Oodle, a search engine for local classifieds, announced that its application programming interface (API) is now generally available. Sites using Oodle's API are now also eligible to participate in Oodle's affiliate program, which compensates them for the traffic they generate.

Oodle's open API allows websites to integrate results from Oodle's search index directly into their site. Since its introduction three months ago, Oodle's API has been available to partners by request and is currently being used by a wide range of sites. These sites include local classifieds and newspaper sites such as Backpage, Backfence and the Examiner.com, as well as vertical marketplaces such as iMotorList and CityCribs.

"Oodle has extended the reach of our classified advertisers by making Examiner.com's classifieds available through Oodle's many partner websites," said Dave Schafer, President and CEO of Examiner.com. "At the same time, having access to Oodle's broad network of classified advertisements enables Examiner.com to provide the fullest classified marketplace in each of our cities."

In addition to offering an API, Oodle also works with partners to power the classifieds search for their online marketplaces. Oodle search is currently deployed at Lycos, ReadExpress (a Washington Post publication), and The Sun (the largest daily newspaper in the UK).

Oodle also announced it has partnered with iHomefinder to offer an MLS-compliant solution for brokerages to feature their own listings on Oodle and across Oodle's classifieds partner network. Oodle Real Estate now has over 2 million real estate listings in its search index. The new partnership with iHomefinder will enable brokers to easily promote their own real estate listings to the Oodle classifieds network.

http://www.oodle.com/info/api

http://www.ihomefinder.com/oodle