Organic MLS Integration

To show MLS data on a real estate website, MLS Integration needs to be deployed. There are quite a number of IDX and RETS providers, each with different technology and pricing. After the integration, the end result may look similar, but the underlying technology plays an important role in the popularity of your website, especially from the search engine point of view.

Organic MLS is a method of MLS integration that brings search engine value to your website by inserting the MLS properties directly to your website database. For search engines it is very important to read the properties directly from your database, rather than through a third party database ( MLS/IDX Provider).

In Organic MLS integration, metaphorically the downloaded properties (from MLS to your website) become like the living organs of your own website. As a result, the search engines will consider your website as an informative website with hundreds of URLs to index.

It is important for a realtor to know that alot of MLS/IDX providers do not use the organic method.

Non-organic MLS integration methods might seem more cost effective at first glance, but in the long term they cost much more. The integration providers use methods that take all the search engine advaIntegratntages of your marketing efforts, leaving you with nothing.

How to identify Organic MLS Integration from Non Organic Integration

Fortunately realizing whether a real estate website uses organic or non-organic MLS integration is easy. Example: website name: MYDOMAIN.COM – MLS IDX Provider website: IDXPROVIDER.COM

Each property MUST have a unique url. In some websites, no matter which property you go to, the url in your browser’s address bar remains the same. Example: www.mydomain.com/something. This url illustrates that the website is using an iFrame or Framing method which is NOT organic.

The following url formats also illustrate that you do not have an organic integration:

  • idxprovider.mydomain.com/rest_of_the_url
  • mydomain.idxprovider.com/rest_of_the_url
  • idxprovider.com/mydomain/rest_of_the_url
  • idxprovider.com/rest_of_the_url

The individual URLs of each property should be in the following format:

mydomain.com/rest_of_the_url

To see and inspect the URL of each property:

  • Hover your mouse over one of the links of a property, for example the ‘details’ button and right-click (Windows) or secondary-click (Mac)
  • Click on ‘Open in new Tab’ and look at the address url on top address bar (in your browser)

OR:

  • Right-click (or secondary click) and select ‘Copy Link’ or ‘Copy Shortcut’ on the ‘Details’ button of a property.
  • Open a new tab and paste the copied link into the address bar.