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How To Create a Custom Subdomain (CNAME) in IDX Broker

What is a Custom Subdomain?

One of the SEO features IDX Broker offers is to have all of your property searches and details pages show up on a custom subdomain of your site like:

search.yourdomain.com
realestate.yourdomain.com
or homes.yourdomain.com

instead of yourdomain.idxbroker.com.

This is also called a "CNAME record" in most domain hosting platforms.

What do I need to set up a custom subdomain for IDX Broker?

You need access to:

  1. Your IDX Broker account. If you need help with this, your chosen developer partner can help you. If you need a developer partner for your IDX Broker account, you can use RealtyCandy for free.
  2. Access to your DNS settings - this is the login for wherever you purchased your domain. Like BlueHost, HostGator, Wix, Squarespace, etc.

How do I set up a custom subdomain for IDX Broker?

At RealtyCandy, we set up custom subdomains for our clients at no cost. This setup takes us less than 5 minutes and can be completed easily by doing a quick screenshare over Zoom or Google Meet.

 

If you want to set this up yourself, first just log in to your hosting account and find your DNS settings.

 

Then, create a new record under the CNAME category. (This needs to be a CNAME to work correctly, not a new subdomain or redirect.)

 

You can label the CNAME anything you like, for this example we'll be setting up "homes.yourdomain.com".

 

For the name, put "homes" and for the value, point it to subdomains.idxbroker.com.

 

*When you put in the domain values just put “homes” if that is your CNAME, not yourdomain.com after it.

 

Leave the default TTL as it is and save your new CNAME record.
IDX Broker Subdomain Setup Area

Next, log in to IDX Broker. Continue to scroll down the menu on the side until you find "Account", and then "Details".

 

Under "Use Custom Domain", switch the option to Yes. Last, input the CNAME you set up into the Custom Domain box and make sure you save your changes.

 

If there is an error, it will show a red message letting you know if the error is with the type of record or that it is not pointing to the correct URL.

IDX Broker Subdomain Error Message

If everything is working properly, you'll see a green message that lets you know your setup was successful, and you should see your new URL for your IDX Broker pages within a few minutes.

IDX Broker Subdomain Success Message

Make sure you save your changes before leaving the page to confirm your CNAME is set up.

Still Stuck? Check out our video tutorial:

This can be tricky for some people. If you would like to do a Zoom meeting with Sonia, one of our team members who specializes in helping our clients set this up, just click on this link to schedule.

**You will need to be sure to have the credentials for your hosting company (username and password used to log in to GoDaddy, BlueHost, HostGator, or wherever you host your domain). You will not be sharing these with us. Instead, you will log in and we will tell you where to click to configure the CNAME correctly.**

 

Looking for more ways to boost SEO?

You can also activate our SEO Links app if you're using any of our IDX Broker Details templates. Click here for more information or go to IDXaddons to apply it.