In a press release found below, Onboard announced the launch of Listings 360 insight Advisor. This product is a reporting solution like Listhub Reports, and FREE! However, Listings 360 does not include syndication at this time. The first customer in line to release the product is Chicago multiple listing service provider, Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED). Connecticut MLS (CTMLS) and Metropolitan Regional MLS (MRIS) have also licensed the solution for their subscribers.
WAV Group spoke to MRED CEO, Russ Bergeron to understand the strategy behind the launch. Bergeron indicated that MRED likes to offer more than one product option when there will be a benefit to their customers.
MRED has already put the tracking code into connectMLS™ system so that their subscribers will be able to provide consumers with search traffic reports that include the MLS system. “This is important because the MLS system has many times the number of property views of publisher sites.”
MRIS offers Listhub, RE DataVault, Anti-Scraping technology, and Onboard in an effort to support brokers in managing and protecting data in the best possible way. To enhance adoption of Listings 360 Insight Advisor, all new RETS data feed recipients will be required to include the Listings 360 Insight Advisor tracking code in their application or they will be in violation of the MRIS RETS data feed agreement.
The good news in the release is that Trulia has agreed to participate in the program. Today, Trulia withholds “views” information from the Listhub reports. Unfortunately, REALTOR.com, Homes.com and a number of other popular sites is not included in Listings 360 Insight at this time – but the move by MRIS and other MLSs may be a game changer.
At the end of the day, the most important reporting feature is that ability to give a seller a report about where their listing appeared, how many times it was viewed, and the number of online inquiries. Unfortunately, there are still hurdles for both companies to deliver that accurate and comprehensive report. The challenge is to get every company publishing listing information to participate in the reporting program or programs. Listhub has a head start, as Onnboard enters the race. I believe that for any of these reporting features to truly have an impact, the MLS must follow MRIS and others by requiring the inclusion of the tracking code everywhere the data is presented – All publisher sites, all IDX sites, all VOW sites, all virtual tour sites, all mobile sites, etc. The MLS will need to revise their data agreements add this requirement.
“A mere 12-months ago, this was a compelling mission to bring transparency in online listing exposure to a reality; today unprecedented information will soon be in the hands of nearly 100,000 real estate professionals – truly transforming what we see about online listing activity, how we see it and bring incredibly valuable insight to Brokers, MLSs, Agents, and Consumers.” -Kim Cipriano Prior, SVP of Marketing and MLS Development, Onboard Informatics
WAV Group has not preformed a product review or comparison for these products but has a deep understanding of both. If you have questions, reach out to Victor Lund, Mike Audet, or Marilyn Wilson using the contact information below.
Disclaimer: Listhub and parent MOVE are WAV Group clients. Onboard is a WAV Group Client. MRIS, MRED, and CTMLS are WAV Group Clients.
Here is the Onboard Press Release:
Powerhouse Portals join Onboard Informatics
Data Transparency Network;
Major Milestone in Syndication Progress
May 7, 2012 – New York, NY. Onboard Informatics’ announces participation from three online real estate publishing leaders in the fast-growing Data Transparency Network. Homefinder.com, Trulia and Zillow® will cooperate with Onboard to provide MLSs, Brokers, and Agents unprecedented insight into performance and demand information from their web sites.
“This Data Transparency Network unites our clients (MLSs) using Onboard’s Listings 360°insight Advisor with their data licensees and software partners to achieve the common goal of offering agents, brokers and consumers unprecedented visibility into the distribution and performance of property listings across the Internet,” said Jonathan Bednarsh, President and COO of Onboard. “The participation of these portal-powerhouses is a clear demonstration of their leadership and commitment to delivering transparency and value to the real estate industry; crucial towards progress in the ongoing industry syndication/data licensing challenges and vital for MLSs and Brokers to execute selective, sustainable online marketing strategies that generate return on investment”, said Bednarsh.
This new performance and consumer search data will be presented through simple, crisp, on-demand, visual graphics via Onboard’s Listings 360°insight Advisor platform available in a growing number of MLS markets. Participating MLSs, Brokers and Agents will see and understand the exposure and performance of their listings while uncovering never-before-seen consumer search trends and habits. This insight will guide informed syndication and strategic marketing decisions and foster more meaningful engagement with their customers. Currently, the platform is licensed by MRED, MRIS and CTMLS and is set to go live with MRED members within 30 days.
Industry response has been extraordinary: “Just like Amazon, Netflix, iTunes and other consumer sites track, report, analyze and leverage intelligence gained from consumer activity on their websites, we intend to implement the same level of sophisticated business tools and resources from our alliance with Onboard,” said John Heithaus, Chief Marketing Officer of MRIS.
About Onboard Informatics
Onboard Informatics connects leaders in the real estate, publishing, and technology industries to data-driven innovations that empower informed decisions, enable human engagement and accelerate business results. Our expertise in information management and related technologies transform real estate data through innovative products that help customers (1) understand what’s happening – in local markets, on the web, with their own listings; (2) talk about it and show it to others to boost conversions; (3) manage their business more effectively and (4) enhance results.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jackie Berg
Onboard Informatics
Phone: 646-747-4398
Email: jberg@onboardinformatics.com
It’s such an exciting time. We’re utilizing our 10+ years of expertise in real estate data management to bring transparency and comprehensive visibility to online listing exposure. With 360insight’s on-demand activity platform, MLSs, Brokers, Agents (and even consumers) can see how their listings are performing online through crisp, self-explanatory info-graphics. More importantly, they can use that information for vital action: to make informed online marketing decisions, to better engage/educate and to provide new, relevant insight into seller marketing and pricing discussions that will accelerate results. It’s a major step for our industry! At this early stage, we’re thrilled at progress and confident that those publishers and vendors providing true value to agents & brokers, committed to openness & transparency will choose to participate; our list grows daily. In the end, the only way to move beyond the war around syndication and data distribution is to focus on transparency and results; that’s the unique value proposition offered by 360insight.
A correction: ListHub reports are real time, and customers can access the most current internet metrics 24 x 7. Also, as a point of clarification, the ListHub reports do include the geolocation of online consumers who are viewing online properties.
ListHub offers a platform that provides all of the components required to drive an effective online marketing program, including syndication, comprehensive real-time reporting, and sophisticated tools for support and monitoring. These three components are deeply interconnected; therefore it is critical for these functions to be centralized through a single platform. As a platform, ListHub also provides brokers the option to opt-in and opt-out freely, filter publishers based on business criteria, control consumer traffic click-throughs and lead routing, and numerous additional flexibilities that meet the varied business needs of brokers.
Thanks for the corrections Celeste. I amended the post and took out the bits that you corrected.
FYI – your customers told me that you were missing geolocation and real time features. Perhaps a Listhub Relaunch would be a good idea.