Connor Finlayson

I had a few people message me after my last post saying you can just "tell" Lovable to server-side render your directory for SEO.

That’s not how it works.

If you’ve used no-code tools like Webflow or Glide, here’s the deal:

🟦 Glide is great for building back-end portals or dashboards, but its SEO is basically non-existent. That’s why I never use it for the public-facing side.

🟩 Webflow is much better for SEO because it creates proper URLs for every page—Google can find and index everything easily. But building actual apps in Webflow (while possible) is a bit of a hassle, because you need a ton of extra tools and integrations to make it work.

🟨 Lovable uses Vite + React, which only does client-side rendering (like Glide). Your pages load in the browser, not on the server, which means Google can struggle to index your site.

If you care about SEO:
Use something like Next.js (or v0) or Webflow for your public directory frontend. These are built for SEO—every page is crawlable and indexable.

Then use Lovable or Glide for your backend dashboards or internal tools—they’re super fast for building admin areas, just not for SEO.

The best part: you can connect both your frontend and backend to the same Supabase database, so everything stays in sync.

Bottom line:
Don’t try to force the wrong tool for the job. If SEO is important, start with the right stack from the beginning.

Questions? Drop them below.

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7 months ago | [YT] | 16

Connor Finlayson

Thinking about building a directory with Lovable + Supabase?

Read this first:
Lovable is great for building admin dashboards, portals, and internal tools—especially if you want a visual, AI-powered way to work with your Supabase backend (think: a more scalable Airtable).

BUT:
If you want your directory’s public pages to rank on Google, Lovable isn’t the best fit by itself. It builds “Single Page Apps” (SPAs), which aren’t SEO-friendly out of the box—meaning your listings may not get indexed.

What to do instead?

-> Use Next.js (or Vercel v0) for your public-facing site (these are SEO-friendly!).
-> Use Supabase as your backend.
-> Use Lovable for your admin/internal tools.

That way, you get the best of all worlds:
✅ SEO for your main site
✅ Powerful backend
✅ Fast, visual admin tools

Questions about stacking these tools or want to see how they work together? Drop them below 👇

7 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 23

Connor Finlayson

What’s one thing in your business you shouldn’t automate, no matter how much you grow?

7 months ago | [YT] | 2

Connor Finlayson

10 Free (Not Researched) Directory Ideas I Came Up With on My Trip to Morocco 🇲🇦

Traveling always sparks ideas—and this trip to Morocco has been no different.
Here are 10 niche directory ideas that solve real travel problems I ran into (or overheard from other travelers). If you're looking for your next project, steal one of these 👇

🛫 Airport Food Finder
A global directory of airport food spots, filtered by terminal, dietary needs (vegan, halal, gluten-free), and honest traveler reviews.

💻 Riads for Remote Workers
Boutique Moroccan stays with fast Wi-Fi, quiet vibes, and a workspace. Curated specifically for digital nomads.

🚫 Tourist Trap Filter
Find the places locals actually love, and avoid the overhyped, overcrowded tourist magnets.

🐪 Sahara Tour Reviews
A niche platform to compare desert tours—group sizes, guide quality, ethical practices, and true-to-expectation reviews.

🌾 Gluten-Free Morocco
Restaurants, cafes, and markets that actually offer gluten-free options—with menu translations and traveler-tested spots.

🧖 Hammam Guide
Directory of public and private hammams, sorted by vibe (local vs. tourist), cleanliness, pricing, and etiquette tips.

💸 Cash-Only Spot Tracker
Find out which restaurants, shops, and attractions don’t take cards—so you’re not stuck looking for an ATM.

🛍️ Souk Shopping Guide
A curated list of legit souk vendors for rugs, spices, ceramics, etc.—with fair pricing, location tips, and bargaining guidance.

🌇 Hidden Rooftop Gems
Beautiful rooftop cafes and restaurants with chill vibes and amazing views—ideally filterable by the typical crowd (tourists, locals, dates, etc.)

🧭 Local Guide Finder
A directory of trusted, independent guides across Morocco—filter by region, language, specialty (history, hiking, food tours), and reviews.

7 months ago | [YT] | 1

Connor Finlayson

TripAdvisor isn’t broken—it’s just too big.

On this trip, after a few airport stopovers and nights out, I started noticing a pattern:

Every top-rated spot on TripAdvisor or Google is either:
1️⃣ Completely booked out
2️⃣ Packed with tourists
3️⃣ Not what I actually wanted

That’s because these platforms go broad, not deep.
They show you everything—but they don’t help you find what’s right for you.

I don’t want the “best-rated” restaurant.
I want the best cozy spot for a solo dinner after a long flight.
Big difference.

That’s why niche directories still have a massive opportunity.

You don’t need 10,000 listings.
You need 10 listings that are perfect for one type of person.

It’s better search intent.
It’s a better user experience.
And it’s way easier to monetize.

So here’s the question:
Who’s going to build the next great niche directory?
If you do—send it my way. I’d love to use it.

8 months ago | [YT] | 1

Connor Finlayson

If your directory or marketplace solves a real problem, chances are there’s a higher-ticket, done-for-you version hiding in plain sight.

- This year, I hired a running coach. It cost me 7x more than a cookie-cutter training plan.
- I also use a personal travel advisor—way more expensive than planning things myself.

Why do I pay more?
Because personalization is the mothership of value.
When something is made specifically for you, the price becomes a secondary concern.

That’s the problem with fully public directories. When everything is visible and free, it starts to feel generic—and generic doesn’t command premium pricing.

But when you create a curated, high-trust, high-value experience tailored to a specific person or need?
You can 8–10x the value of one user vs. the free tier.

On Unicorn Factory, we offer a concierge service.
Instead of clients browsing for freelancers, we:

- write the job post
- pre-vet the talent
- pre-interview
- run price checks
- and present 2–3 ideal matches

It’s a low four-figure fee. It’s not for everyone—but it’s perfect for someone.

So… what’s your concierge offer?

Let me know—I’d love to see more people doing this.

8 months ago | [YT] | 1

Connor Finlayson

🛠️ Most First-Time Founders Focus on Building the Directory or App… But That’s Not Enough

When you think about launching a directory website, most of the attention goes straight to the build:
👉 What should my landing page look like?
👉 What tool should I use for my database?
👉 How do I set up SEO the right way?

And don’t get me wrong—those are important questions.
But here’s the thing...

The success of your directory has way more to do with what you build after the site is live.

I’m talking about the growth systems—the stuff that actually gets your directory in front of the right people and turns it into a real business.

🧩 Some examples:

💌 A cold outreach system to contact businesses and invite them to be listed
📱 A content engine that promotes your directory + the businesses on it
💰 A monetization strategy that gives vendors and users a reason to pay you

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to shift gears and focus my content on this side of the directory game—the growth, the systems, and the revenue playbooks.

Because building your site is just step one.
Building the engine that grows it? That’s where things get fun.

Let me know if there’s a specific growth challenge you’re facing right now—I might feature it in an upcoming post or video.

8 months ago | [YT] | 7

Connor Finlayson

I’m in Morocco for the next couple of weeks, and after a few airport stopovers (Toronto ✈️ Lisbon ✈️ Marrakesh), something really stood out...

Finding something good to eat at airports is way harder than it should be.

You land, you're starving, and all you’ve got is a vague terminal map. No clue what’s actually decent. Google doesn’t help much either—especially if you have any dietary restrictions.

So here’s a directory idea that came to mind mid-transit.

What if someone built a directory for airport food spots?
🍔 Shows what restaurants are in each terminal
🥦 Filters by dietary needs (vegan, halal, gluten-free, etc.)
💵 Ratings for price + quality
📸 Recommended menu items

I haven’t done any research into this—just noticed that Google My Business doesn’t solve the problem well. So maybe there’s an opportunity here 🤷‍♂️

Who’s going to build this? Let me know if you do—I'll 100% use it.

8 months ago | [YT] | 18

Connor Finlayson

I can't believe it! Secrets in Airtable Automations.

In the past, I kept my Airtable Automations super simple because I didn't want my API keys exposed in the script editor, but this here solves that problem.

Now, you can *vibe code* some fun scripts directly in Airtable.

Anyone want a demo?

8 months ago | [YT] | 9

Connor Finlayson

“How much does it actually cost to run a directory like this?”

Totally fair — and the good news is, most tools are optional. You can start super lean and layer in more tools as your project grows.

Here’s a snapshot of what people typically use 👇
📸 (see screenshot)

✅ The core stack:

- Webflow for the site

- Airtable for your backend

- Whalesync to sync content

That’s enough to launch a fully working directory.

Everything else — Make, Relume, ChatGPT, Apify, SEO tools — can be added when you need them.


Besides the tool, you also have this for $299/year 😉
www.connorfinlayson.com/courses/the-local-director…

8 months ago | [YT] | 10