This is part 4 of The Data Deal, a series that helps guide professionals through the process of choosing the best data vendor resource for their business by offering questions and qualities prospects should look for in their data vendor.

When home shoppers search for their next place, they are looking for both a great house and a great community. So, providing expansive, accurate, and valuable community information to home shoppers is critical.

When considering which data vendor to utilize for your Community Data which questions should be top of mind? How do you ensure you're choosing the best data vendor for your business? Here are a couple of key questions to ask potential community data providers:

How many fields of data do you provide for community demographics?

The more the better. Ideally, you want to have options. Companies can range from 10-20 data fields to hundreds. Make sure items like crime, climate and air quality are part of your community package as those are the pieces of information important to shoppers looking for their next home.

How is the data delivered?

We offer a standard API with XML or JSON output. We also offer the Community data via a bulk file that is delivered via an FTP site in Pipe Delimited format. Either way you choose to have it delivered, you will have complete control over what data is displayed as well as the look and feel of the implementation. Our clients choose to work with the Community API and bulk file to generate SEO and increase user engagement.

What geography levels do you offer the data?

You need a company that can provide you not only a vast amount of high quality, accurate and up to date data, but also one that can deliver that data at various geography levels. Make sure your data providers offers state, city/place, zip code, and neighborhood levels. Neighborhood level information is the most essential piece. People don't necessarily know the zip code across town but they typically know the neighborhood name. You want to be able relay important information for the 80,000+ neighborhoods across the US!

What exactly is included in the community data you provide?

"Community" can mean a lot of things to people. You want to create the best experience possible for visitors to your site by painting a complete picture of the local community. This includes demographic information, crime, weather, taxes, and other crucial details. Make sure the community information you receive is complete and provides that experience.

Providing Community Data that covers all that a home shopper wants to know about an area ensures more traffic, more engagement, and an increased likeliness for your traffic to convert. If you have questions about choosing the right data provider, contact me at [email protected].

To view the original article, visit the Onboard Informatics blog.

More Articles in this Series

• The Data Deal Series
• The Data Deal Series: School Data Edition
• The Data Deal Series: Point of Interest Edition
• The Data Deal Series: Home Sales Trends and Transactions Edition