IDX sites are not naturally prone to be indexed by web search engines like Google. Here's why: Typical IDX search engines 'draw' pages of listing data dynamically or 'on the fly.' When the consumer … Read more about Search engines & IDX Part IV: “IDX index fishing”
Search engines & IDX Part III: Search engines indexing, audiences, and their objectives
Indexing Search engines can return results quickly because they 'index' the content in the database. When a consumer searches on a broker's IDX site for a listing number that she saw in a print ad, … Read more about Search engines & IDX Part III: Search engines indexing, audiences, and their objectives
Search engines & IDX Part II: Search engine scope and data sources
Broadly speaking, a 'search engine' is something that permits a visitor to a web site to seek content in a database hosted on that web site. It is the engine that powers the visitor's search. In this … Read more about Search engines & IDX Part II: Search engine scope and data sources
Search engines indexing IDX sites Part I: What’s the beef?
Just under two months ago, the proverbial stuff hit the fan when a story surfaced that the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of REALTORS® (MIBOR) told a broker to prevent Google from indexing her IDX … Read more about Search engines indexing IDX sites Part I: What’s the beef?
“Brother, can you spare a disparaging remark?”
Blog posts and commentary on broker web sites Just read an article on Realty Times that touches on the issue of blog posts and commentary on web sites hosted by brokers. A similar issue is making the … Read more about “Brother, can you spare a disparaging remark?”
And on the third month…
MLSTesseract is not dead. In fact, it's been very much alive in my mind for the last two months or so. Our firm has just been blessed with a lot of business, so blogging has had to take a back seat. … Read more about And on the third month…
VOW dog and pony show
(Warning: This post contains a sales pitch for services! Avert your eyes if you are allergic.) We sent information to existing clients last week regarding our Virtual Brokerage Now program. Informally … Read more about VOW dog and pony show
Good source for broker VOW ideas and strategies
Victor Lund at WAV Group has just finished writing a five-part series of articles encompassing ideas and strategies for brokers considering operating VOWs. I could quibble with some details of what … Read more about Good source for broker VOW ideas and strategies
Progress toward 100,000 VOWs: Can I count ListingBook as 50,000?
I predicted last fall that there would be 100,000 web sites with VOW capabilities by the end of 2010. I rarely make predictions, because I hate to be wrong. Fortunately, I made this prediction with a … Read more about Progress toward 100,000 VOWs: Can I count ListingBook as 50,000?
Who can be an AVP? Anyone (and his uncle)
In response to my request for readers to supply topics for MLSTesseract, I received this: "[W]e have a real estate portal site currently providing IDX for a participant of our MLS. The portal site … Read more about Who can be an AVP? Anyone (and his uncle)
Making MLS data available to the government
Government entities frequently approach MLSs looking for listing data for various purposes. Perhaps the most common is the local property authority seeking property information in order to value … Read more about Making MLS data available to the government
MLSTesseract: Post-hiatus posting topics
February ended up being an unintentional hiatus from blog posting for me. Between the NAR VOW policy implementation deadline in the middle of the month, and a much-needed vacation to a warmer climate … Read more about MLSTesseract: Post-hiatus posting topics