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Building an IDX website is a good way to diversify your business and reach out to new customers. This tutorial will walk you through how easy it can be, by teaching you the basics of WordPress websites with WooCommerce.
The “idx broker” is a website that allows users to find homes for sale in your area. It’s built with WordPress and has an easy-to-use interface.
A WordPress IDX website, which links to the MLS and enables site users to browse available property listings, is the top option for many real estate firms. Having your own domain name and website is perfect for real estate agents who want to attract direct traffic and collect more leads. Though WordPress isn’t the most user-friendly tool for creating websites, it is totally feasible to do it without any prior knowledge.
IDX stands for Internet Data Display and refers to a contract between brokers that permits information about a property, as well as photos of that listing, to be disseminated throughout the internet. This is what enables you or your customers to look for houses that fulfill specified criteria.
In 11 easy steps, you can create an IDX real estate website using WordPress:
1. Select the Best Content Management System (CMS) for Your Real Estate Website
The first step is to choose which content management system (CMS) is best for your real estate website. Because it is the platform on which the site is constructed and administered, the CMS is the backbone of every website. There are a slew of amazing choices, including site builders like Squarespace and Wix that are quite simple to use. WordPress, on the other hand, remains the world’s most popular CMS due to its extensive versatility and low cost.
Dashboard for WordPress
Because of its endless features, WordPress is the CMS we suggest in the real estate market. With the correct tools and a little effort, you can design a great IDX-enabled website without any coding knowledge. Thousands of appropriate plugins are available to make your website creation easier. Furthermore, users with technical knowledge may utilize WordPress to construct a completely customized website while still taking use of the platform’s other user-friendly features.
2. Get a Web Hosting Account
To go live on the internet, you’ll need to obtain a web hosting service. While you may develop a site without web hosting, we suggest that you choose a web hosting firm before launching your IDX website. Many hosting plans provide a free domain name (worth about $15) as well as time-saving features like one-click WordPress installation, which makes it simple to connect your web hosting and domain to WordPress without the need for manual settings.
If you’re not sure which web hosting provider to go with, we suggest Bluehost since it’s not only inexpensive (less than $3 per month), but it also comes with one-click WordPress setup, making the process painless. It also comes with a slew of extras, like a free domain, free business email, and a free SSL certificate to safeguard you and your website’s visitors, making it an excellent overall pick.
To get started, go to Bluehost and click on the “WordPress” menu item to choose a plan. Most real estate IDX websites should be OK with the Basic plan, which includes 50GB of website storage and five business email accounts. Consider the Plus package if your team or broker need more than five email addresses or more website space. Keep in mind that your hosting requirements may change at any moment, therefore you may change plans at any time.
3. Get Your Domain Name Registered
After you’ve chosen your plan, you’ll be asked to find a domain name, which is your website’s address or URL (e.g., lakesiderealty.com). If you already have a real estate agent brand or name, get a domain name that is as similar to it as feasible. This is an excellent opportunity for agents or brokers who do not yet have a brand to build a domain that will make your firm simple to recall.
Consider the following factors when choosing a domain name for your WordPress IDX website:
- If possible, use a.com: .coms are well-known among buyers, and utilizing one makes you look more professional and reputable. Because.com is the most popular domain extension, finding an available.com may be more difficult, but picking an other name like “.net” for your IDX website might result in a loss of leads. If your first option isn’t available as a “.com,” you might think about other IDX real estate domain names.
- Consider keywords and identifiers when choosing a domain name, such as your specialization and region (e.g., lakesideluxuryrealty.com or lakesiderealtymn.com). This may help your real estate website rank higher in Google searches and build your authority in a certain city or area.
- Avoid using symbols: Because symbols aren’t always easy to pronounce and may be difficult to write on mobile devices, you should avoid them unless they’re an essential aspect of your brand.
Bluehost will prompt you to pick an available domain name and an account plan of 12, 24, or 36 months, as well as any add-ons, such as domain privacy. Complete your order by making final choices, entering payment information, and completing your transaction.
Plans for WordPress
4. Use the One-Click Installation Tool to connect to WordPress.
Next, connect WordPress and your domain to your web host by using the one-click WordPress installation tool. If you purchased your domain through your web host, this step is already complete. Either way, you can continue to WordPress by accessing the one-click WordPress installation tool from your web host’s dashboard. Doing so will then direct you to your Dashboard for WordPress.
Have you purchased your domain from a separate company?
To acquire a step-by-step guidance to one-step WordPress installation, choose your web host from the list below:
Bluehost.com’s dashboard as an example
5. Decide on a real-estate theme.
You may select from a variety of free and paid themes to construct a website on WordPress. While many WordPress themes are generic, others are IDX-enabled and created with real estate in mind. Look through our collection of the best real estate website themes, or look for real estate themes on marketplaces like ThemeForest.
Install the theme and import the sample material to get started once you’ve chosen and purchased a theme that suits your requirements.
Think about what you want from your WordPress IDX site.
Consider the characteristics required for lead generation and an optimal user experience before choosing and downloading a theme. Remember that you want simple navigation, personalized searches, and a clean, uncluttered appearance. Consider the necessity for social network integration, SEO tools, contact forms, and dynamic content widgets like as sliders.
Before you choose an IDX website theme, keep the following points in mind:
- Focus on design elements: Almost every real estate WordPress theme contains stunning photos of lovely residences that serve as listings showcases. You’ll almost certainly want a website design that enables you to emphasize appealing photographs and property walk-throughs above text.
- Make sure it works on mobile: Because the majority of your website visitors will be using a smartphone, a mobile-ready website is essential. Make sure any theme plugins, widgets, and sidebars are mobile-friendly, regardless of your content.
- Don’t be deceived by function lists: Many themes include nice real estate widgets, however not all of them are IDX compliant. As a result, you should seek for themes that work with dsIDXpress, IDX Broker, and iHomefinder in particular.
- Check reviews: If you’re thinking about buying a premium theme, check user reviews to get a better idea of how well it performs for other people. By assisting you in selecting the correct theme the first time, you may save a lot of effort—and money—in the long run.
- Consider compatibility: Not all WordPress themes are made equal, so make sure a theme is compatible with the WordPress version you’re using as well as the plugins and tools you want to employ. Themes, for example, are often compatible with page builder plugins. It will be much simpler to design and maintain your real estate website if you choose a theme that works with the page builder of your choice.
Purchase & Download Your Theme
After you’ve made a list of the functions and features you want in your ideal theme, go through WordPress theme retailers to locate the greatest fit for your real estate business. Ideally, you’ll locate a theme with a lot of features that only takes little adjustment and doesn’t require a lot of third-party plugins.
With that in mind, have a look at the WordPress theme sites and platforms listed below:
- ThemeForest: ThemeForest is a website that sells high-quality WordPress themes for a wide range of professional websites. Depending on the services, prices vary from $25 to $99 each month.
- Template Monster: Second only to ThemeForest as one of the major sellers of WordPress themes, Template Monster offers themes ranging from $69 to $98.
- Elegant Themes: Elegant Themes has a large collection of WordPress themes and plugins to choose from. For a one-time investment of $249, you may have lifelong membership for $89 each year.
When you’ve found a theme that matches your needs, put it in your shopping basket and complete the checkout procedure. Following payment, the template site will offer you to save it to your computer as a ZIP (archived) file. It is suggested that you save your theme to your desktop for easier access.
Setup Your Theme
To Setup Your Theme, pull up your website dashboard by accessing it via your Bluehost account, or by navigating to www.yourbusiness.com/wp-admin—replacing the dummy domain with your own domain. Log in using your WordPress credentials as provided to you by Bluehost.
Once you access your Dashboard for WordPress, hover over “Appearance” in the main menu and then select “Themes.” Next, click on “Upload” at the top of the screen and then “Upload Theme.” Setup Your Theme by navigating to the ZIP file of the theme you downloaded. Click “Install Now” and then click “Activate.”
Demo Content Import (for Premium Themes)
One of the most significant advantages of choosing a premium theme is that it should have demo material. To put it another way, you may transfer the demo material and have a completely developed site. All you have to do now is fill it with your own information. Take a few minutes to browse the sample site and record your preferences, as this will help you imagine your final product and identify what needs to be changed. If your theme has many demos, choose the one that looks the most like the one you desire.
The method for importing your theme’s demo material varies per theme. Many people, however, may install the demo material for their WordPress IDX website by going to their dashboard, hovering over “Tools,” and choosing “Import.” At the bottom of the list, choose “WordPress” and upload the XML file containing your theme’s demo content. If you’re experiencing problems, consider installing all of the essential plugins first, since certain demo material won’t import without them.
Refer to your theme’s documentation if you can’t find instructions on how to install demo content. If you can’t locate it there, you may want to contact theme support.
6. Download and install the IDX Plugin.
Shortcut: Dashboard > Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin > Activate
Even if your website is IDX-enabled, an IDX plugin may be required to show MLS information on your site in real time. Some themes have this capability built-in, so check the documentation for your theme to see whether a plugin is required. If IDX capabilities aren’t present, look for a plugin on a marketplace like Envato to show listing data on your site.
After you have found the IDX plugin that you want, download it. Then, to install it, go to “Plugins” from the left-hand menu in the Dashboard for WordPress and click “Add New.” Next, click on “Upload Plugin,” choose the file you just downloaded, and click “Install Now.” Be sure to activate it on the plugin page as well.
Once you install your IDX plugin, you’ll be able to access it from the Dashboard for WordPress. When you use the plugin for the first time, you may need to enter an activation key. Next, connect the plugin to your local MLS provider to ensure your site is populated with current listings.
7. Add, Remove & Customize Pages
Shortcut: Pages > Add Pages
Even with an eye-catching theme and an IDX plugin, your website can’t serve your clients until you add and customize pages. To add a new page to your site, navigate to “Pages” from your Dashboard for WordPress and click on “Add Pages.” Depending on how you want to lay out your site, you’ll also be able to add IDX-enabled elements as widgets or in the text of posts and pages.
Refer to this post on how to construct a WordPress website, which includes a video lesson, for further information on how to personalize your web pages.
Consider installing and activating the Elementor Website Builder plugin if you prefer a drag-and-drop website editor.
8. Build Navigation & Menus
Shortcut: Appearance > Menus > Select Main Menu from drop-down > Select pages > Add to Menu > Save Menu
Begin constructing the navigation bar in your header when your pages are complete. This portion is known as your “top bar,” and it will be crucial in assisting consumers in finding the information they want. Return to your dashboard and choose “Appearance” from the sidebar to create the top bar menu. Then choose “Menus.”
Select “Main Menu” from the drop-down box to create your top-level menu. Choose “Select” from the drop-down menu. The “Pages” tab is located on the left-hand side of the page and displays all of the pages you’ve generated for your website. Select a page by ticking the box next to it, then click “Add to Menu” to add it to your main menu. You may reorganize and create subpages by dragging and dropping the pages inside the menu. Click “Save Menu” when you’re finished.
Change the names of the pages (Optional)
The name of the page appears in the menu by default in WordPress, but you can change this by altering the navigation label for each menu item. To change the name of a page, click the drop-down arrow next to the page and input the name you wish to see in your menu in the text box under “Navigation Label.”
9. Customize Your Header & Footer
Shortcut: Appearance > Customize > Header
Once you build out your IDX website’s navigation and menus, it’s time to customize the header and footer to reflect your real estate brand. Update your website’s header by hovering over “Appearance” in your Dashboard for WordPress and then select “Customize” or “Header,” if available. Keep in mind that this will vary depending on your chosen theme. If you’re not able to find how to customize your header, check your theme’s documentation.
Then, in the sidebar, hover over “Appearance” and select “Widgets” to alter your footer. There is at least one tile titled “Footer,” as you can see. Select the first one and expand it if you have more than one. If you have a Contact widget accessible on the left-hand side, move it into the Footer tile and update it with your contact information.
10. Prepare Your Site to Launch & Go Live
After you’ve finished making final modifications and tweaks to your new website, go through it as if you were the intended user. Open a browser and put your domain name into the address bar. Examine the pages, forms, and listings to ensure that everything is in working order. To test whether the site looks OK on Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari, try using a few other browsers.
You should also test your site on a mobile device to ensure that it is completely responsive and free of design or operational problems. Before you launch, give your friends or family access to your test website and ask them to explore it and offer input on the content, photos, and usability.
Take the following steps to prepare your site for launch:
- Check your website’s copy for errors.
- Make sure none of the links are broken by clicking on them.
- Make a page that redirects to a 404 error.
- Verify sure the website is mobile-friendly.
- Yoast SEO can help you improve your website for search engines.
- To strengthen the security of your website, get an SSL certificate (this may be included with your web hosting)
11. Click the Publish button.
Shortcut: Pages > Publish
Navigate to each of your site’s pages and click “Publish” when you’re ready for your WordPress IDX website to go live. This will force each individual page to go online instantly unless you set a future publishing date (and instead press “Schedule”). You’ll need to turn off any maintenance or coming soon plugins, such as WP Maintenance Mode, before the website goes live. Enter your URL once each page has been published to ensure that everything is visible and loading correctly.
After your site has been launched, submit it to Google Search Console for indexing. This is also a good opportunity to link your website to your Google My Business, Yelp, Instagram, Facebook, and any other real estate-related social media platforms. To begin generating traffic, you may use a variety of website marketing tactics to guarantee that prospective customers notice your site.
Most Commonly Asked Questions
What is the greatest real estate website builder?
There are a variety of easy-to-use real estate website builders for agents and brokers if you don’t want to utilize a CMS like WordPress to create an IDX-enabled real estate website. The finest website builder is determined by your requirements, but top platforms offer real estate landing pages, IDX connections, user-friendly website themes, and other lead generating capabilities.
What is the best way to make a free real estate website?
Many hosting companies charge extra for extra services like an SSL certificate. Platforms such as Wix, on the other hand, allow real estate agents to establish a free website using real estate-specific themes. You won’t be able to choose your own domain name, and loading times will be sluggish. Even yet, if you’re looking for a completely free real estate website—especially something simple like a single property website—Wix could be a good option.
What should I budget for a real estate website?
Depending on the intricacy of the site, hiring a web developer to construct a real estate website might cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. Fortunately, by spending roughly $3 per month for hosting on Bluehost and utilizing a free website theme and plugins, you can create your own real estate website for considerably less.
Conclusion
As a real estate agent, it’s critical to have your own IDX-enabled small business website. This means it can access the most up-to-date listings from your local MLS. Not only will this assist your present customers in seeing houses that meet their requirements, but it will also help you produce new leads who may be looking to purchase or sell a property.
Even yet, without dependable hosting, an internet data exchange (IDX) website might be a waste of time. Consider Bluehost if you want an easy-to-use hosting solution with one-click WordPress installation. It provides monthly web hosting packages beginning at $2.95, as well as 24/7 customer service and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Begin constructing your website on Bluehost right now.
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