I wrote this article over on the Home Value Lead's blog some time ago, but recent exchanges on social media channels have made it evident that nobody has learned. Zillow is destroying you - and it is your fault.
I will preface this post now by saying this will not be politically correct and will include some colorful language. If you don't like that, you should probably click the back or close button now. I will also add in that this is not targeted at people who use or don't use Zillow, and finally this is not an "Us vs Them" article. I really don't care what you think about Zillow, Trulia and the rest. This article is directed at all of you who are pissing and moaning about how Zillow is perverting the real estate industry, yet you don't seem to do a damn thing about it. Zillow is destroying you - and it is your own fault.
Perhaps the word destroy is a bit over dramatic, but Zillow's rise to fame and popularity and your resulting headaches and frustrations are your own fault. Instead of doing something about it, you are going on Facebook, Twitter, and Active Rain whining about having to buy your own leads back from them. You know what cupcake? Suck it up. Either be an agent of change or an agent of adaptation, but Zillow and the rest of those sites are here to stay.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door." This was back in 1889 and, by the looks of it, this is around the same time that your website was designed. Sad as it is, the only internet presence out there for 90% of agents is on a company website, Facebook or Twitter. Does this sound like you? And there you sit, day after day, complaining that Zillow is using your listings and selling the leads to another agent. I know doing nothing but griping on Facebook is a popular political strategy, but didn't realized that it could help you grow and expand your business too.
Why would any consumer ever want to use Zillow? They have outdated information, inaccurate valuations, and are nothing but an advertising portal. But consumers don't see that. Consumers see a user-friendly interface. Consumers see a site that is mobile optimized. Consumers see a pretty cool mobile app. They DON'T see that the site is outdated because it doesn't LOOK outdated (like yours probably does). They don't see inaccurate valuations until YOU come along and tell them it is inaccurate. And they don't see it as an advertising portal because THEY are getting what THEY want and need. In short, Zillow has built a better mousetrap and the world is beating a path to their door. That better mousetrap may be a wolf in sheep's clothing (how many more cliches can I fit in this article?), but for the consumer it is the better mousetrap. And it pisses you off. But what exactly are you doing about it? Oh yeah, whining on Facebook and Active Rain. Yeah, that should get a lot accomplished.
Quit The Bitchin' and Start The Fixin'. Maybe instead of griping about what you need, you can start providing what the consumer needs. Instead of complaining about what you want, you can give the client what they want. Instead of going on Facebook and making a list of your demands, maybe you should ask your friends what their demands are (ever heard of Hear It Direct? Check it out.).
AND THEN DO SOMETHING TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. Start with replacing your aged company-provided website with something that looks like it was built during this decade. Become active in your MLS, local, state, and national associations and push for a public-facing portal that is functional and user friendly. Have your broker pool the resources of the office and design something that consumers will actually like and use. Make the decision to stop syndicating your listings to Zillow. Be the David to Zillow's Goliath. Be an agent of change and maybe something will actually change.
Change starts with action, not complaining. Either break out the checkbook and make some changes, or give your credit card to Zillow and buy another zip code.
Agree? Disagree? Comment below.
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