Thursday, November 01, 2012 3:20 PM

The Internet as a marketing tool has grown in strength rapidly, and for some markets and buyers, the enquiry levels have overtaken print media. But is it the main marketing tool for all markets?

Certainly, if your target market is under 30 years old, the Internet is a huge marketing tool. Many of the purchasers in this age group use only the Internet to find suitable properties. They often don’t read the newspaper in paper format, and rely on the Internet to keep themselves up to date with news and information.

The main Internet sites are Trademe and Realestate.co.nz.  Both provide a one-stop shop for buyers, as nearly every real estate company lists property on either one, or both of these sites. The benefit for purchasers is that they can get instant updates of new listings before they appear in the print media, and alerts via email enable them to view the property on line as soon as it is uploaded.

The cost of placing an internet listing is relatively low cost, but once again, it is important to maintain the general rules of marketing by ensuring that the photography is beautiful, the information is accurate and that buyers are tempted to view your property in person, by what they see and feel online. The Internet is like a worldwide sign; therefore the rules of great signage are the same. Have beautiful photography, it doesn’t cost a lot these days.  Keep the listing clean and crisp looking with accurate information about all the key elements of your property. If your property is multi listed, don’t be tempted to allow all the companies to list your property on Trademe and Realesate.co.nz. It’s like having several signs on your property. You could allow one to have your property on Trademe and the other on Realestate.co.nz, which solves this problem, and any others can list on their own website. Make sure that your property stands out by adding super features to the listing. They may cost a little more, but you appear on the front page of the listings and capture more potential purchasers. Refresh a listing frequently to ensure it remains up to date and in front of buyers viewing.

For high-end properties that may attract overseas buyers, a beautiful webpage is well worth the investment. These pages can have additional information to assist buyers like integrated floor plans with photos, video walk through and access to information that is not available directly on the webpage. The Internet has changed the way we market property, and reduced the cost of marketing. It is an essential tool for 99% of the market.