Please ask your team (legal, IT, etc.) to review the following proposed changes to NAR MLS policy, set to come up for a vote in November at the NAR convention. The aim is to secure search engine optimization (SEO) for the actual brokerage with the listing for the source web pages with listing details hosted by the listing brokerage (not third-party sites), helping provide not just SEO, but more clarity for consumers. However, we’d love to hear from your tech/SEO experts and legal experts on whether you think the proposal below achieves that, and whether there might be unintended consequences. TRA is in a position these days where our input holds significant sway in the process of enacting MLS policy, and rightly so. However, we need to put forward our thoughtful feedback on proposals like these sooner, rather than later, and need to demonstrate a united front when sharing our perspective. Thanks in advance for asking your team to review this and provide feedback to me soon.
Motion: That MLS policy be revised to require listing brokerage attribution and a searchable link back to the listing broker’s website when MLS listing data is displayed through IDX, VOW, and in syndication with third-party entities and individuals, as follows.
MLS Policy Statement 7.58, Internet Data Exchange Policy (IDX):
Policies Applicable to Participants’ IDX Websites and Displays…
12. An MLS participant’s IDX display must identify the listing firm in a reasonably prominent location and in a readily visible color and typeface not smaller than the median used in the display of listing data. Participants shall include: (i) prominent attribution to the listing broker as the source of the listing content; and (ii) a prominent, followable, search engine indexable, plain-html hyperlink (each, a “Link”) directly back to the listing broker’s website for the listing. Participants shall ensure that the Link is provided in a manner designed to provide the listing broker with proper attribution, including by recognized search engines. Participants shall not alter or manipulate any Link such that the Link is not readily indexable by recognized search engines, nor shall Participant otherwise reduce proper attribution for the Listing.
MLS Policy Statement 7.87 - Transmittal of Participants’ Listings to Aggregators Policy
(New Paragraph) The MLS shall require all third-party aggregators to identify the listing firm in a reasonably prominent location and in a readily visible color and typeface not smaller than the median used in the display of listing data, including: (i) prominent attribution to the listing broker as the source of the listing content; and (ii) a prominent, followable, search engine indexable, plain-html hyperlink (each, a “Link”)* directly back to the listing broker’s website for the listing. Third-party aggregators shall ensure that the Link is provided in a manner designed to provide the listing broker with proper attribution, including by recognized search engines. Third-party aggregators shall not alter or manipulate any Link such that the Link is not readily indexable by recognized search engines, nor shall third-party aggregators otherwise reduce proper attribution for the listing.
* MLSs are not responsible to enforce this rule against third-party aggregators unless a Link is provided by the listing broker.
Model Virtual Office Website (VOW) Rules for MLSs
Section 19.18 (a): A Participant shall cause any listing that is displayed on his or her VOW to identify the name of the listing firm and the listing broker or agent in a readily visible color, in a reasonably prominent location, and in typeface not smaller than the median typeface used in the display of listing data.
(b): Participants shall include: (i) prominent attribution to the listing broker as the source of the Listing content; and (ii) a prominent, followable, search engine indexable, plain-html hyperlink (each, a “Link”) directly back to the listing broker’s website for the Listing. Participants shall ensure that the Link is provided in a manner designed to provide the listing broker with proper attribution, including by recognized search engines. Participants shall not alter or manipulate any Link such that the Link is not readily indexable by recognized search engines, nor shall Participant otherwise reduce proper attribution for the listing.
Note: Corresponding revisions will be made to the IDX rules and the VOW policy statement.