Creative Uses Of Our MLS® IDX Module For High-Ranking, High-Performing Custom Websites
It’s not about home searches. It can help with Niche Definition + Google domination!
We operate many websites that dominate Google for high-value search keywords. Many of these real estate websites have one thing in common – they are powered by our MLS® IDX (Reciprocity) system.
This article shows the inner workings of our top-performing MLS® IDX enabled websites.
Imagine Ranking 1st Page For “[Community name] Listings/Real Estate” on Google Searches
We don’t stop at MLS® search forms on your websites. Building your website with properly linked neighbourhood pages with well-organized MLS® reciprocity listings (via IDX) has a massive impact on your Google™ ranking.
Karen Kenyon’s Qualicum Beach neighbourhood and MLS® listings page featured
Karen Kenyon’s website is on the 1st page (on Google™) for search keywords such as:
- “Parksville listings for sale”
- “Parksville MLS listings”
- “Craig Bay listings”
- “Lantzville listings for sale”
This helps dozens of eager sellers and buyers find her website every day through organic Google searches. What Realtor® doesn’t want that kind of a lead generation source?
How does Google Crawl, Index and Rank Real Estate Websites?
Googlebots scan your website for links, and it ingests the contents of those pages to determine what information your website offers. Your navigation and page hierarchy (parent and child pages) shows Google the structure of your website and what you deem most important.
Custom curated community pages, therefore, tell Google that these neighbourhoods are the main focus of your website. But, it takes more than that to rank well on Google.
How Does Google Determine Which Webpages To Rank Higher?
Anyone can create a set of pages with neighbourhood names. Google wants to show pages that have useful information that people will find helpful. Building on the foundations of uniquely written content and meta tags for each page, we leveraged our native MLS® IDX integration on VancouverIslandDreamHomes.ca.
How Our MLS® IDX Integration Helps You Rank Higher On Google
Content is king for Google ranking, and up-to-date MLS® listing information is prime content. Our website platform natively integrates MLS® IDX data into your websites without the use of iFrames or 3rd party plugins. Search engines, therefore, give your domain the full credit for the listing data. We show MLS® listings precisely filtered for each neighbourhood/city. As a result, here’s what Google sees on Karen’s Nanoose Bay page:
- Uniquely written page title and description, as well as meta data, of Nanoose Bay
- A comprehensive list of features, amenities, and photos of this beautiful community
- Newest MLS® listings in Nanoose Bay (updated several times a day from the VIVA IDX)
- Number of listings and average prices by property type, calculated from the MLS® Reciprocity data
- Pre-built links to MLS® search result pages to show even more listing inventory in the area
Search engines will consider this page to be more useful and informative to people searching up Nanoose Bay real estate, compared to less informative pages, and will rank it higher. The frequently updated MLS® feed will also encourage search engines to scan your website more often.
More High Ranking Website We Designed As A Leading Native MLS® IDX Provider
Liveyaletown.com showcases the posh and popular neighbourhood of Yaletown (Downtown Vancouver). This upscale urban area is segmented into even smaller areas such as Beach District or Marinaside + Cooper’s Park via custom drawn boundaries on this website only.
Custom geographic boundaries beyond standard MLS® boundaries
Beach District is not officially on the MLS®, but a very unique pocket of Yaletown.
This website enjoys 1st page ranking for “beach district condos for sale” searched on Google. But, this is not an official neighbourhood on the MLS® system provided by the REBGV, and most websites do not have listings in Beach District displayed separately.
How our native MLS® IDX module allowed custom subareas not officially on the MLS®
Beach District of Vancouver is one of the most livable neighbourhoods due to its proximity to the seawall, Stanley Park, and the shops/restaurants of Downtown Vancouver. Properly filtering and showing Beach District listings can be a game-changer on Google™:
- Our Native MLS® IDX integration allows us to organize the synced listings with more flexibility.
- We accurately re-organize every MLS® listing into 4 smaller pockets of Yaletown, and populate the separated pages without overlap (Beach District, Yaletown North, Marinaside + Cooper’s Park, Heart of Yaletown)
- Instead of showing as “Yaletown, Vancouver West” like on every other MLS® enabled website, our webpages show “Marinaside & Cooper’s Park (Yaletown), Vancouver West” or similar on every listing.
Higher Ranking for “[Building] Listings For Sale” Using Our Robust MLS® IDX Platform
Many condo/townhome owners search listings in their developments to gawk at asking prices. Some buyers already know which buildings they want to live in, and search for listings in buildings with intent. We have helped many clients secure 1st page ranking for countless building names to help them connect with these high quality leads.
Buildings Pages Show Latest Listings For Sale Under Each Development
When you google “Bentley Yaletown listings”, the Bentley building page under LiveYaletown.com is on the 1st page. This page shows up-to-date listings for sale using our MLS® IDX module along with custom written descriptions of this well-known Yaletown highrise. Our buildings gallery system also supports multiple addresses merged into one development, as is the case with Governor’s Tower & Villa (two towers and several townhouses in one strata).Accurate filter of MLS® listings in specific buildings and stratas
All MLS® listings at Landmark on Robson auto-sync to Colin & Lynn’s IDX-enabled website.
“Landmark Robson listings” will show you a page on NestPresales.com showcasing all the units for sale at Landmark on Robson on the 1st page. This page was launched during presales, and when the completed units hit the market, our MLS® IDX module automated the address matching to secure the high rank. Same goes for “The Jervis listings” query, which shows their Jervis by Intracorp page on the 1st page, showcasing one of the most popular developments on Davie Street (Downtown Vancouver). You’ll see the same strategy at work on MonetTyler.com, where a search for “Klahanie listings” shows a top-ranking page featuring all available homes in the Klahanie community.
More MLS® IDX Enabled Websites Featuring Unique Niches and Unusual Collection of Listings
The great thing about natively integrated MLS® Reciprocity listings is that our website platform can showcase listings for sale in so many different ways, using a wide variety of filters. Using gimmicky plugins or widgets has the risk of lower accuracy with potential to damage your ranking and credibility.
Showcasing Vancouver Island Listings Exempt From The Foreign Buyers Ban
If you google “listings exempt from the foreign buyers ban” from Vancouver or Victoria BC, you’ll find VictoriaLuxuryGroup.com high on the first page. It catalogues listings on Vancouver Island that are exempt from the Foreign Buyers Ban owing to the location (many non-urban areas are exempt) and/or listing type (bare land is exempt). We custom-filter all MLS® Reciprocity listings from VIVA IDX feed to present the most accurate inventory of real estate that is exempt from the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act, in effect since January 2023.
Grouping Active Listings by School Catchments for Discerning (Overbearing and Suffocating Asian) Parents
Many parents choose their residence with the education of their children in mind. Search “Sentinel Secondary School Catchment Listings” and you’ll see all listings that will put your kids in this excellent West Vancouver school on RealEstateByCatchment.com. Here, the MLS® Reciprocity listings are not categorized by cities and neighbourhoods. Instead, they are grouped by the school catchment map boundaries that we gathered from respective school boards across Vancouver, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver.
Here are a few other websites we designed leveraging our MLS IDX feed to target real estate niches:
Powerful and Flexible MLS® IDX/Reciprocity Modules by Brixwork Can Help Realtors® Get More Leads
Proper MLS® IDX integration is more than just about a listing search tool. In fact, most general MLS® searches are dominated by Realtor.ca, HouseSigma, or REW. As a boutique web design agency with our own native MLS® Reciprocity integration, we offer far more creative solutions:
- Dominate Google rankings with automated listing updates (you also need great content - content is king in SEO at the end)
- Reaching buyers/sellers for specific neighbourhoods (beyond the limits of your local MLS®)
- Smart cataloguing of listings by developments/stratas, or other unique niches
- Mission-specific websites that establish your credibility as a specialty Realtor®
Chat with us now for any mission-critical MLS® implementation ideas for your next real estate website and upgrade your online presence!!
Other SEO Tips You Can Start Implementing Today
Our MLS® IDX module lets you share keyword-rich search results via email, iMessage/SMS, social media and more. This can encourage Google™ to crawl more listing results on your website.
Check out our SEO/PPC Tips Playlist on Youtube and start boosting your ranking on Google, even if you don’t have a website with us!
