Showcase IDX lets real estate professionals equip their WordPress websites with advanced property search features. With MLS data, they can quickly and effectively engage customers and gather leads. Read on to learn how this app can help boost your lead generation efforts.
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What Is Showcase IDX?
Showcase IDX was founded in 2003 by Scott Lockhart, who serves as the CEO. Lockhart is a serial entrepreneur who has founded several real estate-related technology companies.
IDX is short for Internet Data Exchange. It allows agents to connect their website with the local MLS, saving them the time and trouble of manually entering new listings.
Once set up, customers can use an IDX plugin to search for properties on agent sites. It’s similar to the way Zillow, Realtor.com, and other big-league homebuyer sites work.
IDX also lets real estate agents capture high-quality leads from home searches performed by visitors to their websites. And they don’t have to pay a lead-generation service.
On the WordPress platform, IDX search is usually implemented through a plugin. IDX plugins make it relatively easy to add features to websites without heavy-duty programming.
An IDX WordPress plugin lets website visitors search MLS-supplied listings for geographical areas selected by the agent. They can use various search parameters, such as price, and results may be displayed in list or map form.
IDX plugs are affordable, effective ways for agents to differentiate themselves and provide real value to customers. They also make it possible to capture hot, low-cost leads that can be converted to sales.
Read on to learn about Showcase IDX and how it can help boost your profitability by streamlining your lead generation efforts.
Showcase IDX Features
Showcase IDX updates listing data from the MLS as often as every 15 minutes. That ensures that when a shopper does a home search, the results reflect current data.
Showcase IDX also offers additional market data that can increase consumer engagement by telling home shoppers more about properties. This includes information on neighborhood:
- Population
- Breakdown by age
- Marital status
- Households with children
- Commute times
- Employment data
- Cost of living
Listings and information generated by Showcase IDX and shown on an agent’s website can be indexed by search engines. This helps agent websites show up higher in search engine results.
Property Search
Showcase IDX stands out for its map searching capabilities. Polygon map search lets real estate search users draw a line to outline a neighborhood or other area. Polygon search is only available with the higher-level pricing plan, however.
The standard plan lets users search map locations by naming cities, neighborhoods, or subdivisions. They can also use the usual criteria, such as price and keywords.
Then they can tap into detailed MLS listing information once they’ve identified properties using map search.
Dynamic Lead Capture
One of the most helpful things about IDX is the way it lets agents capture information about leads. When home shoppers enter their contact information, Showcase IDX creates leads without agents having to enter data manually.
Showcase IDX integrates with social media platforms, including Facebook. It also works with popular CRMs, including LionDesk and Follow Up Boss. The plugin can trigger automated marketing through CRMs and other marketing applications.
Multi-Platform Integration
Through Zapier, a third-party platform for linking web apps, Showcase IDX can integrate with thousands of other applications. These include Wise Agent, Pipedrive, Contactually, Salesforce, and other CRM, analytics, lead generation, and marketing applications.
Zapier integration only comes with the higher-prices Showcase IDX subscription, however. Purchased separately, Zapier’s starter level subscription is $19.99 monthly when billed annually.
The starter level Zapier subscription lets subscribers automate 750 tasks per month. A free level handles 100 tasks per month.
Installation and Support
If you have no experience with coding or WordPress plugins, don’t worry — Showcase IDX makes it easy to understand.
Plugin Installation
After signing up as a subscriber, users get an email with links to the paperwork needed to access the local MLS. It can take up to five days to get approval for this application.
Once MLS-approved, Showcase IDX sends users a key along with installation instructions. The installation instructions are reportedly easy to follow, even for non-technical types.
No coding is necessary for installation. Agents who know how to update a theme on their WordPress site should be able to install Showcase IDX.
However, using the pixel codes and analytics to track buying behavior is more complicated. Some agents may require assistance from a website designer to set this up.
Customer Support
Showcase IDX provides customer service and support during working hours Pacific time on weekdays. Support is delivered through email, phone, and online chat.
Showcase IDX has a toll-free number for installation support. The website also has a list of approved website developers should users require more assistance.
Should you need to contact the company, you can do it via one of the below channels:
Showcase IDX
834 Inman Village Parkway, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30307
Telephone: 800-478-0181
Email: help@showcaseidx.com
Web: http://www.showcaseidx.com
Plans and Pricing
Showcase IDX offers a free 30-day trial with all the premium features. After that, there are two pricing plans.
Essentials Plan — $59/month
For $59, monthly subscribers can have up to two agents and five administrative users. This level has the basic features including:
- Live MLS search and listings updated every 15 minutes
- Lead capture and routings,
- SEO optimization tools,
- Integrated CRM,
- Facebook and Google lead signup
- Advanced polygon map search
- Integration with more than 1,000 apps through Zapier
- Google Analytics listing page tracking
Premium Plan — $99/month
For $99 monthly, subscribers can have up to five agent users instead of two. It also adds:
- Ability to display demographics on listing pages
- Ability exclude locations from search results
- Eight additional map styles
- Ability to feature listings by agents or offices at the top of listings
- Real-time CRM lead data integrations
Showcase IDX doesn’t charge a setup fee, and there are no other premium services. However, users do have to pay any MLS pass-through fees.
The free trial does not require a credit card and includes live MLS data for 30 days. Trial users don’t have to pay MLS pass-through fees during the trial. The MLS pass-through fees start after the trial.
Showcase IDX Pros and Cons
As with any balanced review, it’s important to weigh both the pros and the cons. Don’t worry — we’ve done just that below.
Pros (what we like)
Showcase IDX stands for having highly customizable searches with added demographic information available. The polygon map search tool gives home shoppers an appealing way to locate desirable properties.
Its integration capabilities through Zapier make it an excellent choice for agents who prefer the CRM, lead generation, and marketing applications they’re already using. They can use Showcase IDX to work with all of them.
The free trial gives users a way to try Showcase IDX out without a commitment. And the month-to-month billing program, without requiring an annual subscription, adds flexibility down the road.
Cons (what can be improved)
Only agents with WordPress websites can use Showcase IDX. If an agent’s website runs on another platform, Showcase IDX is not an option.
Showcase IDX says it serves 69 MLS markets, including 18 of the 20 largest MLS agencies. However, it may not be available in every market.
Showcase IDX is on the higher-priced end of IDX plugins for real estate. Others are priced as low as $35 per month. It’s a good value considering its features. But this may not be the best choice for extremely budget-conscious agents.
Our Take
- Pricing
- Features
- Value
Summary
Showcase makes it easy to integrate IDX functionality into your existing real estate website. While their bare bones platform has few premium features, that’s what makes it great.
Overall
4.5User Review
( vote)Showcase makes it easy to integrate IDX functionality into your existing real estate website. While their bare bones platform has few premium features, that’s what makes it great.
Unlike other platforms, Showcase IDX charges no setup fee and offers monthly contracts. We love pricing structures like this one, because it shows that the provider believes in their product.
Showcase IDX Competitors
IDX plugins for real estate is a competitive area. There’s a plugin available for almost any preference.
- IDX Broker is an MLS plugin that is well-regarded for its long list of features and simple setup. IDX/MLS Lite starts at $50 per month, plus a $100 setup fee.
- Wovax makes an IDX plugin that emphasizes boosting real estate websites’ ranking in search engines. Users can subscribe to Wovax for $35 a month.
Showcase IDX Summary
Showcase IDX lets real estate professionals add property search functionality to their existing sites in order to match the big-name home shopping portals. The built-in lead capture and integration tools help make your site more powerful.
With a simple product and straight-forward pricing structure, we think IDX Broker is a great solution for professionals seeking to add search functionality to their website without starting over from scratch.
