📚 Directory Template

Overview

The Directory Template transforms your Google Sheet into a professional directory website.

This document explains how to structure your Google Sheet to work seamlessly with our Directory Template.

Examples

Example #1

Directory with featured image

Example #2

Directory with favicon logo, without images

Required Columns

Your Google Sheet should include these essential columns - See example here.

Field Name	Description	Requirement
Name	The title of the listing	Required
Slug	A URL-friendly version of the name	Required
Short Description	A brief summary (appears in cards)	Recommended
Description	Full details about the listing (appears on detail page)	Recommended
Category	Classification(s) for filtering (comma-separated for multiple) Recommended	Recommended
Image	URL to the listing’s image	Optional
Favicon	URL to the listing's favicon or a yes to fetch it from the URL (see below)	Optional
URL	Website link for the listing	Optional
Featured	Set to “Yes” to highlight premium listings	Optional
Meta Title	Custom SEO title for search engines	Optional
Meta Description	Custom SEO description for search engines	Optional
Other ...	Any additional column with data will be added to the detailed view	Optional

Column Details

Name

The primary identifier for each listing
Appears as the main heading in both directory and detail views
Example: "Acme Corporation"

Slug

Used to create the URL for each listing's detail page
Should be lowercase with hyphens instead of spaces
No special characters or spaces
Example: If name is "Acme Corporation", slug should be "acme-corporation"
You can use the formula in Google Sheet to calculate it from the Name
```
=LOWER(REGEXREPLACE(A2, "[^a-zA-Z0-9]+", "-"))
```

Short Description

A concise summary (1-2 sentences)
Appears on directory cards and in search results
Ideal length: 100-150 characters
Example: "Award-winning software development company specializing in mobile applications."

Description

Comprehensive details about the listing
Appears on the detail page
Can include formatting (though HTML will be stripped in some views)
Example: "Acme Corporation was founded in 2010 and has since grown to become..."

Image

URL to an image representing the listing
Recommended dimensions: 800x600px
Will be displayed as a card header image and on detail pages
Example: "https://example.com/images/acme-logo.jpg"

Favicon

URL to the website's favicon.ico file or set "yes" to fetch automatically from the website
Example: If URL is "https://example.com", favicon will be fetched from "https://example.com/favicon.ico"

Will be displayed as a small icon next to the title

Note: The favicon automatic fetching requires both:

Favicon column set to "yes"

Valid URL in the URL column

URL

The website address for the listing
Must include "http://" or "https://"
Will be displayed as a "Visit Website" button
Example: "https://www.acmecorp.com"

Featured

Set to "Yes", "True", "1", "Y", or "On" to mark as featured
Featured listings get visual highlighting and priority placement
Example: "Yes"

Meta Title

Custom title for search engine results (SEO)
If not provided, the Name field will be used
Ideal length: 50-60 characters
Example: "Acme Corp - Leading Mobile App Development Services"

Meta Description

Custom description for search engine results (SEO)
If not provided, Short Description will be used
Ideal length: 150-160 characters
Example: "Acme Corporation delivers award-winning mobile applications for businesses of all sizes. Contact us for a free consultation."

Tips for Best Results

Consistency: Maintain consistent formatting across all entries

Images: Use web-quality images with consistent dimensions

Categories: Use a consistent category naming system

Featured Listings: Use sparingly for maximum impact

SEO Fields: Customize Meta Title and Meta Description for better search visibility

URLs: Always include the full URL with http:// or https://

Descriptions: Keep Short Descriptions concise and make full Descriptions comprehensive