Loading Profile...
Twitter,
Facebook, or email.
idxpress registration tie in to dssearchagent
I love the idxpress product, and web traffic is improving with it, but one big problem. I am also a searchagent customer, and since installing the idxpress plugin, my registrations for the IDX have dropped fairly significantly. I use drip email for the registered users, so I am mourning the loss of that marketing feature. Can a registration process be implemented that ties into Searchagent for the DS customers that have both products?
Create a customer community for your own organization
Plans starting at $19/month
-
Hello,
I was hoping Diverse Solutions could comment on this. I currently have a client who has expressed that he would like this functionality as well.
Currently he receives a lot of registrations through one site via his dsSearchAgent and has had me set up a second Wordpress site with dsIDXpress for additional web coverage. He was hoping that the dsIDXpress results could send the visitors over to his dsSearchAgent to register or maybe there could be some type of registration integrated into the dsIDXpress plugin the could combine with dsSearchAgent.
Please let me know your thoughts on this and if it is a feature that you think may be implemented, or if you think there might be some creative coding that could be done to make something like this happen.
Thanks,
JoshComment -
-
EMPLOYEE
I’m
excited
We'd definitely like to see more of an integration between these two products, and adding the contact form just one of the the first steps.
Right now when someone fills out the contact form on dsIDXpress it sends you the email AND if you have dsSearchAgent Pro it also adds the contact to your Control Panel here: http://controlpanel.diversesolutions.... into a group called "Lead from Diverse Solutions IDX".
If the contact who fills out the dsIDXpress form has already are registered on dsSearchAgent with the same email it will automatically add the note to their existing contact profile.
...on the flipside, if they fill out a dsIDXpress contact form then register later for dsSearchAgent with the same email it will do the same thing.
If either of you rely on email campaigns, I would strongly suggest you create a automated email reply that goes to anyone who uses your dsIDXpress form. Something simple that says "thanks for using our blog search, click HERE to register for our full search so you can get new listings via email and more" and links straight to your dsSearchAgent registration page could really boost your numbers.
We're thinking of creative ways to integrate these further, so we may have a better solution for you soon, but hopefully the above tips help for now! -
-
I very much agree. I made a similar post. I am not happy with how separate these two products are. I made a suggestion about having links to "revise search" or start new search" somewhere next to the navigation links in idxpress that would redirect visitors to the idx map search.
How are you guys planning to help us convert visitors?? thanks
Gilbert
http://condobeacon.com -
-
at this point, just a highslide style pop-up registration form would be great....after so many listing views from the idx plugin, the form pops up asking for registration.....otherwise, the pop up shows on each additional listing view. i have seen this in other applications. I think this would be sufficient to achieve more registrations. Most visitors are not inquiring using the contact form, so it is impossible to gather email addresses.
-
-
With over 200 unique visitors a day, I NEED them to figure something out. I was getting more registrations with only 50 visitors a day with my old idx.... Let us know what you have cooking DS peeps! :-)
-
-
I’m
frustrated
I'll be honest, I am not happy with IDXpress at the moment. I probably wouldn't have purchased the idx or the plugin if I knew how separate they are. Don't get me wrong, I am getting a lot of traffic and I have over 10,000 pages indexed on google; all within 30 days of purchasing it. But that doesn't do me any good if very few if any of these visitors are making it to the idx itself to register.
How are you guys planning to integrate the two products better to help direct visitors away from the idxpress and toward to idx search?
Can't you include a "revise search" or "start a new search" link on the idxpress (near the "showing properties 1- X" or the "request more info" and "schedule a showing" links on the idx press which would then redirect people to the idx map search?
I believe that would DRAMATICALLY increase the amount of redirects toward the idx and get more people registering.
Thoughts?
Gilbert
p.s. my site is http://condobeacon.com
This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
traffic conversion from idxpress to searchagent. -
-
EMPLOYEE
I’m
confident
thanks Gilbert & Bill for your ideas. DS totally understand the frustration re: all this traffic from the plugin and so few converts to your dsSearchAgent account and are very open to suggestions as we continue working on integration of these two products.
@gilbert - definitely like the idea of adding a "revise search" and/or "advanced search" link to the plugin results pages - - I think this will be another step in the right direction and something we could easily implement. I'll update as soon as I get more info on timeframe/possibility.
@bill - I'm not search how search engine bots would react to the forced pop-up registration form; I'll look into that a bit further. ...but maybe we could at least add a "registration" link in addition to the others above - that that could have the form pop-up in it? -
-
Hi Robert! NICE! Glad to know you guys care and understand the problem. I'm glad you liked my suggestion. I mentioned it because with my last idx, the most popular link according to my traffic was the "revise search" link on the landing pages with pre-defined searches on the page.
You mentioned "as we continue working on integration of these two products."
What do you have planned so far to integrate the two products?-
So far the only black-and-white integration was the contact form on each page. I can't reveal too much about what else we have planned... but I've been hoping for some quick and simple solutions in the meantime, and these sounded great.
-
-
-
-
-
cool, thanks again! I will be anxiously awaiting some changes. :-)
-
-
Well, I think Gilbert's idea is definite step in the right direction, but I think a forced registration is key after a set amount of page views in order to achieve good results. In my own experience with DSsearchagent, until I forced registration, I received very few..and the option to register was always there.
Once I set it to 3-4 page views before a forced registration occured, registration results went up significantly.
Robert, if you email me, I can send you a link to an example site of what I am talking about. -
-
I COMPLETELY agree with Bill. Again, I probably wouldn't have purchased any DS products if I had known how limited idxpress is. Forced registration on idxpress seems like a no-brainer. I'm not sure how or if that would have a negative effect on google bots..... But either way, it needs to be incorporated.
I hope DS' focus is not only on its products ability to drive leads, but also on its products ability to convert those leads, otherwise its useless to agents.
Thanks again Robert -
-
I also would like to see forced registration for the WP plugin. It is the best way to get leads.
-
-
I’m
still experimenting, too early to tell
What I've done is remove the dsIDXpress Quick Search widget altogether, and instead put a big button on the sidebar of dsIDXpress listings that directs people to dsSearchAgent. IMHO, if you have dsSearchAgent, what's the point of the dsIDXpress Quick Search anyway? My thought is, dsIDXpress gets them to the site from the search engines, dsSearchAgent hooks 'em. (And they need to play around with dsSearchAgent a little first before they're willing to sign up.)- view 1 more comment
-
-
How are the lead results Mike now that you've replaced the dsIDXpress Quick Search with dsSearchAgent map search? I assume you are getting the SEO results from the neighborhood pages that appear to be sourced from dsIDXpress. For neighborhood specific searches, are you using specified links created in dsSearchAgent and if so does use of those links result in prospect registration? Trying to solve the same problems you have experienced.
-
-
Hey Bruce, got your voicemail, will try to touch base this week.
-
-
-
-
If the two products had more integration options I would probably be inclined to add the full DS product to IDXpress. Right now my own broker has a pretty decent search product for free, so I send people there.
I'm hoping that these ideas shared 6 months ago are implemented in the near future... the product needs another leap forward to stay ahead of the competition. -
-
Has there been any progress in implementing these suggestions? -
-
Also curious to know if there is any ETA for these features as I'm just starting work on a new site.
I understand all the discussion about integrating the two products, but to be perfectly honest I think the ideal solution would be to enhance dsIDXpress as a stand alone product.
Forget for a moment that dsSearchAgent was there first. Also, the context of this obviously assumes that we're only concerned with Wordpress sites and I know that isn't the case for everyone. But if you use Wordpress then what is the appeal of dsSearchAgent? Add saved searches and automatic email update functionality to dsIDXpress and we're set. That's all we need.
The design, SEO and functionality of dsIDXpress are top of the line. I really don't have any interest in utilizing a second product. Now, if the second product is sold as a lead management system or CRM that ties into dsIDXpress then that's fine. But a 2nd IDX solution on top of what appears to be an already amazing IDX solution just to give the user the ability to save searches seems odd.-
dsSearchAgent does have lead management / CRM built-in, and my dsIDXpress leads go directly into that system. (However, I will say the built-in CRM is somewhat limited, and because of that I don't really use it.) dsSearchAgent also has email marketing, contact forms and modules that you can use on unlimited sites, and the most important feature, IMHO, the map search. I do agree that I hate paying for two products, and if they are to remain separate, there should be a bundle discount. The expense for dsSearchAgent alone is quickly becoming uncompetitive with other IDX solutions with similar features.
JMHO,
Mike -
-
Again, I agree ... the dsSearchAgent is top of the line, but it's crazy expensive compared to other products. The CRM isn't very good (I don't use it at all) and drip mail campaigns are going the way of the buffalo. There are several companies offering the total functionality of dsSearchAgent and dsIdxPress for the same cost as JUST dsIdxPress - they're just not as attractive. (Some of those companies even offer additional functionality for the same price, ie, custom search menus, more complex registration forms, etc). That said, they're generally really ugly, which is why I stay with ds.
-
-
-
-
-
1A bundle discount is an excellent idea, especially when one considers - the CRM is so weak. With so many data extraction tools available, as well as the many examples of CRM done right (ie Salesforce) it appears as an after thought. It should be the heart of the back end since this is the most important part of managing interaction with the client through close.
I agree with Mike, the features available from the competition have certainly improved dramatically in a short time. Failure to institute a method of harnessing the enormous amount of traffic generated by plugin will certainly become a moot selling point for the wise. -
-
I’m
wanting an integrated solution
2I am a WordPress developer, and Real Estate clients represent a growing portion of my business.
From my standpoint, dsIDXpress is an incredible plugin: elegant, easy to use, powerful, attractive presentation, et al. I recommend it enthusiastically to all my RE clients. However, the lack of tie in to the CRM (or the flexibility to tie-in to 3rd party CRMs like SalesForce) is the biggest stumbling point I have when trying to sell this excellent plugin to my clients.
The fact of the matter is that the need to purchase a crummy iFramed solution like dsSearchAgent (which, unlike it's WordPress counterpart, is anything but best-in-class) in order to get CRM, full property search functionality, and the ability to save searches, is killing my sales, and yours , Diverse Solutions.
Find a way to develop an integrated and full-featured dsIDX plugin for WordPress, and you will run away with the market, but forcing us to tie this beautiful plugin to it's ugly step-sister is not a successful business model. Please give us the tools to grow WordPress as an real alternative for REALTOR© portal sites, and we will take you along for the ride DS. That's a promise!
Thanks again for a great plugin; imperfect though it is, I love it all the same.
Respectfully
Jerry Bates | Creative director | FittingSites.com-
"Find a way to develop an integrated and full-featured dsIDX plugin for WordPress, and you will run away with the market, but forcing us to tie this beautiful plugin to it's ugly step-sister is not a successful business model."
Well said. I couldn't agree more! -
-
-
-
-
I’m
in total agreement with the feedback
1Maybe a diversified solution would be to branch out a 3rd product to mix the best of both worlds while leaving your core products/services in place.
DSIDXPress was a huge jump for IDX in 2010! I can't wait to see what you guys have in store for 2011! -
-
I’m
practicing non-attachment to IDX vendors
Chiming in here on this topic again.... some of these 'obstacles' to integration are way nutty. Forced registration is just fine in regards to SEO. Simply enable Google's own First Look or whatever it's called to turn off registration for all search engine spiders. If a real user is savvy/lame enough to disguise their browser as as Google spider then so be it.
And to you agents using the IDXpress search Widget, think long and hard about that. I see that as leading your users down a dead end tunnel with no real ability to convert. (Just my experience).
As for the price issue, I think that no one can legitimately argue about DS' pricing. If they improved the product and doubled the price, 70% of current users would continue - and everyone would be better off.
But gosh, doesn't it just seem like 1/2 the issues in this thread and others could be solved in less than 40 programming hours? ...
Consider a strange bug I came across this week. As stated here, IDXpress leads are entered into the backend CRM - everything except the NOTES section! ... In my scenario, a client signed up and asked to schedule a tour of a property. Great, right! Well I guess someone missed the email alert. Yes, the guy was in the database but without that showing request. ...
Similarily goofy....why on earth aren't IDxpress Leads tagged as IDXPRESS LEADS? Calling them Leads from IDX - or whatever - is crazy.
dsReach / dsAgent / dsWTF !?! These names are really confusing.
-dsRyan- view 2 more comments
-
-
-
Gilbert - What's weird to me is that their isn't one MAIN catch-all category. Can you make one? I can't figure out to see all leads in reverse chronological order. Currently I have to export to excel.
-
-
haha, that's exactly what I have to do. In order to ensure I know exactly who has registered I have to export to excel and sort by date. pathetic!
-
-
-
-
-
After 9 months without a company response this idea is probably toast...
-
-
More like 10 months ago...but I agree. Either they will make the changes that their clients want or someone else will come along and do something better.
-
-
They are still on the dev list. The new version of dsSearchAgent and another un-named project has been taking up a lot of our developers time lately. Once we wrap them up we'll be getting back to dsIDXpress in a major way.
-
-
1I've lost hope. I appreciate the changes DS made to the IDX, I like the interface better. However tying IDXpress into a lead conversion system and or forcing registration is more important is extremely important. I was actually upset after I purchased both products only to find out that IDXpress is pretty much worthless. The consumer can click and navigate all day long on my site on IDXpress without forced registration or being able to revise or alter the search. They are just stuck and its is up to ME to somehow get them to a different page with the actual idx.
Here is an example, today I had a person spend a lot of time on my site, clicking on IDXpress. It was the IDXpress that got them to me, but its worthless because they don't register. Here is a PDF of all their activities: http://condobeacon.com/wp-content/upl...
I get HUNDREDS of google referred visitors every day, but I only get 3-5 registrations a week. I know it would be MUCH higher if there was some sort of a tie in...
Please get on it guys, or I will have no choice but to leave... Thanks!
Gilbert -
EMPLOYEE
