X3M Directory

Our X3M Directory plugin for WordPress offers a free solution for creating a web directory of links, a business directory or article directory. This plugin integrates within any WordPress powered website and creates custom post types, custom categories and location taxonomies to support the creation and management of web directory for various purposes. It comes loaded with plenty of features and multiple customizations, and the best part – it is free to download and use.

X3M Directory Features

The WordPress plugin provided here comes loaded with multiple premium features, offered for free, allowing its users to create link directory or article submission directory, business directory supported by location taxonomies on top of regular categories. A template page along with easy custom data field creation offers the power to customize how content is organized and displayed in your directory WP posts/listings. The template works with shortcodes for each dataset collected in the submission form, making the customization options limitless.

With the option to also accept paid listings, the web directory offers a premium option by delivering dofollow backlinks which are hightly valuable for search engine optimization purposes. Webmasters can create with this plugin general or niche directories, to fit their requirements.

Web Directory

The X3M Directory plugin can be used to create a standard web directory of links. While still a business model, there are not so many web directory options left out there, with few remaining paid choices or some free un-updated/un-supported scripts. With our plugin webmasters can create a standard web directory within their WordPress site, with link submission/acceptance in selected categories, link health check, screenshot generation, and even paid link submissions using any of WordPress/WooCommerce supported payment addons.

Business Directory

Besides web directory, the X3M Directory plugin can also support creation of business directory with the inclusion of Location taxonomy right besides the category type. This way, the website owner can create a list of businesses by business type and also by location. With custom fields integrated inside our plugin, webmasters can set what data to collect in a structured manner and display it based on set template. This means integration with any other WP plugin is supported, to include user comments, reviews options, maps and so much more.

Article Directory

Similarly, the X3M Directory plugin can be used to accept article submissions. Using the simple settings of the web directory layout, the content area can be set to accept submission that exceed a certain length in character count, while the payment integration can offer an additional source of revenue by accepting paid listings. This way you can let users not only create content on your website which can generate traffic in time, but also get paid for premium listings.

Monetisation Options

These submissions on your WordPress website will assist you in publishing new posts and generate new content options, offering new traffic possibilities. Why would anyone submit content on your directory? Backlinks! Backlinks included can be a strong incentive to other webmasters to make a submission. By default, all links are nofollow, but as SEO world are looking for backlinks opportunities, X3M Directory webmasters can implement a simple monetisation technic to set links for a specific listing to dofollow, against a set price. For this we have developed an integration with WooCommerce (the most popular ecommerce plugin which comes with multiple payment methods available like PayPal, Stripe, Bank Wire, card payment processing and many more). This integration fully automates sale of a package which ensures the dofollow links for a submitted listing, all without any input or wasted time from your end, just money in. Check the X3M WooToken plugin for the integration between Web Directory plugin and WooCommerce plugin.

Listing Template

Generated listings follow a template customised in the Template section of the plugin. Each webmaster can therefore make their website listings follow a certain structure by simply arranging each desired dataset in a template page. New data can be added by using the integrated custom fields which can be set to collect highly targeted data during the submission. This makes the directory submission and listing display highly customisable, making this way no 2 websites alike. Template can be edited using the familiar WP interface and shortcodes which will turn to collected data, with any changes applied to new submitted listings.

Screenshot Generation

Besides the listing content and custom data collected from user submissions, our plugin can connect to the Microlink.io API to generate screenshots of each submitted link. The service comes with 50 free screenshot generations / day. This is an optional service in case you require inclusion of an image with every submission. If in need for more screenshot generations each day, a paid plan from Microlink.io can be acquired and the API key set in the plugin settings.

Link Health Monitor

Each listing submitted and approved in the directory comes with an external link. Sometimes these links/domains expire, and preserving a clean directory with working links is imperative in the eyes of search engines. The Link Health monitor service integrated in this plugin allows to set weekly or monthly link checks which generates a report with the status of all submissions. Listings with multiple access failures can be safely removed by the admin, keeping therefore a clean directory at all times.

Websites powered by X3M Directory

Below are a few websites which operate the Web Directory plugin. If you install it on your website, it may also be included in this list.

• Web Directory List

Above list include just a handful of the active installations of the X3M Directory plugin.

X3M Directory FAQ

X3M Directory Documentation

To start using our X3M Web Directory plugin you need to follow these steps:

1. Install the plugin in your WordPress website

• Download the plugin if you haven’t done so already.
• Go to your WordPress admin dashboard and visit the Plugins page.
• Here you must click on “Add Plugin” button at the top of the page.
• Next, click on “Upload Plugin” button also at the top of the page. From this point you can click on “Choose File” and browse to the plugin archive x3m-directory.zip you just downloaded from our website.
• Click on “Install Now” and wait for the plugin to be installed in WordPress. When installed, click to activate it.

2. Activate the plugin

• Visit X3M Directory in your WP admin dashboard. You will find it un the left side menu.
• At the top left side of the page see for the “Plugin Status”. Click on “ACTIVATE” button and wait for activation confirmation. If activation fails, check for the plugin requirements in the right side of the page. Make any adjustments to your hosting plan as required and reattempt plugin activation.
• Visit the “Settings” page of the plugin to make the first settings.

3. Settings

The Settings page of the plugin offers different options to customize the plugin functionality:

• Enable Dofollow Links – by default, all links submitted to the directory will be set as “nofollow”. By activating this option, new links will be set as “dofollow”, providing better link juice, improving SEO
• Enable Premium Listings – this option requires the the WooCommerce plugin (the main WordPress ecommerce plugin, offering product setup and various payment processing options) alongside our X3M WooToken plugin installed to act as connector between X3M Directory and WooCommerce. When this option is activated, the admin can require a fee for listing submissions. Paid listings can be set as more appealing by making the links “dofollow”, but admin can also disable free submissions when Premium is activated, making therefore all submissions subject to a fee.
• Blocked Keywords – this text area can be used to set keywords blocked during submission
• Listings Slug – this offers the option to set/change the link structure of the individual directory listing URL
• Category Slug – this offers the option to set/change the link structure of the individual directory category URL
• Enable Locations – this is activated by default, but it can be disabled if not required. Locations are another type of custom directory category with admin able to set countries, regions and cities to be used during submission to offer a location filter. This comes in handy for Business Directory style implementation.
• Location Slug – this offers the option to set/change the link structure of the individual directory location URL
• Collect Email Addresses – enable this option to activate the email address field on submission form, collecting user email addresses and setting them as WP Subscriber user. This can be accompanied by a WP Newsletter plugin to send transactional emails and newsletters to these users.
• Minimum Content Length – this sets the minimum character count for the content submission field with any new listing. Default is set to 0, which will accept any number of characters. Can be used to set a minimum content length, not permitting submissions with thin description.
• Cron Reset Period – this option can be set for the Cron function to reset its tasks on a weekly or monthly basis. Weekly set means cron hits from every Monday will start a new link health cycle. Monthly set means cron hits from every 1st of the month will start a new link health cycle. This depends how often you want to check the health of the links approved in your directory. It requires visiting the Cron page of the plugin to copy and set the cron URL in a web cron service.
• Links Per Cron Run – this sets how many links to ping and check for availability on every cron hit. Higher value will require more server limits.
• API – Microlink.io – enable this option to use the Microlink.io API to get screenshots generated for each submitted link. By default, Microlink.io offers 50 free screenshots / day, without registration or API. If however you require more screenshot calls, you may upgrade to a Pro plan and get the API key set in the Directory settings. You may also Set Screenshot as Featured Image bu checking the appropriate box, but make sure the Microlink.io is activated. In case you hit your free screenshot limits or Microlink returns no image in due time, you may set Default Screenshot Image by selecting an image from your media library.
• Security Settings – here are a few security option to protect the submission form from spam. Choice of Built-in anti-spam system or combine with a captcha service from reCAPTCHA v3 (Google) or hCaptcha – enable this option to protect your submission form. For reCAPTCHA, you will need a Google Cloud account and set a project in reCAPTCHA section. Free & Paid plans available. Site key and Secret Key provided on reCAPTCHA activation on Google site need to be copied and set in the Directory settings. For hCaptcha, you will need to create a free account to gget your API hey. There is also a free tier plan and paid option. The built-in anispam system is a bit more basic, but it can still offer protection against bot/repetitive submissions – just enable any of them as you desire.
• SAVE SETTINGS – remember to save the settings of your plugin for the changes to take effect
• CSV Import – this option allows to bulk import categories/subcategories in your Directory. The import can be used for both directory categories and directory locations. Select the appropriate import type between Categories and Locations. Select the CSV file to upload and process. The CSV must be a comma separated stylized file, with first column data used to set primary category/location, second column data used to set subcategory/sublocation of the first column, and so on on multiple levels based on how many column datas are included in the CSV. Remember to hit the IMPORT CSV button to process the import.

4. Custom Fields

The Custom Fields page of the plugin offers the option to set and manage data fields used in the submission form to collect details for each listing:

• Add New Custom Field – you can set new custom field by using the Add New Custom Field option: set Field Name (lower case name, numbers accepted, no spaces but underscores) used for internal purposes in the shortcode use; set Field Type (with a choice of Text Field, Text Area for larger content accepted, Number Field for number values and URL Field for links); Field Label (this text is what it will be shown to users in the submission form); Field Options to make the field required or active (to be shown in forms). Click the ADD FIELD button to save the new field.
• Existing Fields – this section lists all existing fields (with any new fields created at previous step included). These fields are visible in the submission form. The admin can drag individual fields to change their order, affecting the way they are shown in the form as well. Each field comes with the option to Edit, Deactivate or Delete (for the admin custom added fields only).

5. Template

The Template page of the plugin offers the option to set and manage the template of the listings, using a WP post style editor and shortcodes to organize and display content collected in the submission form.

All available shortcodes for use are listed in the right side of the template editor. Remember to SAVE TEMPLATE at the end.

6. Pending

The Pending page of the plugin offers a quick view over the pending directory submissions requiring admin attention. Here will be all pending listings that admin can check, approve or reject. Approval is required in order for the listing to be published/visible in directory.

7. Cron

The Cron page of the plugin displays the cron URL which needs to be used with a web cron to start running. You may set that cron URL in a web cron service with schedule to run every minute, for a set period on Mondays or 1st of the month, depending how the plugin settings for the Cron Reset were set. This cron activates the link health check service. Report of the last cron runs are included in this page.

7. Link Health

This page offers an overview of all the approved links in the directory and their status health (domain still live/accessible) based on the last 5 health checks. This report offers the option to clean the directory of submissions linking to inactive domains, preserving the quality of your directory.