Why Business Directory Should Be Developed With WordPress?

As we try to find everything on the web before hitting the street, directory websites are becoming extremely popular. The directory websites allow us to find a restaurant or a movie theater or a library or any places of our need or any service with ease. Whether you are new in a city or just trying to find something that you haven’t inquired before, directory websites will always be at your help.

A directory website boasts of several links based on different categories, topics, and diverse areas of interest. Directory websites can belong to a broad niche or just can cater to several different niches. For example, directory websites can just list all the restaurants in a city or a directory website that can just offer information about all businesses, services, and offices irrespective of the niche.

Fortunately, if you want to build a directory website, it doesn’t involve much complexity and cost. With robust and fully equipped CMS systems like WordPress, you can build a directory website in no time. We will explain the key benefits of building a directory website, why you should use WordPress as the CMS solution for a directory website and the steps to build a directory website.

Why Should You Create a Directory Website?

A directory website can actually offer you a great source of income through online business. For building a directory website you don’t need to invest a big chunk of money and huge effort and this is why it looks lucrative as a business model.

Let’s have a look at some of the key ways to monetize your directory website.

• Paid Listings: You can charge the businesses for listing with your directory and thus is the commonest mode of monetization.
• Featured Listings: You can further monetize the listing by allowing some services or businesses to gain more prominence through a featured listing.
• Membership Fees: With this monetization method you can charge the listed businesses against all the listings for a monthly or yearly fee.
• Advertisements: You can also monetize the directory by selling advertising space to businesses that can place banners, text ads or video ads in specific positions on the website.

Why Use WordPress for Building Directory Website?

Now that the business benefits of building directory websites are already explained, we need to make a choice among the various CMS solutions that help us build a website faster while reducing the complexities and cost of WordPress Website development to a minimum. WordPress is widely recognized as the ideal solution for any startup web venture or website. Let us explain the key reasons to hire a WordPress Development Company for building a directory website.

• WordPress is the least expensive solution since it is open-source and free. Moreover, with help from a robust online community and thousands of inbuilt customization options and plugins, you can build a powerful website with the least complexities.
• WordPress allows you to update your website from anywhere and anytime. If you have access to the internet you can just bring changes whenever you wish.
• WordPress is technically equipped for easier indexing by search engines like Google. This is why SEO WordPress is the ideal CMS solution.
• WordPress allows easy and convenient syndication of content across other directories and websites through RSS feed.
• WordPress themes are already designed responsively to work across all types of device screens.
• When it comes to upgrading your WordPress website with new features and functions, WordPress is extremely easy to use.
• Updating new content frequently and often us very easy and involves no complicated series of steps. This makes WordPress ideal for content marketing as well.
• WordPress allows easy and seamless integration with all social platforms of your choice through your preferred plugins.
• With frequent WordPress version upgrades making inbuilt security mechanism stronger, WordPress is least vulnerable to malware attacks and hacking attempts.
• As for customizing the look and feel of your directory website, you have a plethora of WordPress themes at your disposal.

How to Create A Directory Website with WordPress?

With WordPress building, a directory website becomes extremely easy. Here are the key steps in development.

• WordPress Directory Themes

You have close to two dozen directory website themes at your disposal. The first and foremost step is to install your preferred theme.

• WordPress Plugins for Directory

As soon as the theme becomes active and running, you need to choose some plugins for the features and functions of your website. Make a list of must-have features for your directory and accordingly choose the best theme for each of the features.

• Incorporate the Demo Content

Most of the quality themes now allows you to import demo content with just a click. You need to set up the theme to have the exact look and feel as shown in the demo.

• Edit the WordPress Directory Pages

Now, you need to see which pages you need to edit. You just need to go to the admin panel Edit Page link. Some themes that allow drag and drop function to compose the page elements in your own manner will be of great help.

• Incorporate Your Own Listing Information

Now in place of demo content in the listing, you need to incorporate your own listing information for the directory. Editing the previous listing is very easy. You need to go to the WordPress dashboard and the sidebar menu will show you a custom post type referred to as Places. Just click on it and you have the demo listings that you have to change one by one. In case you want to add a new listing, just click on Places > Add New and thereafter provide all the required information.

• Customize the Settings of the Directory Theme

After adding your own listings you need to go to the Options Panel to configure and customize settings. Just tap on PF Settings in the Options Panel. Here you can set up the PayPal account, upload your directory logo, customize the colors, choose your preferred search options, etc.

Conclusion

Building a business directory with WordPress CMS is so easy and free of hassles if you know the steps and the process. WordPress is well-equipped enough to provide you everything you need for developing a directory website.