IDX is complex and always changing.
What you need to know. Most people selling you IDX sold something completely different a year or two ago. IDX is the heart of the successful website. It can make or break you without you knowing how. It is the easiest to sell you if they use the right geek speak and no one is around when they get their money and you fail.
IDX has to have urls for each search result. Like yourdomain/1234-main-st-yourcity-yourstate-zip
It has to have code within it that Google sees and gives it higher ranking over others because it does a better job describing (in search engine code not viewer description) and categorizing the data not just today but everyday. The more there is an architecture that they receive that is stable the better they rank it.
IDX has to be user friendly. Every IDX provider treats the raw data they get from the MLS differently so some do a better job with the product out of the box. Some you have to have a master chef in on it to turn it into something better.
We have had our own custom IDX since 1999 and we have customized IDXBroker and Diverse Solutions products in ways that OUR clients have versions better than others in their market. We go up to the top and fight to get things fixed, designed or redesigned with them. NO ONE pushes their products out of the box better than we do.
Here are just a few things we have fought for and got that our clients have an advantage in their market.
This is just one of many issue we fight to get done for our clients with major IDX providers. This was fixed from us getting told the things that keep others chasing their tail. Because we program IDX from raw data since the 90’s we knew how far to go up the ladder and what to tell them to help fix their products.
Others can’t. Few have accomplished things like this once a year. What do we call what we accomplish? “Tuesday”
When it comes to IDX our clients are in good hands because we don’t put up with self proclaimed geniuses or large companies that tell us something we know should be right can’t be done.
Our customizations sometimes benefit the rest in the MLS but many we get done with those IDX providers that remain available to those that know to ask. We don’t advertise all we do …especially things that would take back the advantage we just gave our client!