Transformative Drupal Migration and Custom Design for Eaton Realty

The Challenge:

With an outdated Drupal 7 platform, Eaton Realty sought to upgrade to Drupal 9 to leverage its advanced capabilities. Moreover, a custom home listing feature with advanced search filters was necessary to offer clients an easy and user-friendly way to browse properties. This was complemented by transitioning from a RETS-based MLS to an MLS Grid-based integration, allowing us to easily pull data from the MLS Grid. A custom design was required to improve user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) tailored to the real estate industry's specific needs to increase conversion rates.

Outdated Drupal 

The update to Drupal 9 was a strategic move towards leveraging the latest web technology for enhanced performance, security, and scalability. We carefully analyzed Eaton Realty's existing digital infrastructure, identifying critical components and data needed to transition with minimal downtime and without losing data or functionality. 

Improving User Experience

The focus was creating an intuitive, engaging user interface (UI) that simplifies the property search and browsing experience. Inclind achieved this by incorporating responsive design elements, ensuring the website's optimal performance across various devices and screen sizes. Attention to detail in the user interface design, such as strategic placement of search filters and property listings, enhanced user engagement, and ease of navigation.

ADA Accessibility 

This commitment to accessibility meant rigorously adhering to web standards that guarantee the website is usable by people with a wide range of disabilities. By integrating accessibility features such as keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and color contrast adjustments, we ensured that the website was more inclusive and aligned with legal standards. 
 

Our Solution

Each solution was carefully crafted to meet Eaton Realty's specific needs, ensuring a modern, efficient, and user-friendly digital presence that stands out in the competitive real estate market. With a successful Drupal migration and implementation of a decoupled front-end architecture, we were able to provide a web solution that meets Eaton's needs.

Drupal Migration 

This migration provided a more secure and scalable version of its CMS platform, enabling Eaton Realty to better manage its content and digital assets. Inclind's expert team ensured a smooth transition, preserving the integrity of existing data and functionality while unlocking new features and efficiencies offered by Drupal 9.

Decoupled Front-end Architecture 

Implementing a decoupled front-end architecture allowed for greater flexibility and improved user experience. This approach separates the back-end content management from the front-end user interface, resulting in faster page loads, more dynamic content updates, and a more responsive website. This architecture enables better integration with various APIs and services, offering a more cohesive and interactive user experience. We also used Next.js as our framework to deliver a scalable and future-proof digital solution.

The blazing fast user experience includes:

• Map based search with advanced filtering.
• Conversion friendly listing pages.
• CRM integration for lead capture.
• Similar listing engine
• Automated Neighborhood landing pages.
• Favorite listing feature.
• Visitor registration & dashboard.
• SEO friendly blog.

RETs-based to MLS Grid-based Integration 

Transitioning from a RETS-based to MLS Grid-based integration gave us the means to pull the data easily for Eaton Realty. This modern integration system streamlined the process of updating and managing property listings, ensuring more accurate and up-to-date information for users. The MLS Grid-based integration also provided a more robust and reliable platform for handling large volumes of real estate data, enhancing the overall efficiency of the website.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance

Recognizing the importance of keeping the website up-to-date and functioning optimally, Inclind has committed to providing Eaton Realty with ongoing support and maintenance. This includes regular updates, security patches, and technical support to ensure the website remains secure, efficient, and aligned with the latest web standards and technologies.

Custom Design 

A custom design reflected Eaton Realty's brand identity and enhanced the user experience. Inclind focused on creating a user-friendly interface that resonates with Eaton Realty's audience. The design emphasized ease of navigation, aesthetic appeal, and alignment with Eaton Realty's branding, ensuring a memorable and engaging online experience for visitors.

Hotjar Implementation

Incorporating Hotjar provided valuable insights into user behavior and website performance. This tool allows for tracking user interactions, such as clicks, scrolls, and mouse movements, offering a deeper understanding of how visitors engage with the website. These insights are instrumental in making data-driven decisions to optimize the user experience and interface continuously.

Recaptcha Integration 

To enhance website security and user trust, Inclind integrated Google's reCAPTCHA system. This helps to prevent spam and abuse by distinguishing human users from bots. Eaton Realty's online forms must ensure a secure experience for legitimate users while blocking malicious activities.