Today’s real estate consumers are, to borrow a phrase, “extremely online”. To meet them where they are, property developers need to adjust their marketing and develop awareness of exactly which digital channels their buyers frequent.
A 2020 Bain report showed that, since the beginning of the pandemic, 47% of digital consumers reduced the frequency of offline purchases, with 30% increasing online shopping in response. The report also revealed that 84% of online shoppers are first-time users of digital apps. The trend is being mirrored on mobile, an InMobi study found 37% spike in average daily hours spent per device was recorded between 2019 and Q2 of 2020, with Southeast Asia ranking second globally in terms of time spent on mobile.
All this to say that salespeople and marketers have to reckon with a brand new market of digital consumers who primarily seek and consume information online. In real estate and property, we’ve seen industry leaders rise to the challenge with more digital listings, smart end-to-end property sales apps, and increasing usage of virtual reality and augmented reality tours.
Bringing the real estate buyer’s journey online
Consumers have become so well-acquainted with online purchasing that the property buyer’s journey – from discovery to consideration – may be conducted wholly online. A 2020 poll by real estate intelligence firm Mingtiandi found a sharp rise in technological adoption to follow their buyers’ online habits. Nearly three-fourth (73%) of survey respondents reported investing in video conferencing systems.
Smaller numbers reported adopting digital signature systems for documents (17%) and VR to enable remote sales (11%). “In the world of agency and professional services, the online inspection has come of age, with brokers, valuers and clients accepting digital alternatives to in-person visits,” explained Chris Marriott, chief executive for Southeast Asia at Savills.
More than ever, developers need to build a strong online presence, and master digital marketing tools that fully engage their prospects. These digital tools should be up-to-date, accurate, and compelling, especially since more and more property buyers have warmed to the idea of making large purchases (like down payments) online.
[Our data reveals that projects using Premium Project Listing receive up to 90% uplift in pageviews, compared to projects in organic search results.]
DDproperty’s deceptively simple tools for property developers
As property industry veterans, we’re familiar with the complicated journey that salespeople take with buyers before reaching a successful sale. That’s why we’ve outfitted DDproperty with all the digital marketing tools they need to promote and sell their properties to the most receptive buyers. At the very least, we can make sure that your property listings are engaging, insightful, and perhaps most importantly, visible on the web.
Developers cater to a wide variety of customers in different parts of the marketing funnel: that’s why the platform offers tier-based digital marketing services where property developers can choose a level of service that fits their budget and intended audience to a tee.
It’s no trouble at all getting started with DDproperty’s digital marketing products: they’re literally as simple as A, B, C:
A-List: Premium Project Listings for choice projects
Your project listing on DDproperty will be both broad-based and focused: it can be displayed to over 50 million active property seekers across Southeast Asia, but our tools also allow you to narrow your listing audience down to the most relevant and receptive buyers.
With DDproperty’s popularity, you may expect thousands of listings to be competing alongside yours, you need to work to improve your property’s visibility. While factors like price, location, and inherent project features are outside your control, you can snag more views and inquiries by playing on other factors, like constantly updating your content and using rich media like virtual tours.
To better zero in on your target market, take advantage of DDproperty’s Premium Project Listings: a new marketing platform that places developer listings at the top of search results on DDproperty.
Properties listed on Premium Project Listing are guaranteed to enjoy the best visibility by district level — even above agent-featured listings. Our data reveals that projects using Premium Project Listing receive up to 90% uplift in pageviews, compared to projects in organic search results.
Business Marketplace: EasyOwn spotlights developer deals
Discounts and deals can help increase conversions for your property developments. But you can do one better: by promoting those discounts and deals in the right place, alongside those of other reputable developers, you can boost conversion even more.
DDproperty EasyOwn puts the spotlight on the most attractive developer deals in a particular area. By joining EasyOwn’s curated collection of developer projects, you can promote your property to a receptive audience looking for attractive property deals and discount packages.
In support of the Thai government’s Real Estate Stimulus Measure on lowering property transfer fees and Bank of Thailand (BoT)’s relaxation on loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for mortgage lending – initiatives that are designed to support homebuyers looking for purchase property -participation in EasyOwn is crucial given relatively low sales of unsold properties in Thailand’s housing market, which has remained lukewarm despite a recent rebound in transaction volumes to pre-pandemic levels.
Correcting The Balance: The Way Forward
Even as 90% of consumers are now making their buying decisions online, property developers have been slow to adapt: they’re only spending 20% of their promotional budget on online channels.
DDproperty can help you correct this imbalance, with easy-to-use services that are focused on making the home search process more straightforward and transparent for everyone involved. We employ over 1,400 Gurus in five markets across Southeast Asia, making us the leading Proptech company in the region.
Find out how simple it is to use DDproperty’s digital marketing products to promote your business to the right online audience. Connect with your account manager or email to developer-sales-th@ddproperty.com, and we’ll get in touch right away!
