Custom Listing Attributes

Custom Attributes That Fit Your Directory

Every directory is different, and the information you need to collect from listing owners shouldn't be one-size-fits-all. With MakeADir's custom attributes system, you define exactly what data matters for your niche — whether it's business hours for a restaurant directory, certification numbers for a professional network, or social media handles for an influencer platform.

System Attributes: Ready to Go

Out of the box, every MakeADir directory comes with a set of pre-built system attributes: Website, Email, YouTube, and Twitter. These are the universal fields that nearly every directory needs. You don't create them — you simply toggle them on or off, and decide whether they should be optional or required for listing submissions.

Custom Attributes: Build Your Own

When system attributes aren't enough, custom attributes give you complete freedom. You can create:

• Free Text fields — perfect for business hours, service areas, or any open-ended information
• Single-Select Dropdowns — ideal for price ranges, star ratings, or pick-one categories
• Multi-Select Dropdowns — great for amenities, features, languages spoken, or any many-to-many data

Every custom attribute supports a default value, so listing owners start with sensible pre-filled data and can adjust from there.

Required or Optional — You Decide

Every attribute, whether system-defined or custom, can be marked as required or optional. Required fields ensure you always capture the essential information, while optional fields let listing owners share extras without friction. This fine-grained control means your listing submission form asks for exactly what you need — nothing more, nothing less.

Filter Integration That Just Works

Custom attributes don't just sit on listing pages — they automatically integrate into your listing grid filters. Create a dropdown attribute and it appears as a checkbox filter in any listing grid where filters are enabled. Your directory visitors can then narrow down listings by the exact criteria you've defined, making discovery faster and more relevant.

Showcase Attributes on Listing Cards

Custom attributes aren't confined to the details page. You can choose to surface them directly on listing cards in the grid view, putting key information front and center where visitors make split-second browsing decisions. For each custom attribute, you decide:

• Show or hide — display the attribute on listing cards only when it adds real value for browsers, not clutter
• Positioning — place it above the title, below the title, or inline with other card details to control visual hierarchy
• Label display — show the attribute name alongside the value (e.g., "Price Range: $$") for clarity, or let the value stand alone for a cleaner, more glanceable card

This means a restaurant directory can display price range and cuisine type right on each card, a professional directory can surface certifications or years in business, and a real estate directory can show property type and square footage — all without forcing visitors to click through to the full listing.

Built for Scale

Whether you're running a directory with ten listings or ten thousand, custom attributes scale seamlessly. Add new attributes at any time, change default values, or toggle requirements — every change propagates instantly across your listing forms, cards, and filters without breaking existing data.