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A video interview released this morning features the experiences of eight agents who have quit Rightmove in the past two years, and how they have fared since.
The video, produced by leading industry consultant Chris Watkin, is likely to fuel the debate that’s currently raging over the future of agents listing on the major portals.
The eight agents are from different areas of the UK and specialise across sales, lettings or both; the common factor is that they have all stopped listing on Rightmove, mostly triggered by rising fees.
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However, the testimonies from the agents do not necessarily offer support to other portals - in some cases, all three major portals are criticised and some agents speak of the current or potential benefits of Facebook and social media as advertising.
And there’s also the debate over whether Zoopla will adopt the same pricing and attitudes as Rightmove if the latter loses agents and the former becomes stronger as a result - “Are we just creating Rightmove mark 2?” asks Watkin.
There are also interesting comparisons between the current reliance on portals and the previous reliance of advertising in local newspapers - was it easier to tell vendors ‘back then’ that their properties would not be in the paper than it is now to tell them their properties will not be on Rightmove?
It’s a lengthy video - just over an hour - but a fascinating debate between agents; the video has just been released this morning and you can see it below.
There's a myth that vendors demand to be on Rightmove. Vendors, on the whole, don't have a clue as to what makes good marketing/promotion. Give them a compelling reason for not being on any portal. That they don't need 'reach' that portals allegedly provide, or the highest number of views - they need the right buyer. A buyer that isn't just browsing, but one who is seriously interested. CTR figures that are meaningless. Properties that are sandwiched between every other similarly priced property, looking for all the world like they couldn't care less if anyone shows interest.
You can buy a book on Amazon, but if you really want to know more about it, you go to a bookstore. Readers go where the books are well displayed and the staff, knowledgeable and caring.
Agents don't do enough to make their instructions remarkable and so they acquiesse to the portal and wonder why they are ignored by a potential buyer.
If the portals disappeared tomorrow, what is your plan B? Would you survive without them?
Interesting to hear different view points. Whilst watching the video, I uploaded a property to my own web site(which launched in 1999) before I upload to other portals, sent out emails to potential buyers from my data base and, while watching this video, I had booked a viewing and had a conversation with an expat in Canada about the same property. I know it doesn't happen with every property I list, but just saying.
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There's a myth that vendors demand to be on Rightmove. Vendors, on the whole, don't have a clue as to what makes good marketing/promotion. Give them a compelling reason for not being on any portal. That they don't need 'reach' that portals allegedly provide, or the highest number of views - they need the right buyer. A buyer that isn't just browsing, but one who is seriously interested. CTR figures that are meaningless. Properties that are sandwiched between every other similarly priced property, looking for all the world like they couldn't care less if anyone shows interest.
You can buy a book on Amazon, but if you really want to know more about it, you go to a bookstore. Readers go where the books are well displayed and the staff, knowledgeable and caring.
Agents don't do enough to make their instructions remarkable and so they acquiesse to the portal and wonder why they are ignored by a potential buyer.
If the portals disappeared tomorrow, what is your plan B? Would you survive without them?
Interesting to hear different view points. Whilst watching the video, I uploaded a property to my own web site(which launched in 1999) before I upload to other portals, sent out emails to potential buyers from my data base and, while watching this video, I had booked a viewing and had a conversation with an expat in Canada about the same property. I know it doesn't happen with every property I list, but just saying.
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