Creating a directory often starts with repetitive data collection. Business names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, map locations, opening hours, and category clues all need to be gathered before the directory becomes useful.
The Listdom Google Places Addon helps reduce that manual work. It connects Listdom with Google Places so admins can search for businesses, review real place results, and create draft listings that can later be completed inside the Listdom editor.
The addon does not blindly overwrite listing content. It stores the Google Place ID, shows live Google suggestions, and lets editors decide what to copy into the listing. This makes it useful for controlled directory building, city portals, local business directories, tourism directories, restaurant guides, service directories, and other listing projects where accuracy matters.
Search Google Places from the Listdom admin
Use the Google Places screen inside the Listdom admin area to search for businesses by keyword and supported place type. The search works with the map area, so admins can explore businesses around a specific location and review matching results before adding anything to the queue.
Useful for:
- Local business directories
- Restaurant and cafe guides
- Hotel and travel directories
- Service provider directories
- City portals
- Store locators
Create draft listings from selected places
When you find suitable places, you can add them to a temporary queue and create draft Listdom listings. Each draft stores the confirmed title and Google Place ID, giving your team a structured starting point without publishing incomplete content.
Duplicate Place IDs are blocked, helping reduce repeated listings during the seeding process.
Keep editors in control
Google data is treated as suggestions, not automatic final content. The addon shows available place details, but native Listdom fields are filled only when an editor explicitly copies values and saves the listing.
This keeps your directory workflow safer because editors can review the information before it becomes part of your published listing content.
Use Google place details while editing listings
Inside the listing editor, admins can search for a Google Place, save its Place ID, fetch live details, and review available suggestions.
Depending on the available Google data, suggestions may include:
- Business name
- Formatted address
- Phone number
- Website
- Opening hours
- Google Maps URL
- Latitude and longitude
- Primary place type
- Price level
- Google rating
- Google review count
Match Google place types with Listdom categories
The addon checks Google place type labels and type codes against existing Listdom categories. When an exact category match is found, the editor can use that suggestion as part of the listing setup workflow.
This helps reduce manual category selection when your Listdom categories align with Google’s place type names.
Display Google rating details on listing pages
The addon adds a Google Places element for Listdom listing pages. When a listing has a Google Place ID and the data is available, the element can show the Google rating, review count, and a button that links visitors to the business on Google.
Admins can control whether the Google Maps button and Google rating/review information are displayed.
Benefits
Faster directory setup
Start from real place data instead of entering every business manually.
Better editorial workflow
Create drafts first, then review and complete each listing before publishing.
Less duplicate work
The addon checks existing listings by Google Place ID before creating new drafts.
More useful listing pages
Display Google rating and review count when available, and give visitors a direct way to view the business on Google.
Safer data handling
Google data is shown as suggestions. Editors decide what should become saved Listdom content.
How it works
- Add your Google Places API key in Listdom Settings > Addons > Google Places.
- Make sure the Google Maps API key is configured in Listdom Settings > General > Map Module for the admin map.
- Open the Google Places tab in the Listdom Import/Export area.
- Search for places by keyword, type, and map area.
- Add selected businesses to the temporary queue.
- Create draft listings.
- Open each draft, review Google suggestions, copy the values you want, and save or publish the listing.
Suggested use cases
City directory seeding
Quickly create draft listings for restaurants, cafes, hotels, attractions, stores, and local services in a selected city area.
Niche business directories
Build a starting database for directories focused on specific business types such as gyms, pharmacies, schools, beauty salons, bakeries, or tourist attractions.
Editorial directory projects
Give content teams a faster research workflow while still requiring human review before publication.
Local SEO and business discovery websites
Prepare structured business listings with map-related data and Google reference information.
Requirements
- WordPress
- Listdom plugin
- Google Places API key for Google Places search and suggestions
- Google Maps API key in Listdom’s Map Module settings for loading the admin map
- A Google Cloud project with the required Google APIs enabled and billing configured according to Google’s requirements
FAQ
Does this addon automatically publish listings?
No. The addon creates draft listings. Editors can review and complete each listing before publishing.
Does it overwrite my Listdom listing fields automatically?
No. Google data is shown as suggestions. Native Listdom fields are filled only when an editor copies values and saves the listing.
What does the draft listing store?
Draft seeding stores a minimal listing shell with the confirmed title and Google Place ID. The full listing content should be reviewed and completed by an editor.
Can it prevent duplicate listings?
It checks existing listings by Google Place ID and skips places that already exist in draft, pending, published, future, or private statuses.
Can I show Google ratings on the frontend?
Yes. The Google Places element can show Google rating/review information and a button to view the business on Google when the listing has Google details available.
Do I need a Google API key?
Yes. The addon requires a Google Places API key for search and place details. The admin map also uses the Google Maps API key configured in Listdom’s Map Module settings.
