How to Build a Business Directory on WordPress Using Bluehost (2025 Guide)

If you’ve ever wanted to create a local business directory, WordPress gives you the power to do it without coding. Whether you’re building a listings site for your city, your niche, or a local industry like lawyers, dentists, or restaurants, the setup is much easier than people think. And when you pair WordPress with Bluehost, you get fast, affordable hosting that’s beginner-friendly.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to create a full business directory website using WordPress and Bluehost. We’ll cover everything from picking a theme to setting up listings, categories, filters, and monetization. Let’s get started.

 

Step 1: Choose Bluehost for Hosting

First, you’ll need a hosting provider that works well with WordPress. Bluehost is my go-to recommendation for beginners because it’s affordable, reliable, and has one-click WordPress installs.

 

Go to Bluehost and choose the Basic or Plus plan. Both come with a free domain for the first year, free SSL, and solid support. Once you create your account, Bluehost will walk you through setting up WordPress automatically. By the end of this step, you’ll have a blank WordPress site live on your domain.

 

Step 2: Pick a Directory Plugin or Theme

You have two options: use a directory theme or a directory plugin. Both work, but plugins give you more flexibility over design.

Recommended directory plugins:

• GeoDirectory
• Directorist
• Business Directory Plugin

For this tutorial, let’s use Directorist. It’s beginner-friendly and packed with features like front-end submission, advanced filtering, monetization options, and maps.

Install it by going to your WordPress dashboard, then Plugins > Add New > search for “Directorist” and click Install and Activate.

 

Step 3: Customize Your Directory Pages

Directorist adds a few new pages to your site automatically, like:

• All Listings
• Add Listing
• Listing Categories
• Locations

You can find these under Pages in WordPress. Use the WordPress Customizer to update colors, fonts, and headers so it fits your brand. You can also create a custom homepage with a search bar and featured listings. Use a free page builder like Elementor for easy drag-and-drop control.

 

Step 4: Add Categories and Locations

Now let’s structure your directory so people can find what they’re looking for.

Go to Directorist > Listings > Categories. Create categories like:

• Restaurants
• Fitness
• Legal
• Health
• Beauty
• Real Estate

Then go to Locations and add your cities, zip codes, or regions. This lets users search by city or neighborhood later on.

 

Step 5: Add Listings Manually or Enable Submissions

You can add listings yourself or allow business owners to submit their own.

To add one manually:

• Go to Directorist > Add Listing
• Fill out the name, description, contact info, location, category, and upload photos

To allow public submissions:

• Go to Directorist settings
• Enable front-end submission
• Set whether approval is manual or automatic

You can also create submission packages or charge a fee for listing upgrades. More on that below.

 

Step 6: Enable Search Filters and Maps

Make it easy for users to filter results by category, location, rating, or keywords. Directorist has built-in filter widgets you can add to your directory pages. If you want map integration, connect it to Google Maps via API. This allows each listing to show a pin on the map based on the address. It adds a more visual experience, especially for mobile users.

 

Step 7: Monetize Your Directory

There are several ways to make money with your business directory:

• Paid Listings: Charge for featured or premium placements
• Memberships: Offer monthly plans to list more businesses
• Ads: Run display ads or sponsor listings
• Affiliate Offers: Add partner services or tools under each category

Directorist lets you create pricing plans inside the plugin. You can offer a free basic listing and upsell a premium version that stays at the top of the results or adds extra features like videos and website links.

 

Step 8: Optimize for SEO and Mobile

Make sure your directory is optimized for Google. Use a plugin like Yoast SEO to set page titles, descriptions, and schema.

Get Started with Yoast SEO

Add internal links between categories and listings. This boosts discoverability and helps search engines crawl your site. 

 

Step 9: Promote Your Directory

Once the site is ready, it’s time to get the word out.

• Reach out to local businesses and invite them to list
• Share on local Facebook Groups or Reddit communities
• Create content like “Top 10 Dentists in [City]” to drive SEO traffic
• Offer free listings for early adopters
• Run a giveaway for a featured listing spot

The more local businesses you list, the more traffic your site will get. Once you have visitors, it becomes easier to sell upgrades and run ads.

 

Final Thoughts

Building a business directory site on WordPress using Bluehost doesn’t require coding or complicated tools. With the right plugin and setup, you can launch in a weekend and start building traffic over time. This kind of site can grow into a real income stream, especially if you target local markets or specific industries.