Subscribe to an RSS Feed
I just had to share this article that comes compliments of luxury homes australia. I have to say I chuckle to myself about the whole online real estate struggle between the heavy weights and I really love to see them hurt for a change. Well Done Google for actually creating a portal for free, so that the people providing the content can actually get the rewards for a change, instead of having to pay just to advertise your listings so the multi nationals can make money off your content.
Watch this space…..I am quite excited about sharing this struggle.
Bring it on I say 
“GOOGLE is facing the greatest challenge yet to its might in Australia as two of its largest media customers threaten to pull their business in retaliation against the internet company’s decision to enter the real estate listings market.
Fairfax Media and News Ltd are independently weighing up whether to pull the millions of dollars they collectively spend on buying key search terms on Google following the latter’s decision to list properties for sale on Google Maps.
But almost a third of their traffic comes via Google, Hitwise reports, which raises the question of who needs who more? Google has 92 per cent of the search advertising market and this year is expected to book revenues close to $1 billion.
Greg Ellis, the chief executive of REA Group — which operates realestate.com.au — welcomed competition in the market place but added: “It will be interesting to see how Google reconciles its ability to encourage companies to purchase Adwords, buy Google Maps and DoubleClick services and then compete with those companies who currently or intend to buy these services. “It’s a discussion that should occur across the Australian internet landscape not just within REA. We are reviewing our options, no decision has yet been made.”
Lloyd Whish-Wilson, the head of Fairfax’s NSW metropolitan publishing, which includes Domain’s online and print properties, released a short statement: “We are looking at our options at the moment. We are obviously not keen to support a would-be competitor with our revenue.”
At stake is a market that grew last year by 38 per cent and is forecast to grow by a further 23 per cent this year, according to analyst Frost & Sullivan.
Google spokeswoman Lucinda Barlow said it had received “great feedback” about its site to date and would like to work more closely with Fairfax and REA to take its listings — which both groups are refusing to do. “We are partners and we would like to discuss this ,” she said.”
Write Comment