This article describes the general approach for adding Buying Buddy on a draft site project.
When your client is ready to get going, get the order form link with your referral code, that is shown on your dashboard. This link contains your partner referral code that connects orders to your account.
To get started with installation, access your client's account by using the login icon (shown for each of your Accounts in your Developer portal dashboard).
Then go to Website & Widgets > Setup and Install.
This page in your dashboard shows links to all the resources you'll need for setup and installation.
See this support page for detailed technical installation instructions.
Authorized Domains and Account Activation Key
Buying Buddy widgets only work on authorized domains.
The Account Activation Key (unique to each account) must be added to the Buying Buddy plugin, and validates the plugin on the domain to allow the IDX widgets to be displayed using the MLS data feed(s) in that account.
Typically, the plugin is installed once for any site and will apply to all pages in the site.
- With WordPress, all you need to do is install the Buying Buddy WordPress plugin.
- For all other websites, the Buying Buddy JavaScript plugin should be added so that it loads at the top of every page.
The plugin is authorized to function on any page or folder on an authorized domain.
For example, if the Buying Buddy plugin is already installed on this Authorized Domain in your account:
www.mydevdomain.com
Then, Buying Buddy widgets will display, with no extra settings, on all sub-pages such as:
www.mydevdomwww.mydevdomain.com/site1/... www.mydevdomain.com/site2/... www.mydevdomain.com/staging/bob/... www.mydevdomain.com/staging/mary/...ain.com
Subdomains
Subdomains need to be treated as separate authorized domains.
For example, all these would need to be added as "authorized domains" in a Buying Buddy account:
- mydomain.com
- www.mydomain.com
- sallysmith.mydomain.com
Planning Your Development Environment
With Buying Buddy you can create client sites with widgets, then simply change the Account Activation Key in the plugin to switch to the clients account when ready.
Nothing else needs to be changed.
WordPress
As the WordPress plugin can only be installed once on a site, the Account Activation Key will determine which account the site is connected to, and the MLS data that widgets use.
Example Scenarios
A. Build a site on your Developer Account domain name, using your Developer Account Activation Key (which uses Demo MLS data).
- When the client orders Buying Buddy they can specify your development domain as "their" Staging Domain so that it's also now also authorized in their Buying Buddy account.
- Change the Account Activation Key in the Plugin settings to be from your client's account.
(When they receive IDX approval, the widgets will then show data from their MLS). - When your project is complete and the client's Buying Buddy account is live, you can then update the domain name of the site.
B. Build a site using a subdomain as a staging site domain.
- Your client should place an order and specify the subdomain as the 'staging domain' on the order form. Install the WordPress plugin and activate with the client's Account Activation Key.
- Alternatively, you may request that the subdomain is added to your Developer Account as an authorized domain, and then activate the plugin with the Account Activation key from your Developer account. When your client receives IDX approval, change the Account Activation Key in the Plugin settings to be from your client's account (if not yet done). Widgets will then show data from their MLS.
- When your project is complete and the client's Buying Buddy account is live, you can then update the domain name of the site.
All Other Sites (JavaScript plugin)
For most developer environments using the JavaScript plugin, you will have more flexibility when choosing how to load the plugin.
If you load the JavaScript plugin with your Developer account Activation Key to load everywhere, then all widgets on any page/folder will use the Demo MLS.
However, if you have the ability to control or program this, then you can load the plugin in folders to use the Activation Key of the client account in each case.
In the Plugin JavaScript, the account Authorization Key is labeled as "acid", and in the example below is set to "OLrJDh".
var MBB = {seo : "false",data:{ acid : "OLrJDh" } };
To use folders for Staging Domains with Client's own Account Authorization Key:
- The root domain you are using should also be added to the Clients account as an authorized domain.
NOTE: Just specify the domain . Do not specify any folders. - If the client's site is in folder /project-a, and the clients Account Activation Key is "abc123" then just make sure that the plugin is loading with this key specified on pages in this folder.
Remember, you don't have to do all this straight away. You could create the client site using your Developer Account credentials and then change things when ready.
Reminder When Making This Site Live
When you create a staging site, all the pages and widgets you built can now be used, without change, when the client gets their live Buying Buddy Account.
Your client should place an order for Buying Buddy using your referral links.
When your client receives IDX approval and their account is 'live', you need to
- Install the plugin on the clients site (if not yet done)
- Activate with their Account Authorization Key so that the widgets using data from their MLS data feed, not the Demo MLS.
All the widgets will then present live data from the client's own MLS.
Staging URL Required?
If you need a staging domain in a client account. please send us the domain name that will be used for staging. Buying Buddy widgets will only work on authorized domains that are in your client accounts.
Google Map API Keys for Your Clients
We recommend that you have each client obtain their own Google map key using their own personal Gmail account. Google Maps API has a free tier of use. This means there should be no fees associated with using the API if our instructions are followed.
Provide these instructions to your clients: How to Get a Google Map API Key.