The Bright MLS and Collabra logos against a backdrop of someone using a laptop and smartphone.
Illustration by Lanette Behiry/Real Estate News; Shutterstock

Bright MLS teams up with Collabra for digital marketing 

The MLS's 100,000+ subscribers will gain access to integrated advertising and social media tools to boost their online presence.

September 12, 2023
3 minutes

Key points:

  • Starting in October, Bright subscribers will have access to Collabra's AdBuilder and SphereBuilder tools.
  • Both listing and buyer agents can use the products for brand-building and lead generation.
  • Subscribers can also take advantage of a social media assessment including recommendations for improvment.

Bright MLS, the second-largest MLS in the nation, has partnered with Collabra Technology to give members access to more marketing tools. 

Starting next month, Bright's more than 100,000 subscribers will be able to create compliant marketing campaigns they can use across social media platforms and Google as they enter new listings. 

"The process of placing an ad will be as streamlined and efficient as it could be," said Russ Cofano, CEO of Collabra Technology. (Note: Cofano also writes occasional guest columns for Real Estate News.)

Collabra's AdBuilder will be integrated into the Bright MLS listing system. "Every agent placing a listing will be set up to create an advertisement," Cofano said.

Beyond that, agents will have access to Collabra's SphereBuilder platform to hone their digital marketing efforts. SphereBuilder launched earlier this year and offers both an assessment of an agent's social media presence and tools to help them be more effective.

"SphereBuilder analyzes an agent's digital marketing presence then gives a pathway to improve it," Cofano said. Agents will get a score "benchmarked against how top producers in their marketplace score" and can then get recommendations of how to improve the reach and success of their digital marketing.

"By including our technology — both integrated within Bright's listing management system and as an additional offering to listing agents and buyer agents — we will make it super simple and convenient for their subscribers to embrace the power of online marketing and creating brand awareness in support of lead-generation efforts," Cofano said.

Bright MLS CMO Amit Kulkarni emphasized the importance of digital marketing for real estate professionals, calling it "critical to agents as part of their overall marketing strategy."

"Bright pursues offerings that give our subscribers the edge they need to promote their businesses and serve their clients in this ever-changing market," Kulkarni said, adding that the integration of Collabra's products "will make it easier than ever for our subscribers to grow their businesses and launch paid campaigns promoting both their listings and their personal brand."

"The key takeaway," said Cofano, "is that Bright sees an opportunity to help their agents with technology around digital marketing not only as it relates to listings but as it relates to non-listing content as well," Cofano said. "In today's world, it's really an indication of an MLS looking to help all their subscribers, not just their subscribers who have listings."

Bright previously partnered with Homesnap for mobile marketing services, but removed it as a core offering earlier this year when parent company CoStar announced it would be sunsetting the Homesnap product and redirecting traffic to Homes.com.

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