This checklist takes you from the demo content to a directory that is ready for visitors. Each step links to the chapter with the details.
1. Basic settings
Admin Panel › Settings › Configuration Options
- Enter the Website Name, the Admin Contact Email (where contact form messages arrive) and the System Timezone.
- Switch on Enable SEO URLs.
- Fill in the Company Information tab with your company name, address, phone and public email.
Details: System Settings, Tracking Codes and Social Links.
2. Email addresses
Admin Panel › Directory Settings › Configuration Options › Emails And Messages
Set System Email From (the sender name) and System Email Address (the sender address) used for all emails the directory sends. Use an address on your own domain, such as info@yourdomain.com, so that emails are not marked as spam. Details: Directory Configuration Options.
3. Branding and template
- Upload your logo and favicon in Website › Logo & Favicon.
- Preview the five templates in Website › Templates and activate the one that fits your directory.
- Upload a home page background photo and write the home page title in Directory Settings › Configuration Options › Home Page Settings.
Details: Templates, Logo and Appearance.
4. Categories and locations
The demo database contains a general list of business categories and a world-wide list of locations. Adapt them to your directory:
- A niche directory needs niche categories: replace the demo tree in Directory Settings › Categories.
- A local directory only needs its own country, region or city: remove the other locations in Directory Settings › Locations.
- Add images for the main categories and locations; they appear as tiles on the home page.
Details: Managing Categories and Category Images and Managing Locations and Location Images.
5. Packages and payments
- Decide how the directory earns money and set up your packages in Directory Settings › Packages. A common start is a free basic listing plus one or two paid upgrades.
- Choose the currency and enable PayPal, Stripe or bank transfer in Directory Settings › Configuration Options › Payments.
- Create banner areas if you want to sell banner space.
Details: Listing Packages and Pricing Plans, Payments: Stripe, PayPal and Bank Transfer and Banner Areas, Banners and Ad Zones.
6. AI features
Paste an API key from Groq (free tier available), OpenAI or DeepSeek in Directory Settings › Configuration Options › AI Features and click Test connection. Details: Setting Up the AI Features.
7. Remove the demo content
Before launch, delete what you do not want to keep:
- demo listings in Directory › Current Listings,
- demo users in Directory › Users,
- demo reviews in Directory › Reviews,
- demo news articles and FAQ entries in Website › News and Website › FAQ,
- demo banners in Directory Settings › Banners.
8. Add your first listings
A directory with no listings does not attract visitors or paying businesses. Import a list of businesses from a spreadsheet with Bulk CSV Import and Export, or add them by hand in Directory › Add Listing. Imported listings can later be claimed by their owners; see Claiming an Existing Listing.
9. Content, SEO and tracking
- Review the texts of the pages and the FAQ, and write a first news article.
- Add your Google Analytics ID and Search Console verification in Settings › Tracking Codes.
- Add your social media profiles in Settings › Social Media.
- Submit
https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.phpto Google Search Console.
Details: Website Pages and Menu, News (Blog) and FAQ Management and SEO: URLs, Titles, Sitemap and Structured Data.
10. Test before launch
- Add a test listing from the website, with each package, and approve it in the admin panel.
- Register a test user and log in to the user panel.
- Send a message from the contact page and from a listing, and check that the emails arrive.
- Look at the website on a phone.
- Make a backup in Settings › Backups.