We frequently will get questions about everything from IDX and Broker Reciprocity to what social sharing is considered the most effective. Below, we will try to give good, un-biased, information-rich answers to common questions.
IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange, and describes the technological process of pulling listing information from your Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and delivering that data to a public website for display. Typically, this is how real estate brokers and agents can use a technology company or website vendor to get searchable home listings on their own website. IDX policies are driven by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and by local associations and MLS boards.
There are many ways for an IDX solution to work, including the methods it uses to connect and pull the data (FTP or RETS feeds) to how the data is displayed. Typically, brokers and agents who are using iframes to display listing information do not get the same Search Engine Optimization as those that display the data directly in their website pages.
IDX solutions vary widely, and unfortunaely, many brokers and agents don’t know how their website is setup to get results or not get results with their IDX connection. The way your MLS Listings display on your website can dramatically change how Search Engines, like Google, find, index and reference your content.
A good IDX solution, that employs the latest SEO techniques, and great user interface, lends a lot of credibility and can drive powerful online results, including increased lead generation and conversion.
To connect to your MLS and get listing data to your website, you will typically need to connect via an IDX connection, which commonly requires approval from your MLS through a document signed and submitted to the MLS or similar process.
Inside Real Estate helps brokers and agents work through this process as it can be confusing and time consuming. This approval process typically includes the agent or broker completing a document which must be signed by the broker of record and the IDX vendor that is actually making the connection to the MLS.
After the approval is complete, the IDX vendor typically receives connection credentials and information to setup the broker or agent website with current listing data from the MLS.
Social Media can be a powerful real estate marketing method as well as an important aspect of your website and online presence. Some of the benefits that brokers and agents can receive from the use of Social Media as a Real Estate Marketing Strategy include:
– Increased Sphere of Influence Visibility
– More Search Engine Optimization
– Stronger Real Estate Branding
– Become Viewed as THE Local Real Estate Expert
– Maintain Relationships
– Drive New Leads
These benefits, while powerful, typically require a good strategic and tactical plan to take advantage of the potential in Social Media for Real Estate. When determining which Social Media outlets to use, we recommend that the primary consideration be the outlet that you are most likely to use. It is worth becoming familiar with the different Social Outlets to determine which you might use. For example:
– Facebook is widely considered the largest social network, and possibly the most important
– LinkedIn is more targeted toward Business Professionals, and tends to foster individuals with higher-than-average earnings and educational levels.
– Twitter is focused on a crowd that wants fast-short updates, and there are more and more businesses there
– Digg is a socially-driven bookmarking site
– Etc.
Inside Real Estate can help determine which outlets might be right for you, and our PREMIUM PLUS packages include social services and content driven out to those outlets regularly.
Real Estate SEO is a competitive arena. Which broker or agent doesn’t want top results? However, many companies or individuals doing SEO for Real Estate Brokers and Agents do not employ the most powerful Search Engine Optimization techniques. The ones that do will probably not tell you everything they do, but it is a combination of great content, clever automation, and experience and work – and many times a large network.
The factors that are increasingly important in SEO are:
– Quality & Optimized Content
– Online Links from Authoritative Sources
– Social Sharing
– Regular Updates
– Depth and Breadth of Content
– Integrated Solutions
There are many factors, such as META Tags and other factors that had value historically, but play in very little in todays SEO world. The best option for a broker or agent wanting to achieve top SEO rankings is to ask a company to show examples of successful clients and evaluate the work done, as well as ask for a description of services offered. Inside Real Estate offers a unique combination of Platform + Automation + Promotion to place you at the top of the Online Marketplace.