How to Automate a Searchable Directory with Zapier

Build a searchable, filterable directory on your website that populates itself automatically. Zapier connects your directory to thousands of other apps — when something happens in another app (a form submission, a CRM update, a Stripe payment), a listing is automatically created or updated in your directory.

Before You Start

You'll need an EmbedDirectory account and a Zapier account (free tier works). Set up your searchable directory with listing fields before connecting Zapier.

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How It Works

Zapier uses "Zaps" — simple automations with a trigger (something happens) and an action (do something in response).

For example:

• Trigger: Someone fills out a Google Form → Action: Create a listing in your directory
• Trigger: A new row is added to Airtable → Action: Create a listing in your directory
• Trigger: A Stripe payment succeeds → Action: Update a listing in your directory

Listings created through Zapier are added directly to your directory — no approval step needed.

Step 1: Connect Zapier in Your Dashboard

1. Go to Integrations in your EmbedDirectory dashboard
2. Find the Zapier card and click Set Up
3. Give your integration a name (e.g., "Google Forms to Directory")
4. Click Connect Integration

Your dashboard will show an API Key. Keep this page open — you'll need the key in the next step.

Step 2: Create a Zap in Zapier

1. Log in to Zapier
2. Click Create Zap
3. Set up your Trigger — choose the app and event that should create a listing (e.g., "New Form Response" in Google Forms, "New Record" in Airtable)
4. Test your trigger to make sure Zapier can pull in sample data

Step 3: Add EmbedDirectory as the Action

1. For the Action step, search for EmbedDirectory
2. Choose Create Listing (or Update Listing if you want to modify existing ones)
3. When prompted to authenticate, paste the API Key from your dashboard
4. Click Continue

Step 4: Map Your Fields

Zapier will show you the fields from your directory. Match each field to the data from your trigger:

• Name → map to the name field from your trigger app
• Description → map to a description or notes field
• Address → map to an address field (if your directory uses locations)
• Your custom fields will appear here too — map each one to the right data

Click Continue and test the action. Zapier will create a sample listing in your directory so you can verify everything looks right.

Step 5: Turn On Your Zap

Once the test looks good, click Publish to turn on your Zap. From now on, new data from your trigger app will automatically appear as listings in your directory.

Updating Existing Listings

Use the Update Listing action to modify listings that already exist. Zapier matches listings using an identifier — by default, this is an External ID you provide.

You can also enable additional matching options in your Integrations settings:

• Email Address — match listings by email
• Stripe Customer ID — match listings by Stripe customer
• Stripe Subscription ID — match listings by subscription

This is useful when different Zaps need to update the same listing (e.g., one Zap creates the listing from a form, another updates it when a payment is received).

Common Zapier Recipes

Here are some popular ways to use Zapier with your directory:

Ready to go live? Embed your directory on any website — WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, Wix, Webflow, or any platform that supports HTML.

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