I’ve written a few reviews lately on 2 specific directory plugins that you can use for Wordpress. But if you are a more advanced Wordpress user, and don’t mind getting into some code, there is a better and more “pure” way to add link directory functionality to your Wordpress cms.

First – Just Use The Wordpress Links Feature

No need for a plugin or custom code. Just use the links feature that comes by default with the Wordpress CMS. This way you are using what more of what Wordpress gives you and not depending so much on some extension or plugin that may some day lose it’s support. This feature allows you to add links and associate multiple categories with those links.

Second – Understand Custom Page Templates

You first need to understand in case you don’t know already, how to create custom page templates for your Wordpress theme and then applies those templates to your specific pages. You can learn how to create custom page templates with full instructions at the wordpress codex.

The purpose for understanding custom page templates is so that you can call through PHP different link categories for different pages. For example, if you have a category for links called “Food” than you can create a custom page template for a page called “Food” that calls just those links from that category.

Third – Understand the Bookmarks Template Tag

Once you understand the wp_list_bookmarks template tag for Wordpress, you will see how much flexibility it has and all the options that are opened up to you. I would suggest reading through the Wordpress Codex page on the subject to get a good solid understanding first.

I won’t dive too much into actual code, i’d rather leave that to the Wordpress Codex page as it gives you everything you need to know. I’d rather focus on the concept. You can bascially use the List Bookmarks tag in Wordpress to create as many category pages as you want. What I did was call through PHP a specific category for a specific page. I also used the php function to list the description, so that there would be a description along with the link and title for each link. I then just styled my CSS file accordingly to make it layout and style how I wanted.

Again you can use a Wordpress directory plugin, but if you are knowledgable enough already you are better off adding a link directory to your Wordpress CMS this way so that you keep your site’s code more clean and less dependent on Wordpress plugins.