I ran across this article... I think on Twitter... and it got me thinking (always dangerous).
Now, I am NOT thinking that I should charge for my content, and frankly, I'm not really concerned with what the newspapers choose to do on their website. But, I think there is still an application.
Registration...
Some agents require registration for consumers to view listings. I don't, but there are some valid reasons to do so... and one giant reason NOT to have a registration required search. Critics point out that only a small percentage of consumers will complete the registration, and a smaller percentage will complete that registration with real information. But, in gross numbers, more registrations will happen with a forced registration site than will happen with an open site not requiring any registration.
The big problem (or the flip side...) is that there are plenty of search options that don't require registration, so it will likely chase people off of the site. So, unless you are offering a search that obviously blows the doors off of any other search site, it WILL chase away consumers.
But...
The Unique Selling Proposition is what is called for. In order to have a forced registration search, the search would need to be above and beyond other searches... But what about content... specifically the other thing that consumers are looking for... the thing that there IS room for the average agent to build that is above and beyond the competition up the street?
Market Reports...
I look at a lot of market reports, and there are some GREAT reports out there that folks put together. There are also a LOT of market reports that just flat out suck. There is no way around it... They have a little template and the report fits into the template and unless one reads the last 15 months of them at one sitting and builds a spreadsheet, they have NO good information. There are a load of reports out there that have no insight and no perspective. They recite how many homes sold in the previous week or month, but not the week or month before or the same period a year before.
So...
What if we built market reports that consumers WANTED to get? And then what if we required registration to access those reports for the first month or two? They would drop from behind the curtain after the first month, but for that first month only "members" would be able to access them. Consumers could sample the reports for 'free'.. without registration, unless they wanted the most current info. That would be a trade...
What do you think?
The technology would require a few upgrades... but it is workable. Let's assume that implementation would not be an issue and focus on the idea...
I'd love to hear from consumers, agents and anyone else with an opinion.
Unless otherwise noted, all content of this blog is the property of Lane Bailey, ©2012 Lane Bailey.
I'd love to hear from you...
I like the idea. People always want to know about what is going on in their market, and I do not think people will mind registering.
Hey Lane,
This builds of my most recent post. Interesting indeed.Inman news does just the opposite. The newsest news, that is today;s news, is freely accessable then if falls behind the curtain.
I do know past histgorical information comes up in google search, but you can not get to it.
Hmmm.
Me
David - I disagree. I think most folks on the internet don't like to have to register... but if the content is compelling, they will overcome that dislike. I'm just wondering if good market reports can be compelling.
Craig - And I also wondered about a window... New reports hidden (I think those are the most valuable) and older reports hidden, but some period in between available to all...
Lane - you are onto something here and I have been and am slowly but surely working toward this type of scenario/system. I am compiling reports as fast as I can - tedious as I have to manually do this for the level of reports I want put out. I was also thinking about allowing views of 1-2 specific reports and then asking for registration. Work in progress. I need so much more time than there is in a day (taking care of a 19-mo-old at the same time too). Currently on our home site we require registration to view details and it seems to work pretty well. We do not get many fake registrations. I completely agree I can't stand when I have to register immediately for something or another and I will go to a different site. If I like what I see first and am asked for registration later it's not so bad. ~Rita
Oh, also wanted to add that I too look at a ton of market reports as I am trying to perfect the ones I put out. I looked at one site that boasted how they had great neighborhood specific reports and all I got was the standard bar graph that covers all of Denver! that we get from the local MLS or title companies.... that was not what I was looking for. And while I am at it. We still get by far the most views on the market reports posts and are converting quality business from them.
I am just starting to think of how to put together good market reports so I am looking forward to reading more postings here! Good suggestions.
Rita - I have a 4 1/2 year old and a 1 year old... I know what you mean. I have looked at a lot of reports too, and I don't like most of what I see.
Lise - Me too.