The Power of Online Directories in the Property Market

21st March 2015

According to reports, 80 percent of potential buyers begin their search for a property by using the internet, which indicates that most homes in the UK are sold online. However - that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, only 4 percent of homes are sold digitally, which suggests that there is a breakdown in buyer-agent communication sometime between the initial search and making an offer which is affecting the UK property market. The question we need to be asking is at what stage this breakdown takes place, and why it occurs.

Of course, the communication breakdown could take place once an estate agent has been chosen and the buyer is searching for properties. Poor user experience and a need to register information at an early stage could certainly be contributing factors. But maybe the communication breakdown comes much earlier than this - before the potential buyer has even made it to an estate agents’ website.

Using SEO Methods

A study into the current property market, and current trends, has concluded that, overall, online estate agents in the UK are ‘not very findable’ from search engines alone. Despite this, what we do know is that SEO is a primary focus for today’s businesses, suggesting that, in terms of the property market, content marketing alone isn’t enough to truly strengthen an online presence. The property market is struggling in part due to a classic case of poor marketing techniques by online estate agents.

It’s quite ironic that online estate agents place a heavy focus upon promoting the value of online directories for their buyers and sellers, encouraging them to use listings to aid their sales and purchases, and yet they aren’t utilising this beneficial marketing technique for their own businesses. When advertising directories were first launched in earnest - in print - they worked, and they work well. Directories haven’t stopped working - they perform the same task they always have done - but consumers are today wanting the ease and convenience of the web.

That’s why ‘emarketplaces’ are thriving. Essentially, they’re the same listings that were once in print, but in a format that fits in with modern, digital lifestyles. When used correctly, online directories fill in the gaps that SEO and content marketing cannot, driving traffic to the front page - a page that’s often overlooked by search engines due to a lack of search engine optimised content. For those working in the property sector, SEO alone isn’t enough to sustain high rankings and ‘findability’ - it needs to be used in conjunction with a marketing method that directly drives traffic, increases awareness, and boosts online presence.

Yazoomer.com is a leading online directory offering global promotion for small to medium sized businesses looking to strengthen their online presence. Sign up to Yazoomer today and take advantage of our introductory offer, get 3 months advertising for just £1. Our worldwide customers will be charged the same amount in their local currency.

We would also welcome any feedback or comments that will help us improve our website. Please send to info@yazoomer.com. Your email address will not be disclosed to any third party nor used for marketing purposes.