building a business directory using wordpress
DESCRIPTION
Originally presented to the Vancouver WordPress Meetup Group, this presentation covers some of the themes & plugins available to build different kinds of business directories.TRANSCRIPT
Building a Directory using WordPress
Themes, plugins and other options
What is a Business Directory?
• Listing of businesses on a theme
• Yellow Pages
• Yelp
• Google Places
Why start a business directory?
• Promote businesses, groups, locations or events
• Marketing your own multi-location business
• Make money selling listings, add-ons and advertising
• Local search is big business
• Google loves this content
Why choose WordPress?
Because, WordPress FTW!
Non-WordPress Options
• phpMyDirectory $99.95 + $29.95/year + add ons1/2 price for additional licenses
• Brilliant Directories (SaaS) $97 - $497 / month
• eDirectory (SaaS) $199 setup and then complicated
• eDirectory $1799, $199 unbranded, $1299 mobile
• eSyndicat (SaaS) from $25/month to $977/year
Where to start?
1. Ideas
2. Business Plan
3. Hosting & Design
4. Marketing
5. Promotion
Free Options
• Store Directory
• LDD Business Directory
• Connections Business Directory
• Business Directory Plugin - Freemium (from $49)
Paid Options
• GeoPlaces
• Templatic Directory
• WP Directory Plugin
• DirectoryPortal
• DirectoryPress
• Sabai Directory
• DirectoryPress
• GeoTheme / GeoDirectory
Common Features
• Unlimited listings
• GeoLocation
• Claim A listing
• listing Categories
• Ratings & reviews
• Multiple Cities
• Google maps integrated
• Multiple Price Packages
• Vary features With Price
• Hide WordPress backend
GeoPlaces - Templatic
• One of the first
• Version 4
• Standard layout
• Less Than Great Code
• No longer supported
• Not responsive
• $99
Templatic Directory
• Brand New
• Child Themes Sold
• Responsive
• Complicated
• Less Than Great Code
• $99
WP Directory Plugin
• Older style
• Plugin
• Very basic features
• Facebook Page integration
• Marketed by Marketers
• $37 - $97
DirectoryPortal - ThemeForest
• More Modern
• Large Map
• Responsive
• 5 Color Schemes
• $55 - $2750
DirectoryPress
• Website, Business, Affiliate or Classifieds
• 20 themes includes
• Nice admin & user dashboards
• Unlimited Installs
• $79 - $199
Sabai Directory
• Plugin - Any Theme
• Shortcodes & Widgets
• Multiple Map Styles
• Updated Jan 16 2014
• $25 - $125
Vantage - AppThemes
• Large Map Size
• Modern Design
• Multiple Payment Gateways*
• Updated Jan 11, 2014
• $99 - $159
GeoTheme
• Unlimited Installs
• Responsive
• iOS app
• Actively Supported
• Busy user forums
• $85 + $94 / year
GeoDirectory
• Not released yet - Beta 0.3
• Freemium - Free core in .org repo soon
• Premium plugins to follow
• Events
• Multi Location Manager
• Pricing and Payment Manager
• Dynamic Custom Posts
• Claim Listing Manager
• Ratings and Review Manager
• Marker Cluster
• Advance filters
• Autocompleter
• Duplicate alert
• Share Location
Summary
• Many high quality WordPress options
• Generally less expensive to start than other options
• Think about what features you need
• Marketing is the key to success
Links
• Templatic “Directory Theme” - templatic.com
• WP Directory Plugin - wpdirectoryplugin.com
• Directory Portal Theme - ThemeForest.com
• Directory Press - DirectoryPress.net
• Sabai Directory - CodeCanyon.net
• Vantage - AppThemes.com
• GeoTheme - GeoTheme.com
