Create Your First Directory

This guide will walk you through creating your first directory in DirectoryHub. A directory is your main site where you'll organize and display listings.

Prerequisites

• You must have an active DirectoryHub account
• You must be signed in to your organization
• Your organization must have an active subscription (or be on the free plan)

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to Create Directory

1. From your organization dashboard, click the "Create Directory" button
2. Or navigate to /[your-org-slug]/directories/new

2. Fill in Directory Details

You'll need to provide three pieces of information:

Directory Name

• Required: Enter a descriptive name for your directory (e.g., "Tech Tools Directory", "Local Restaurants")
• Minimum 2 characters
• This is the display name that will appear in your dashboard

Subdomain

• Required: Choose a unique subdomain for your directory
• Minimum 3 characters
• Only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens are allowed
• The subdomain will be auto-generated from your directory name, but you can edit it
• Your directory will be accessible at: [subdomain].directoryhub.app
• Example: If you enter "tech-tools", your directory will be at tech-tools.directoryhub.app

Important Notes:

• The subdomain must be unique across all DirectoryHub directories
• You'll see a real-time availability check as you type
• Once created, the subdomain cannot be changed

Listing Collection Name

• Required: Choose what to call the items in your directory
• Minimum 2 characters
• This determines the URL path for your listings
• Examples:
  • "items" → /items/[listing-slug]
  • "jobs" → /jobs/[listing-slug]
  • "tools" → /tools/[listing-slug]
  • "resources" → /resources/[listing-slug]

Important Notes:

• This setting is immutable after creation - choose carefully!
• Only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens are allowed
• Common choices: items, listings, resources, tools, jobs, companies

3. Review and Create

1. Check that your subdomain shows as "available" (green checkmark)
2. Verify your listing collection name is valid (green checkmark)
3. Click "Create Directory"

4. Next Steps

After creation, you'll be redirected to your directory's settings page. From here you can:

• Add Categories: Organize your listings into categories
• Add Listings: Start adding content to your directory
• Configure Settings: Customize branding, SEO, and other options
• Set Up Custom Domain: Connect your own domain (optional)

Plan Limits

Your subscription plan determines how many directories you can create:

• Free Plan: 1 directory
• Starter Plan: 3 directories
• Pro Plan: 10 directories
• Business Plan: Unlimited directories

If you've reached your plan limit, you'll see a message prompting you to upgrade.

Troubleshooting

"Subdomain already taken"

• Try a different subdomain name
• Add numbers or hyphens to make it unique
• Use a more specific name related to your niche

"Plan limit reached"

• Upgrade your subscription plan
• Or delete an unused directory to free up space

"Subscription is not active"

• Ensure your subscription is active and not canceled
• Check your billing settings
• Contact support if you believe this is an error

Tips

• Choose a descriptive subdomain: Make it easy to remember and related to your directory's purpose
• Think about your listing collection name: Consider what makes sense for your content type
• Start simple: You can always add more categories and listings later
• Use the seed feature: After creating your directory, you can use the seed feature to populate it with sample data