Showit is quickly becoming the best website builder for realtors. There’s really no comparison to be made between Showit and other website builders (Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, etc.) in terms of creative freedom. Showit offers true drag-and-drop design, without ever needing to learn a single line of code. Plus, you have the additional benefits of designing mobile independently, allowing for a stunning user experience on any device.
But is Showit the best website builder for realtors to grow your business? Yes! Showit is an amazing website builder for Realtors who are looking for flexible, modern design, with customizable functionality to grow their online presence. I’m about to spill all the tea…
First, do you even need a website?
If you’re still asking yourself this question in the 2020’s, the answer is a resounding YES! An online presence is not a luxury anymore, it’s a necessity. A website is your digital storefront that works 24/7 for your business as your number #1 marketing tool. A great website (emphasis on great) helps you establish your brand, generate leads, and grow your business.
What about multi-site agency websites?
The real estate industry is inundated with website agencies who can build and run your website for you. You’ve likely heard of them; Avenue HQ, Realty Ninja, and My Real Page, to name a few. They promise a “personalized” website with lead generation and property listings for a monthly subscription and nominal set up fee. It’s not the worst place to start. But there are limits. Lots of them.
- Many of their websites look the same. There’s anywhere between 3 and 6 “styles” you can choose from. In terms of personalization? It kinda stops at your brand colours and the copy you provide. Although, I’ve seen some of the same copy be used across other agent sites using the same website service. I’ve also seen the same stock images be used across multiple websites. And they’re not even exclusive stock images; they’re all publicly available, royalty free, on Pexels or Unsplash.
- Whenever you want to make an update on your website (like updating a phone number) you have to use a design update credit. You cannot make any changes by yourself.
- SEO analytics and lead generation is extremely entry level. You’ll have a really hard time connecting Google Analytics to your domain. And if you’re not connected to Google Analytics, how do you really measure your website traffic?
- There are always going to be running costs for a website. There’s no avoiding it. And while these agency sites might lure you in with big discounts at first, beyond that, their monthly fees are extremely high (for very little value IMO).
- You’re renting your place on the internet. Now, as a real estate agent I know you have had more than one conversation with your clients about the benefits of buying a property vs renting. It’s kinda the same thing, only digitally.
The real estate industry is incredibly competitive. The GRV (formerly REBGV) has close to 15,000 REALTORS, which is almost half of all Realtors in BC (29,466) competing for property sales and purchases from Whistler to Maple Ridge to Tsawwassen, and everything in between.
How are you going to stand out then? With a cookie cutter website? Or a knock-out site that seals the deal? The latter obviously. It’s time to give your clients the website experience they’ve been craving for.
Showit: the best website builder for realtors
With Showit, your website can be whatever you need it to be. It can do whatever you need it to do. Whether you want to start small with a simple 5 page website that started life as a template, or go all in with IDX and CRM automations. Showit can do it all. YOU can do it all.
- Make a great first impression with drag and drop visual website design that is so easy to use. If you’ve ever used Canva (which I’d bet money that you have) then you will find the learning curve of Showit relatively straightforward as there are many similarities.
- Make room for your copy to shine and reel your audience in with emotion. Let your readers know that you understand what they want. When you lead with benefits they are most likely to trust that you’re the person to help them achieve what they want.
- Showit mobile can be designed independently so your site is optimized and structured for easy reading without having to compromise on aesthetics.
- Create an exciting user experience with high quality media content, animations, transitions, and scroll actions to help draw attention and keep users engaged.
- Showit gives you the ability to fully control your own site so you can make changes and updates with ease.
Building your website on Showit will enable you to move away from “cookie-cutter” once and for all. Show up, and stand out, with a website that moves as confidently as you do.
But wait, that’s not all.
One of the most important features of a real estate website is the ability to integrate IDX and showcase property listings from the live MLS data feed. And yes, it’s totally doable on Showit.
What is IDX and how important is it for your real estate website?
IDX is an Internet Data Exchange, which refers to the agreement between Selling and Buying agents to display MLS properties online. IDX allows you, your team, and/or your brokerage to show listings from your real estate board on your own website.
Having IDX on your website keeps visitors on your site longer. And the long they’re on your site the more likely they are to convert into a lead.
Up until recently you’ve had to sacrifice one of a kind design for technical functionality. Or, you’ve had to send clients to third party websites like Realtor.ca or Zillow. Well, drumroll, you no longer have to make a choice. You can have it all by connecting an IDX WordPress plugin to your Showit website.
Yes, that’s right. You can have all the design freedom you love about Showit AND reap the benefits of having IDX on your website.
Take a look at some Realtors who have done just that:
Choosing the right IDX plugin for your Showit Website
The first thing to know is that not all IDX is created equal, and not all IDX software is going to be compatible with Showit.
I’m going to jump in with a little sidebar here and share a little bit about how IDX works specifically with Showit.
You add IDX to your website as a WordPress plugin. You see, IDX does not directly connect with Showit, so we use WordPress as a bridge to form a three-way interface. You’ll need the advanced tier level of Showit subscription because you’ll need the ability to install WordPress plugins.
Because of this, there may be some incompatibility bugs to live with. These are usually quite minor, and most of the time your website visitors won’t even notice it (even if you do). Here’s my recommended shortlist of IDX WordPress plugins that are the least “buggy” with Showit :
IDX Broker
Showcase IDX
Back to choosing the right one for you. The biggest determining factor is going to come down to MLS coverage.
If you’re in Canada, the only option for you is iHomeFinder.
Now I know what you’re thinking. “But I see the others do provide coverage in Canada”. Here’s more tea for you. Yes, they do, but if you only see CREA as an option, then it might not be best for you. Data for CREA is provided through a DDF feed (Data Distribution Facility), rather than IDX.
DDF vs IDX for Canadian Real Estate Agents
In its simplest form, DDF collects data from the national pool. Property listings are only available if your brokerage has opted into the pool. This might work for you if your brokerage is a member of CREA and you will be able to show your own listings on your website. However, think about your buyers. Visitors who are on your website to browse listings as a buyer are only going to be able to search homes from other brokerages who have also opted into CREA.
CREA is also nationwide. That’s why it looks like there are so many properties listed; it covers Canada quite literally from coast to coast.
IDX on the other hand is a policy. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Reciprocity. This allows brokerages and agents to display one another’s listings on their websites as a data connection between you and the MLS of the real estate board you belong to.
IDX tools have to be approved at the board level. This is why I recommend iHomeFinder Max.
iHomeFinder x Showit: An all-in-one IDX and CRM solution for Your Real Estate Website
In addition to providing true IDX coverage for most real estate boards across Canada, iHomeFinder Max is an all-in-one IDX and CRM solution for your real estate website.
CRM is an equally important tool for your real estate business as this helps you stay organized and engage with your leads and clients. You may already be using something like Follow Up Boss for your Client Relationship Management needs.
With iHomeFinder Max you can seamlessly generate leads from the IDX on your website and manage them all from the convenience of one dashboard.
- Automated Lead Nurturing: Automate outreach and engage with leads at the right time, keeping them warm and receptive until they’re ready to act.
- Personalized Listing Recommendations: Leverage IDX activity tracking to send personalized listing recommendations via email and text messages, driving a 31% response rate and sparking meaningful conversations.
- Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable insights into your sales pipeline and lead sources, empowering you to make informed decisions that accelerate your growth.
- Seamless Lead Management: Gather leads from over 30 sources and manage them all in one centralized hub. Max eliminates the hassle of juggling multiple platforms.
Remember, all great websites make the user experience a top priority. Showit is the best website builder for realtors because it allows you to do that. And when you add IDX into the mix your potential clients will be so blown away that they will have no choice but to work with you.
And they’re right there in your CRM when they have made that decision.
Your website just did ALL the heavy lifting for you. That’s what makes Showit is the best website builder for realtors.
Ready to add IDX to your Showit website?
If you’re looking to upgrade your website with IDX, but don’t quite fancy taking on the technical challenge of setting it up, I can help!
