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Local Business Directory Template Ideas

by copywriter
9 replies
Hi Gang

As a marketer, I love local business directories due to the ability they give you to 'Position' yourself and to 'Own' an area online.

We have used XsitePro (I know it wasn't designed for that but trust me, you can do great things with it and I love the fact that you can easily offer advertisers a full-page listing - several pages if needs be. [Here is an XSP example we are just started working on now TweedHeadsOnTheNet.com ]

Anyway my website building friends have all been telling me "Chris, you should do these with a Wordpress Theme!"

And so I looked for a decent Wordpress Local Business Directory theme and "Yuck!" I was pretty disappointed with what was on offer.

So we just had our team start creating one from scratch.

If it is okay, I would love to ask for some feedback in regards to what kind of features you would like to see in such a theme.

I freely admit I am NOT a Wordpress Guru but I do have a brilliant team member who constantly amazes me with what he is able to achieve.

So please, if you have any suggestions and are willing to share them it would be deeply appreciated.

Best Regards

Chris Bloor
#business #directory #ideas #local #template
  • Profile picture of the author batchos
    Hi Chris,

    You made a good start to your business directory. The banner seems overpowering, I would go with a much lower height - 200 px. You could also include some articles to help with the SEO.

    Keep me posted.

    Thanks
    Signature

    *Be Veg, Make Peace!

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  • Profile picture of the author sbishop
    Here is what I would like to see in a local business directory plugin

    the ability to pre populate the directory with free listing and have a claim your listing button then sell up grades top listing more features like pics

    there should be reviews also
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    • Profile picture of the author batchos
      He's asking about the theme, not the plugin.

      Originally Posted by sbishop View Post

      Here is what I would like to see in a local business directory plugin

      the ability to pre populate the directory with free listing and have a claim your listing button then sell up grades top listing more features like pics

      there should be reviews also
      Signature

      *Be Veg, Make Peace!

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  • Profile picture of the author newlife456
    What about WPLocal. Has you tried that?
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  • Profile picture of the author SiteSmarty
    I'd put the same stuff in the directory like SuperPages does it. They must know the market. As for the WordPress theme you could use a framework and design a child theme.

    This way the guys who develop the framework can keep you updated without you lifting a finger, ever.

    Using Custom Post Types and Custom Meta Boxes your WP guy can create a decent directory easily. Plus it makes it drop dead easy to manage the directory. You could also integrate Gravity Forms to do some fancier stuff. Great idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author AussieT
    Different paid listing levels
    Claim listing
    Edit own listings
    Google maps in a listing
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  • Profile picture of the author SDavenport
    I sure would like to get a copy of that XsitePro theme. Any way possible? I am right now looking at different WP themes to do the same thing you are doing. While I do have XSP I am a novice of it's capabilities in depth.
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  • Profile picture of the author JimRiley
    There is really a good solution for the directory lsiting WordPress Theme.

    GeoCraft Business City Directory Listing WordPress Theme | InkThemes
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