Creating an Online Local Business Directory
In today’s digital world, online directory websites are more popular than ever. Whether someone’s searching for a plumber, a pet groomer, or the best pizza place in town, directories make it easy to find local businesses fast.
At its core, a directory site is a well-organized collection of business listings. These listings may cover broad topics like “restaurants” or narrow niches like “vegan bakeries in Brooklyn.” Regardless of the focus, directories offer great monetization opportunities through ads, affiliate links, lead generation, and premium listings.
With powerful no-code tools like WordPress, anyone can create a stunning directory site. But the real game-changer is building a reliable and rich business database—and that’s where Livescraper comes in.
The Database for the Directory
You can find local business info from many sources—municipal directories, yellow pages, or online databases. But nothing comes close to Google Maps, which houses the largest, most up-to-date business listings across the globe.
Let’s say you want to build a Wellness Centers Directory in New York City. With Google Maps, you can find hundreds of relevant businesses in minutes. But collecting that data manually? Not realistic.
This is where Livescraper Google Maps Data Scraper makes your job effortless.
Livescraper Google Maps Data Scraper
Livescraper is a powerful tool that extracts business data directly from Google Maps, using the same search queries and categories you’d use in the browser.
No need for proxies. No more copy-pasting. Livescraper does all the heavy lifting on its own servers—efficiently and reliably.
Let’s say you want all “Wellness Centers” in New York. Simply input the category and location. Livescraper will generate structured results including business names, phone numbers, websites, addresses, ratings, and more.
To browse supported categories:
🔗 Google Maps Business Categories
Export CSV From Livescraper Dashboard
The Livescraper Dashboard is clean, intuitive, and beginner-friendly. All you need to do is:
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Select your category (e.g., “Wellness Center”)
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Set your location (e.g., “New York”)
And that’s it. Livescraper starts the task, processes the data, and gives you a downloadable CSV file ready for database upload.
Sample Task: Wellness Centers, NY, USA
🎯 In a matter of minutes, you’ll have a full list of local wellness centers for your directory.
What About Big Categories Like Restaurants?
Great question. Google Maps limits search results upto 500 entries per query, especially in dense categories like restaurants or salons. So you might miss many listings if you rely on a single query.
Livescraper solves this challenge by letting you target zip codes or neighborhoods individually. This way, you can scrape every corner of a city—block by block—without missing a single business.
👉 Read our guide:
How to Scrape Densely Populated Areas and Categories from Google Maps
Want step-by-step instructions for task creation?
📘 Check out: How to Scrape Google Maps Using Livescraper
Need to filter out irrelevant results?
🔎 Learn more: Using Advanced Filters in Livescraper
Livescraper Google Places API
For those who want real-time results instead of pre-built databases, Livescraper also offers a full-featured API.
This means your users can search directly on your website, and your backend can fetch fresh results from Google Maps using the Livescraper API.
Works with: Python, Node.js, PHP, Java, Go, Ruby, and more.
Sample API Usage (Python)
for place in results:
print(‘Name:’, place[‘name’])
print(‘Phone:’, place[‘phone’])
print(‘Website:’, place[‘website’])
📚 API Docs and examples: Visit Livescraper API Documentation
🎥 Watch walkthroughs: Livescraper YouTube Channel
Sign Up and Try for Free Now
Livescraper offers a monthly Free Tier, so you can test the service before committing. Whether you’re building your first directory or scaling an existing one, Livescraper saves hours of manual work and delivers clean, accurate business data.
📝 Sign Up Now for Free
💰 View Pricing Plans
FAQ
What should be included in a business directory?
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Business name
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Address & location
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Contact info (phone, email, website)
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Hours of operation
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Category or niche
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Ratings or reviews
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Images or logos (optional)
How do I create a free online directory?
You can use tools like WordPress + directory plugins, or website builders like Wix or Webflow. The key is to start with a reliable database, like the one Livescraper helps you build.
How does a business directory work?
Users search or browse categories. Your site displays relevant businesses with detailed information. You can earn via ads, paid listings, affiliate links, or lead generation.
