Anyone reading the Financial Review article by Noel Shoebridge would think he had some interest in feeling happy about Just Listed’s poor showing with their newspaper guide.
As an avid reader of the ‘Fin Review’ I from time to time come across feature articles that make me boil – and this was no exception.
The article focuses on Just Listed’s poor showing and the downsizing of its distribution of its property guide in Sydney. These may be facts, but anyone with any brains would know that newspaper advertising for real estate listings is dead in the water anyway.
Agents will use newspapers for feature listings and branding in the future, other than that it is a complete waste of money.
The Internet has shown how it can please owners, agents and the consumer by providing a wealth of information, unlimited detailed photography, virtual tours, unlimited text descriptions, floor and block plans and soon movies – all at the click of a button and for about 1-30 of the annual budget of a newspaper.
In fact if all the portals got together and did a research poll of 10’s of thousands of consumers they will see that only a small percentage actually do their property research with papers – it is all online!
Now here is my beef with Mr Shoebridge.
1. Simon Baker the CEO of Realestate.com.au made it clear his paper guides were a trial only. He was just dipping his feet. I made it clear what I thought of the guide. He did not start talking about it nationally, he simply stated that if it was successful he will look at introducing it into new areas.
2. Domain.com.au is so far behind realestate.com.au in terms of agents, content and readers that it is getting to the point where the Domain site should not even be mentioned in the same breath – let alone putting it above realestate.com.au
3. If you think Sensis will run away from classifieds you are sorely mistaken, in fact I have no doubt you will kick them into action and Domain.com.au is an easy target – as good as it is!
4. Slap your hands – un named sources are for New Idea and New Weekly buddy – that is unless it is sensitive information of which this article had none.
5. It is clear that this article is a promotional piece aimed at agents and possibly a dwindling of your readership and revenues.
6. “Domain East and North are performing well above budget” What does that mean? You are part of the company writing the article but that could mean it is bleeding money everywhere! But not as bad as you thought.
Sensis has big problems yes, the Just Listed site is a sham and they need someone with skill to takeover its strategy. But Sensis knows the future is online and even though they make mistakes time and time again they have a big budget and will get it right eventually.
They have to convince agents it has a future and in its current format that is impossible!
So Neil Shoebridge and Fairfax – I would get your own house in order before rediculing others and pumping yourself endlessly or agents will be left with only one choice and that is realestate.com.au!
Check this out for excellent offshore web development. They are the best in seat outsourcing.