Business Casual AI Vs Directories
Nov 6, 2025
Wondering about building a directory for pool maintenance companies? Explore the nuances of creating a specialized search tool versus monetization risks. Discover early experiments with PoolPuppy, and learn how to leverage programmatic SEO with WordPress. From automated lead distribution to driving traffic to existing products, the conversation dives deep into making directories beneficial rather than just an SEO play. Plus, find out how trust and curation can elevate your directory above AI-generated resources!
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Early Directory Experiment
- Matt Giovanisci recounts launching PoolPuppy.com (and SpaPuppy) around 2007 as a niche directory for pool companies.
- He fed traffic from Swim University to the directory to create listings and potential monetization opportunities.
Programmatic SEO Limits
- A directory can be a programmatic SEO play by creating profile pages for many businesses to generate URLs.
- Matt warns each profile will get low individual traffic and Google Places often outranks such pages.
Build With WordPress And Import Data
- Build the directory in WordPress using custom fields and a custom theme to manage dynamic company pages.
- Scrape or buy lists initially and pay someone to import and maintain data to keep listings current.