How To Build A Seven Figure Directory

This is just an introduction, course starts today.

Today, I am recording another lesson in my 7 Figure Local SEO course and outlining my 7 Figure Business Directory course.

I get questions on YouTube every day about directories and GMB agencies.

In today’s issue, I will answer the most common question so you don’t have to wait for the course.

P.S. To access the course, you have to join The Incubator. It’s $99 a year. Basically a steal.

LFG. 🔥

Step 1: Create Your WordPress Site Using The StudioPress Magazine Theme

My designer has built a custom Elementor theme that we use for all our directories. It’s much easier now that I have a high-level developer on the team.

However, if you’re just starting out and don’t know much about WordPress, here’s what I recommend:

1. Go to StudioPress.com.

2. Purchase The Magazine Theme (I have no affiliation with them).

3. Start writing content.

Yes, I recommend writing before creating the directory.

The reason I like the Magazine Theme is that it displays content like a media company. The layout is dynamic, meaning you can set your homepage widgets so the most recent article appears as the “featured” article at the top, while older articles get pushed down.

Think of it like a news site, except without the sensationalism and fear-mongering.

A directory is a product first. If you don’t build attention and awareness around your brand, it will be very hard to sell directory listings or generate leads through the platform.

After building your website, write an article every week for a month. Once you’ve done that, you can start creating your directory.

Step 2: Download The Business Directory Plugin

The plugin you need is called “The Business Directory Plugin.” (Yes, that’s actually what it’s called).

This is the point where most people start and quit. Creating a directory is hard. You’ll run into friction and frustration while figuring out how the plugin works and deciding how to format your directory.

The plugin allows you to organize your directory by regions and categories.

I strongly recommend choosing either a single category or a single region. For example:

• Local businesses in Boulder, CO → Good

  • Categories: Multiple businesses

  • Region: Only Boulder, CO

• Drug rehabs nationwide (like Sober Nation) → Good

  • Category: Only drug rehabs

  • Locations: Multiple states and cities

Here’s an example of what NOT to do:

• Health and wellness centers nationwide → Bad

  • Multiple categories (yoga studios, gyms, Pilates studios, etc.)

  • Multiple locations (all cities in the country)

Having multiple categories and locations makes it very difficult to optimize for SEO. If you stick to one category or one region, the category pages will be the URLs you rank for.

If you don’t follow this strategy, you’ll need to create static pages for every location + category combination, which is extremely difficult.

It’s tough to explain, but trust me—avoid multiple categories and multiple locations.

I made an entire video about this.

Step 3: Start Creating Content For The Directory And Never Stop

There’s a misconception that once you build the directory and populate it with listings, you suddenly have a product.

Your directory is a media company first. Like every online business, you need to build an email list and create a community of fans. If you don’t build a media-first company, you’ll always be at the mercy of Google’s algorithm. Believe me, Google giveth and Google taketh away.

Every day:

• Add more content

• Write more newsletters

• Update and add new listings

• Add new features to listings

• Write more guides

• Post more content

• Improve your website and directory

If you improve by 1% every day, within a year, you’ll have a profitable directory.

There is a model you can follow. I recorded a video about this model as well.

Conclusion

I get so many comments on YouTube from people asking, “How do I make a directory business?”

It’s a tough question to answer because it’s not as simple as creating a newsletter. If someone asked me how to start a newsletter, I’d say, “Go to Substack.com and start writing every day.”

But directories require technical knowledge, market research, SEO, content marketing, and management.

Directories have changed my life. I’m more bullish on them than ever. In fact, I’m building directories as part of Quantum Leads. I’ll show you through my own actions how much I believe in this model and document the process as always.

I’m doing it. I hope you will too.

Love you guys. Talk to you tomorrow.

Tim

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