Choose the profile that makes your site immediately understandable
Every NexDirectory site begins with one of four starter profiles: Events, Directory, Job Board, or Marketplace / Classifieds. Your choice sets the public language, recommended pages, form fields and discovery journey. The four starter blueprints and the setup wizard are included in Free; Pro Blueprint Studio creates, reuses, imports and exports saved custom starter blueprints.
Choose for the main purpose of the site
A profile applies across the whole directory. Choose the journey that covers most of your content, then use Types, Modes, Tags and Price Ranges to create useful sections within it.
What each profile is designed to publish
Events uses event, organiser, calendar, RSVP, attendee, capacity and schedule language. Choose it when dates and attendance are central to the experience.
Directory uses listings and owners, with routes such as /listings/ and /listings-map/. It suits businesses, services, organisations, venues and professional profiles that visitors compare and save.
- Job Board: jobs, employers, salary/application fields, jobs routes, and job-oriented saved items.
- Marketplace / Classifieds: seller language, item condition, quantity, delivery, offer, and marketplace routes.
Start with the visitor action, not the content label
Ask what a successful visitor does. An events visitor finds a date and joins. A directory visitor compares providers and saves a listing. A job-board visitor reviews a role and applies. A marketplace visitor evaluates an item and contacts or buys from a seller. That action is more reliable than choosing a profile because one label sounds familiar.
Then check the publisher workflow. Events need dates, time zones, capacity, schedules, RSVPs, and optional tickets. Directories need stable business details and service areas. Jobs need application details and closing dates. Marketplaces need condition, price type, delivery, and listing-expiry information.
Profile-aware labels and routes stay on one content engine
The archive becomes /events/, /listings/, /jobs/, or /marketplace/. Map, workspace, saved-item and calendar labels follow the same profile, so the site feels consistent from search to account pages.
You can change profile later, but it affects language and recommended routes across the site. Review menus, connected pages, fields and existing content after a change. Choosing before launch avoids mixed terminology and unnecessary rework.
Choose and test your profile
Describe the successful visit
Complete the sentence “A visitor comes here to…”. For example: “find a local accountant and save a shortlist” or “discover a conference and reserve a place”.
Match the action to a profile
Choose Events for attending, Directory for finding and saving, Job Board for applying, or Marketplace for evaluating and contacting a seller.
Check the publisher’s form
List the information every publisher must provide. Dates and capacity point to Events; service details to Directory; salary and applications to Job Board; condition and delivery to Marketplace.
Save the site profile
Open NexDirectory → Settings → General, select the profile, then choose User-Generated or Single-Organisation mode according to who will publish.
Walk through the public journey
Open the archive, map, submission, workspace, saved items, account and sign-in pages. Confirm that every label and URL makes sense to a first-time visitor.
Profile decision checklist
- One primary visitor action is documented
- One primary publisher workflow is documented
- Profile-specific fields fit the content
- Owner terminology fits real users
- Preferred archive and map slugs are acceptable
- Saved-item or RSVP language is correct
- Operating mode is selected
- Navigation has been reviewed after saving
Questions you may have
Can one NexDirectory site use all four profiles at once?
One profile is active across the site. Choose the main journey, then organise content within it using Types, Modes, Tags and Price Ranges. Pro adds reusable custom blueprints when you need a more specialised structure.
Which profile should a venue directory use?
Use Directory when venues are persistent listings people compare or save. Use Events when each primary record is a dated event happening at a venue.
Does changing profile duplicate my listings?
No. The profile changes the language, routes and presentation around your listings; it does not create a second copy of the content.
Can I change profile later?
You can change the setting, but review every connected route, menu label, listing field, and imported record afterward. Choosing before launch is the cleaner workflow.