luckydog77

Drew –

If you (and Zillow) really want to help real estate agents, then why do all your widgets have a Zillow logo which links back to Zillow’s website? Is it because:

A) To steal traffic off the RE site that displays the widget and direct them to Zillow’s, thus allowing Zillow to sell more advertising to agents because of increased traffic @ Zillow?
B)To get free advertising on thousands of unassuming real estate agents websites across the country?
C)To strengthen the Search engine optimization of Zillow through one way links from these real estate websites displaying your widgets? or…
D) All of the above?

Agents beware… Zillow widgets are a Trojan Horse. The only way Zillow can make a dime is through advertising, and they will gladly capture “Jane Doe’s” clients from “Jane Doe’s” website by offering “FREE” widgets to do it, and then sell them back to Jane Doe in the form of advertising. Absolutely brilliant Zillow! As an agent, I must ask Drew… why do all of Zillow’s widgets link back to Zillow’s site?

If I want data on my real estate website, I’ll call Altos Research http://www.altosresearch.com/ and pay for it upfront, versus getting the sheet pulled over my head and beat up in the alley by Zillow.

Don’t worry Drew, you won’t be out of a job anytime soon, there seems to be enough agents drinking the Kool-aid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown to keep the Zillow boat afloat.

“Beware the Ides of March,” the soothsayer urges Julius Caesar in Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Julius Caesar (act I, scene ii). Despite the forewarning, Caesar is stabbed in the back by his friend Marcus Brutus. Caesar falls and utters his famous last words, “Et tu, Brute?” (And you, Brutus?)

I will not use any plug-ins which are offered by Zillow or Trulia. Agents… get with the program! This is the “wolf in sheep’s clothing”! All you do, as the agent that downloads their user friendly widgets is create one way links to THEIR site, giving your client an opportunity to leave your website and shop around on Zillow or Trulia; it’s a lose/win, and you end up the loser. Ask your self, how much free advertising and exposure do you want to give Trulia and Zillow? Why would you offer a widget which offers your customer the opportunity to leave your site? The more traffic you and other agents can direct to their site, the more they can charge YOU in advertising to get them back! “Hello” is anyone home???

I see frequent post from Drew Myers on numerous real estate websites. Drew Myers is not here to help your business, he is here to help his own (Zillow)… under the guise of “I am one of you”.

I will not use any plug-ins which are offered by Zillow or Trulia. Agents… get with the program! This is the “wolf in sheep’s clothing”! All you do, as the agent that downloads their user friendly widgets is create one way links to THEIR site, giving your client an opportunity to leave your website and shop around on Zillow or Trulia; it’s a lose/win, and you end up the loser. Ask your self, how much free advertising and exposure do you want to give Trulia and Zillow? Why would you offer a widget which offers your customer the opportunity to leave your site? The more traffic you and other agents can direct to their site, the more they can charge YOU in advertising to get them back! “Hello” is anyone home???

I see frequent post from Drew Myers on numerous real estate websites. Drew Myers is not here to help your business, he is here to help his own (Zillow)… under the guise of “I am one of you”.

I will not use any plug-ins which are offered by Zillow or Trulia. Agents… get with the program! This is the “wolf in sheep’s clothing”! All you do, as the agent that downloads their user friendly widgets is create one way links to THEIR site, giving your client an opportunity to leave your website and shop around on Zillow or Trulia; it’s a lose/win, and you end up the loser. Ask your self, how much free advertising and exposure do you want to give Trulia and Zillow? Why would you offer a widget which offers your customer the opportunity to leave your site? The more traffic you and other agents can direct to their site, the more they can charge YOU in advertising to get them back! “Hello” is anyone home???

I see frequent post from Drew Myers on numerous real estate websites. Drew Myers is not here to help your business, he is here to help his own (Zillow)… under the guise of “I am one of you”.

P.s. How important is it that the data is pulled from Google database?

(P.s.s The word “new” in my post above should be spelled “knew” – I’m a stickler for grammar).

The banter is enjoyable to read, but how about a checklist of what a Google indexed IDX SHOULD look like? If I new what to look for (i.e. no sub domains, built in XML site map generator, unbranded, external IDX data links etc.) then I could inquire with the companies themselves to determine who is the real deal. Would any developers / company owners or SEO guys/gals like to chime in on what a great IDX “Google indexed” platform should consist of? (#1-10 for example would be great!). I would suggest two formats, one IDX platform with WordPress, and one without. I am in the market, and I am a buyer for the latest, greatest technology… but I am unsure who has it right now. Cheers to all.