, a key title and perhaps tagline. So in this case you set the array key value for title to whatever you'd like and return the whole array.

Answer 2

The following code gives you the ability to use [facebook_title] shortcode in the title and [facebook_description] respectively.

If you use any of Yoast SEO, SEOPress or All in One SEO Pack plugins, add these shortcodes primarily there.

Remove lines activating shortcodes in unused plugins.

// get your special title
function my_facebook_title() {
    return get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'post_meta_facebook_title', true );
}

// get your special description
function my_facebook_description() {
    return get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'post_meta_facebook_description', true );
}

// add hooks to shortcodes
add_shortcode( 'listing_title', 'my_facebook_title' );
add_shortcode( 'listing_description', 'my_facebook_description' );


// activate shortcode in the post headline
add_filter( 'the_title', 'do_shortcode' );

// activate shortcode for the single post <title>
add_filter( 'single_post_title', 'do_shortcode' );

//// Plugins (optional)

// activate shortcodes in SEOPress
add_filter( 'seopress_titles_title', 'do_shortcode' );
add_filter( 'seopress_titles_desc', 'do_shortcode' );


// activate shortcodes in Yoast SEO
add_filter( 'wpseo_title', 'do_shortcode' );
add_filter( 'wpseo_metadesc', 'do_shortcode' );


// activate shortcodes in All in One SEO Pack
add_filter( 'aioseop_title', 'do_shortcode' );
add_filter( 'aioseop_description', 'do_shortcode' );

Update: SEOPress and All in One SEO Pack support added.