Real Estate and the Importance of Social Media in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Let’s face it: most people, especially in the Philippines, do their research online and looks for various sources to know whether a piece of information is legit or not. The social media community has also grown bigger over the past few years, which is why most businesses spend a lot of money just to be in their customers feed in the hopes of gaining a sale, or simply for exposure.

“The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.” - Andrew Brown

There’s no difference when it comes to real estate, wherein buyers look online for answers to their questions, and sellers seek potential clients. But while the internet has already become a trusted medium, using it should always be done with caution.

Where We Are Now?

The real estate industry is one of the industries that still use traditional marketing and promotions, wherein they connect with potential clients offline. Flyers, billboards, mall booths and such are still being utilized to attract buyers, but tracking how many people are actually converted into leads or even buyers can be difficult.

With this in mind, a lot of brokers and developers are now using the power of the internet to their advantage.

Facts and Data

“If you are not online, you don’t exist.”

In Asia-Pacific, there are one billion internet users, making up 46% of the total internet users in the world. In the Philippines alone, the number of active internet users has grown by 18% since January 2014.

In a 2015 report, 44% of Filipinos are active internet users, and 90% of them have active social media accounts despite the fact that we have one of the slowest (and most expensive) internet connections in the whole world. Also, thirty-four percent of Filipino internet users go online every day, and the average Filipino spends up to 21.5 hours each week online.

On the real estate front, MyProperty.ph’s Facebook Insights data, revealed that 48% of their visitors in the 20–29 age group use the internet, and the 25–34 age bracket is the group most interested in real estate.

Importance of Social Media in the Real Estate industry

“Social media is changing the way we communicate and the way we are perceived, both positively and negatively. Every time you post a photo, or update your status, you are contributing to your own digital footprint and personal brand.” - Amy Jo Martin

Social media has grown from a simple tool of sharing thoughts to a new way of connecting people around the world. Nowadays, it is used as a medium to connect a brand with its customers and potential clients. New online marketing strategies have been created just to cater to people in social media, and most businesses are already using them.

Over the past few years, social media has been feeding the people’s hunger for information regarding the real estate industry. More and more real estate businesses have adapted the ways of the new digital marketing age, creating more competition online. This means if you don’t put your business online, you don’t exist.

You can help your audience find you, and the best way to do that is to make your brand present online. Even if your competitors are already in it, it’s not too late. If you are already in the game and your competitors aren’t then you have the advantage. Make it count.

Sources:

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/489762/scitech/technology/list-philippines-ranks-21st-of-22-asian-countries-in-internet-download-speed

http://www.slideshare.net/likke13/social-media-stats-in-the-philippines-2015

http://digitalmarketingphilippines.com/the-state-of-digital-marketing-in-the-philippines/