As a provider of IDX and RETS we are frequently asked to compare IDX solutions.  There are numerous IDX providers, most of which are in the business of providing an IDX integration service.  Their business models are based on providing the data, that’s it.  They do not understand how to leverage the search engines nor do they understand the process of getting leads.  Instead of listing all the IDX providers with comparisons, we are going to give you a list of things to determine if the IDX provider is just providing the data or if they have your best interest at heart.

Things to look for from your IDX provider that are in your best interest:

The IDX solution builds a page for each listing on your website.

The solution is integrated in your website to include the administration area.

The leads are generated on your website and are not shared.

Methods are provided for getting leads.

Make sure the solution builds indexable pages so the search engines can index the pages.  The best way to determine if the solution you have is indexable by the search engines is to type this in a Google search box:    site:www.yourwebsitedomain.com Your website should have thousands of index pages, roughly one page per listing in your MLS.  Here is what to look for.

Avoid IDX Providers that:

Avoid IDX that sends the visitor to a third party website like a sub domain of their website.  Just putting a branded face on their website or sub domain builds their website up and not yours.

Avoid IDX solutions that use Iframes.  Iframes are a dead end for search engines and reduce the number of indexed pages within the search engines.

Avoid IDX solutions that require multiple admin areas.  Most real estate agents barely have enough time for one admin area more or less two.

Avoid real estate website IDX that is not indexable.  Your website should get natural traffic based on having indexed listings.

Avoid having your lead capture form on a third party website.  Terms of agreement change from time to time and the last thing you want is for a lead you generated to be shared with someone else.

I hope you find this information helpful.  Now choose wisely.

As an Internet Marketer specializing in the real estate industry, one of the most often asked question I hear is “How do I get real estate leads?”.    Well to answer that question you really need to look at today’s digital landscape for Realtors.  Times have changed and buyers   are a lot more tech savvy, no longer do they feel they need a Realtor during the research stage and usually wait to the last minute before contacting a Realtor.  You see, the info is out there.  They can find out almost anything they want during their property search and the last thing they want is to be bothered by a Realtor.

However, real estate agents are an asset and can really make the difference when finding a home.  But how do you convince buyers of that so they will fill out your contact form or give you a call.  How do you get the lead?  The secret is selling yourself before selling the property.  For example, AFLAC has a great selling technique, agents start by selling the client on the strength of the company.  Then they sell the client on the speed of claims and the personal attention they get and then they sell the products.  Clients aren’t going to do business with you unless they are sold on the company you are with, hence the popularity of sharing how long you have been in business, how many people served, etc.  Then you need to sell them on you and your skills as a professional Realtor.  They need to be convinced that by using your service, you will save them something or contribute greatly.  Whether saving them time, money or aggravation, it has to outweigh the negative of asking for help.

So how do you apply this technique?

• First, toot your company’s horn.  ”Our Company has been serving this area for over 8 years and are leaders in this market”.
• Second, sell yourself, “I have helped numerous families and investors find the right property using my years of  research of the local communities and developments”.
• Third,  ask to help them, “Let us help you find your next home.  We can help you avoid pitfalls, reduce research time and get the best deal”.
• Fourth, People want assistance immediately.  One reason people are hesitant to call or fill out a form is they want help right then, so add a good call-to-action like “Get Immediate Assistance Now!”

Hopefully you will find this information useful.  Now go sell some homes!

When it comes to Free WordPress IDX plugin solutions there are some very important factors you must take into account.  There are dangers to using free IDX plugins.  Here are the tops reasons for avoiding free IDX plugins for real estate:

• Lack of support.
• Free plugins tend not to be kept up todate.
• Your business depends on it.
• May or may not meet MLS board compliance standards resulting in fines.

The bottom line is your website is an extremely important component in your business and while free can be tempting, such an important factor in whether you succeed in real estate or not shouldn’t be left to a free solution that could easily disappear tomorrow.

Getting Real Estate leads is not an easy task, unless use you know the top five “call to actions”.  Back in earlier times leads were easy to come by because buyers needed Realtors just to get the information, but now property information is everywhere and unfortunately some of the information out there provides property value estimates that are not realistic, but that is a topic of its own.   So with some much information out there on the web, how do you get potential buyers to fill out a contact form or call?

The answer is quite simple, provide them with high value information or entice them with information that only you have.  For example, how many agents hip pocket listings prior to publishing them on the MLS?  That information or even eluding to having that type of info will get leads.  Anyway the trick is to have some compelling Call to Actions.  After testing Call to Actions on numerous real estate website we find these to be our top five:

1. “Sign Up For Listing Alerts”
2. “Get the latest foreclosure list”
3. “Some of the best real estate deals never hit the MLS, learn more”
4. “See the latest listings”
5. “What’s your home worth?”

Here is an example of how one of these call to actions could be used.   First we create an image with the call to action (see below) and link it to a contact form page.  When the user fills out the contact form an auto response is emailed to the user with a link to get access to the information.  For the example call to action below the link emailed to the user would be to a page that always shows the latest luxury REO and Shortsales.  This page is created using a simple shortcode using SEO RETS that would pull listings that are REO or Shortsale with a minimum listing price.  So basically once it is set up the agent never has to update the list, it is done automatically using RETS.

IDX stands for “Internet Data Exchange” and is used by real estate agents and brokers to display MLS real estate listings on websites. Using IDX real estate integration, brokers give their consent to display their real estate listings on the thier own as well as other agents websites. With IDX, brokers can fully control which real estate listings will be displayed online.

Why use IDX?

With IDX, not only can you give your website visitors access to view all the local listings, it also gives you the ability to obtain and maintain the first contact with leads in the real estate transaction. more »