National Business Directory Platform
Full-Stack Development, SEO Architecture

National Business Directory Platform

Project Overview

Development of a sophisticated national business directory platform designed to serve as the definitive resource for discovering and connecting with UK businesses across all sectors. The platform provides robust search functionality, automated business verification, and integrated marketing tools for listed companies.

Technical Architecture

Frontend Stack

  • Framework: React 18 with TypeScript for type-safe component development
  • State Management: Redux Toolkit with RTK Query for efficient API data caching
  • UI Framework: Tailwind CSS with custom design system components
  • Search Interface: Algolia integration for sub-100ms search response times
  • Maps Integration: Google Maps Platform API with custom clustering algorithms

Backend Infrastructure

  • Runtime: Node.js 20 LTS with Express.js framework
  • Database: PostgreSQL 15 with PostGIS extension for geospatial queries
  • Search Engine: Elasticsearch 8 cluster for full-text search and faceted filtering
  • Cache Layer: Redis 7 for session management and query result caching
  • API Architecture: RESTful API with GraphQL endpoint for complex queries

DevOps & Performance

  • Hosting: AWS infrastructure with multi-AZ deployment
  • CDN: CloudFront distribution for static asset delivery
  • Monitoring: Datadog APM with custom metrics and alerting
  • CI/CD: GitHub Actions with automated testing and deployment pipelines
  • Performance: Core Web Vitals optimization achieving <2.5s LCP, <100ms FID

Key Deliverables

Core Platform Features

  • Multi-tiered business listing system with free and premium tiers
  • Advanced filtering by category, location, ratings, and business attributes
  • Automated business verification through Companies House API integration
  • Review and rating system with moderation dashboard
  • Business claim and management portal
  • Mobile-responsive design with progressive web app capabilities

SEO & Discovery

  • Programmatic SEO generating 50,000+ unique location and category pages
  • Structured data markup (Schema.org LocalBusiness)
  • Dynamic XML sitemaps with priority-based indexing
  • Open Graph and Twitter Card meta tag generation
  • Canonical URL management for duplicate content prevention

Business Intelligence Tools

  • Analytics dashboard showing listing views, clicks, and conversions
  • Competitor analysis tools comparing visibility and engagement
  • Lead generation forms with CRM integration capabilities
  • Automated email marketing system for business owners
  • Performance reports with actionable insights

Admin & Moderation

  • Comprehensive admin panel for listing management
  • Automated spam detection using ML-based content analysis
  • Bulk import/export tools for business data
  • User and permission management system
  • Revenue tracking and subscription management

Technical Challenges Solved

Scalable Search Architecture

Implemented a hybrid search approach combining Elasticsearch for full-text search with PostgreSQL for relational queries, achieving search response times under 100ms even with millions of records.

Geospatial Performance

Optimized PostGIS queries with spatial indexing and query result caching, enabling radius-based searches to return results in under 50ms for nationwide coverage.

SEO at Scale

Built a programmatic page generation system creating unique, valuable content for 50,000+ location-category combinations while maintaining quality and avoiding duplicate content penalties.

Results & Metrics

Platform Performance

  • Load Time: 1.8s average page load (95th percentile)
  • Search Speed: 87ms average search response time
  • Uptime: 99.97% availability over 12-month period
  • Mobile Score: 96/100 Google PageSpeed Insights

Business Impact

  • Listing Growth: Platform scaled to support 250,000+ verified business listings
  • Traffic: Achieved 1.2M monthly organic visits within first year
  • Engagement: Average session duration of 3:42 with 2.8 pages per visit
  • Conversion: 8.4% listing claim rate among targeted businesses

SEO Achievements

  • Ranking: 15,000+ keywords ranking in top 10 positions
  • Featured Snippets: Secured 800+ featured snippet positions
  • Domain Authority: Grew from DA 0 to DA 52 in 18 months
  • Backlinks: Acquired 12,000+ quality backlinks through content strategy

Technology Innovation

Smart Business Matching

Developed proprietary algorithm analyzing business attributes, customer reviews, and search intent to deliver highly relevant results beyond simple keyword matching.

Automated Data Enrichment

Created systems to automatically enrich business listings with additional data from Companies House, social media profiles, and third-party business databases.

Intelligent Caching Strategy

Implemented multi-layer caching strategy reducing database load by 78% while maintaining data freshness through smart cache invalidation.

Long-term Sustainability

Built with scalability and maintainability as core principles, the platform architecture supports:

  • Horizontal scaling to handle 10x traffic growth
  • Modular codebase enabling feature development without regression risk
  • Comprehensive test coverage (87% code coverage)
  • Detailed documentation for future development teams
  • Automated monitoring and self-healing capabilities
Unleash creativity...

Explore more works

Need some answers?

Frequently asked questions

How do you measure marketing success?

We measure success using tailored KPIs, such as website traffic, conversions, CTR, leads, sales revenue and social media engagement. Our team monitors campaign performance daily and delivers detailed reports to showcase results, identifying areas for optimisation to ensure continuous improvement and business growth.

How do you create marketing strategies?

We start by understanding your business, region, target audience, and competitors. Then, we conduct in-depth research to identify keywords, industry trends, and market opportunities. Using this data, we craft a customised, multi-channel digital marketing strategy designed to boost your online presence and drive measurable results.

Does your work come with a warranty?

Yes, all our branding comes with a 6-month code break warranty. We will fix any issues at no extra cost.

What services do you provide?

DreamStartup UK offers branding, rebranding, Shopify, SEO, £0 technical debt development, sales funnels, lead generation, and social media management.

When will I see marketing results?

Results vary by strategy and industry. PPC offers quicker returns, while SEO builds long-term growth. We provide transparent progress updates to ensure sustainable success.

Can you provide examples of past projects?

Please visit our portfolio page for detailed information on our technology stack and marketing strategies.

Do you offer in-person and virtual meetings?

Yes, we offer both. We frequently meet clients across the UK, EU, Canada, USA, Australia, MENA, and the Far East. For clients outside these regions, we’re available for virtual meetings via Zoom, Teams, or other platforms.

Is digital marketing suitable for small budgets?

Yes! Digital marketing can be customised for any budget. We identify impactful, cost-effective strategies to maximise your online presence, including local SEO and targeted social media advertising.