"I had 47 tabs open and no idea where to start. Sound familiar? Here's what I wish someone had told me on day one..."
So the reason for this blog post is actually very simple. When you decide to branch out — maybe create your own directories — it can be a real struggle to understand not only what is available, but what will work for your business. The day I decided to start my website directory, it wasn't easy, mainly because I didn't know what I really needed, and therefore the birth of this post.
As I was watching tutorials, I got to the point where I said to myself, "Time out." Not only do a lot of these tutorials give you half the information, but when it comes to WordPress, it is never mentioned which plugins are actually needed from the beginning that can help your business. So without further ado, I am going to lay this out.
If at any point you want to stop reading, take a break. The World Wide Web is filled with too much — too many options — and as this blog post will be filled with tons of information, just remember one thing: the best directories are not built by those who are the cleverest or most intelligent, but by those who started with not only an open mind, but the willingness to build a skill. And as with any skill, the mind needs to be trained to work in the most efficient way.
So the most important thing you are going to take away is this: the more knowledge we have about a single subject or niche, the greater the chance of succeeding. Therefore, if certain terms seem unfamiliar, know that the mind is a muscle that should be exercised every day to become stronger.
Where Did I Start On This Journey Of Building A Directory?
When I originally decided to get my domain at Hostinger, I decided to allow them to build my website just up to the point where I could do the rest. Little did I know that it was going to take more than just WordPress and Hostinger to actually bring this to life.
So I decided to take a step back. Before I could go forward, I said to myself: Clear your mind. Think of what you missed — or didn't add. You see, when it comes to tutorials, remember that the ones you are going to watch won't reveal all of it. So as I decided to start writing this blog post, I knew that I wouldn't be able to finish it today, because I wanted to add what helped not only myself but your business as well. So bear with me, and soon you will understand that every little bit of information I am adding will be beneficial — bit by bit.
First things first: with so many tabs open, learning about so many different things can eventually lead to an overload of information.
Clear Your Browser Regularly
This bit of advice has helped me so many times. And yet, just like cleaning your house, remember that when one is doing research, one tends to end up on many different sites — and eventually this can lead to the internet working slower, or pages loading slower. Keep a tab in your browser history linked to your clear-cache settings in Google, so that when things are moving slower, the tab is right there without having to search for it. In retrospect, clutter builds up, and clearing your browser is like allowing fresh air into your life. Errors disappear, pages load the way they are supposed to — but when one is working on the internet every day, this is more of a necessity than an option.
The Function Of Shift + Delete
This is very much one of those shortcuts one can use when deleting documents on your desktop — and in this way avoid the Recycle Bin altogether. Shift + Delete is there to avoid massive buildup on your drive.
In a simplified way:
- Delete → file moves into another folder (Recycle Bin clutter)
- Shift + Delete → removes the file's active listing immediately and frees up space faster
App: Unicorn Platform
Unicorn Platform allows you to start for free. Here is a breakdown of their payment plans:
- Free — Get started at no cost
- Plan 2 — 1 published website for $9/month
- Plan 3 — 1 published website for $29/month, with slightly more benefits than the previous plan
- Plan 4 — 3 published websites for $49/month
- Plan 5 — 8 published websites for $79/month
- Agency — 20 published websites for $139/month
- Major — 100 published websites for $250/month
Disclaimer: when this blog post was written, these were the prices at that point in time. Also be aware that many people promoting their products may offer a coupon code, which can actually help tremendously.
Most topics, categories, and terms are discussed briefly here, but check out my other blog posts to go deeper. There are many options out there, and if you are serious about this, I would start with the plan that suits you most at this point in time.
What Is SaaS?
This is a term you might hear often. SaaS stands for Software as a Service — it refers to businesses where you simply log in and use their service online. Examples include ChatGPT, Canva, Notion, Shopify, and Figma. You don't need to download anything in order to use it.
It is essentially a type of productivity app. So when people refer to SaaS, or say "I am building a SaaS," they are referring to a type of subscription software or AI service — but mostly built for creators, since creators understand the necessity of not only building something quickly, but getting it out there to start ranking and attracting those who are in need of that specific service.
Web Scraping / Data Extraction Platforms
Octoparse
This is a completely different category from Unicorn Platform. Octoparse is built for:
- Collecting website data
- Scraping listings
- Automation
- Research
The Real Difference Between Them
- Unicorn = create your online presence
- Octoparse = gather information from the internet automatically
Is It Legal?
This is where nuance matters. Scraping publicly available data is often tolerated in many cases — but:
- Some websites prohibit it in their Terms of Service
- Scraping personal or private data can create legal issues
- Aggressive scraping can get accounts or IPs blocked
So ethical and compliant use matters.
The Hidden Reality About SaaS Pricing
A lot of SaaS tools start cheap — then get expensive once you scale. For example, costs increase when you need more visitors, more automation, more websites, more storage, more exports, or more AI usage.
That is why many creators start with free plans, low-cost landing pages, Etsy, Gumroad, Canva, or simple storefronts — before investing heavily.
Why does it get expensive? The cost comes from the infrastructure running behind the scenes: cloud scraping servers, anti-bot systems, CAPTCHA solving, rotating IPs, and automation infrastructure. That infrastructure becomes computationally heavy — and that cost gets passed on to the user as you scale.
Why Some People Love Elementor Pro
It is extremely visual. You can literally drag and drop in real time: images, text, buttons, animations, and galleries. Creators and designers love it because it feels creative rather than technical.
My Experience With Elementor Pro
My experience with Elementor Pro starts at around $5 per month, billed annually. Looking back, I also noticed they offer a plan called Advanced Solo — designed for a more professional website with advanced features at $7 per month, or $84 annually. This plan includes more features than the previous one, such as a pop-up builder, custom code and CSS, and e-commerce features. You can also build up to 85 Editor Pro widgets, compared to the 57 included in the previous plan.
Even if you have to pay annually, think about it this way: for the next twelve months, you don't need to worry about that expense every month. And since building a directory takes time, the most important thing is to get the foundation right. A lot of businesses go through waves — a good month, then a slower one — but when building a directory, things can change over time. The directory itself can solve many problems, and a lot of the manual work done now, while perhaps the most difficult part, is also about understanding how it all blends together.
Getting Started With Payment
I was willing to try out the second payment plan. Once you reach the payment page, it asks for either a VAT number or Tax ID, and also requires you to verify your email address. Once payment is complete, Elementor Pro can be downloaded as a zip file. It is safe to say — keep all important information in a place with easy access for your own records. Once the zip file is uploaded, you will need to activate and connect your licence.
If You Have Read This Far — Congratulations!
The boring stuff unfortunately needs to be taken care of before the fun stuff can begin. I have to add that once you finally start implementing the widgets in Elementor Pro, the sun starts to come out and a lot of the frustration tends to disappear. As in life, the boring stuff is actually the foundation that puts everything else in place — and it can also prevent future hiccups, because the main things are already in order.
Conclusion
Every step of learning is a step in the right direction. If it takes practice, understand that there are many YouTube tutorials and mentors out there who can guide you along the way. Remember to check out my next blog post to continue this conversation — because with only half the pieces of the puzzle, things can get confusing fast.