ListPlace: A Smart Web-Based Business Listing and Discovery Platform
Jansin Mehta, Devyansh Sharma, Sumit Solanki, Gyan Patel
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Gujarat, India
Abstract
The accelerating digitization of local economies has fundamentally transformed the paradigm of business discovery and consumer decision-making. Traditional business directories, characterized by printed listings or static web pages, are increasingly inadequate for modern users who demand real-time information, personalized search experiences, geolocational intelligence, and interactive engagement with service providers. This paper presents ListPlace, a comprehensive web-based business discovery and listing platform engineered to bridge the gap between local enterprises and digital consumers. The platform is developed using a robust technology stack comprising HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Bootstrap 5, PHP (Laravel 10 framework), and MySQL 8.0.
ListPlace facilitates efficient, bidirectional interaction between end-users and business owners by integrating advanced search functionalities, multi-criteria category-based filtering, dynamic location-aware result ranking, and a structured review and rating system designed to enhance trust and inform decision-making. The system follows a modular, layered architecture that ensures scalability, maintainability, and high performance under variable loads. A freemium monetization model is implemented, enabling businesses to amplify their visibility through premium subscription packages while preserving accessibility via free basic listings. A comprehensive evaluation of the system, including usability testing and performance benchmarking, demonstrates improved search result latency (average <200ms), high user satisfaction scores (System Usability Scale score of 82), and increased business profile engagement. The proposed platform offers a practical, scalable, and economically viable solution for modern digital directory ecosystems.
Keywords: Business discovery platform, local search, Laravel, MySQL, review system, freemium model, responsive web design, usability engineering.
