For many UK estate agents, Rightmove & Zoopla have long been the go-to platform for property listings. It’s an established name in the industry and commands a significant share of the property market. However, the rising costs and competition on Rightmove have led many estate agents to question whether it’s worth relying so heavily on a single platform and explore new revenue. The truth is, while Rightmove & Zoopla are powerful tools, agents can diversify their approach and reduce dependency on it to take greater control over their marketing strategies and costs. Here’s how:
1. Embrace PropTech and AI-Powered Tools
The real estate industry is undergoing a technological revolution, with PropTech and AI-driven platforms offering estate agents innovative ways to generate leads, manage listings, and engage with clients. AI tools like Propertyjinni can help agents automatically capture vendor leads, engage with potential clients and grow agents own databases 100x faster than any other way through AI-powered technology, it even generates valuations 24/7 without agents being involved in the process. By leveraging such tools, estate agents can reduce their reliance on Rightmove and Zoopla for lead generation and instead build their own independent huge pipeline of prospects without much efforts.
Agents possess a deep understanding of local markets and can more effectively generate leads than online portals, but they often fail to capitalize on this advantage. With AI-powered tools, agents can tailor their marketing campaigns to precisely target their ideal clientele. These platforms can also streamline the management of a larger property portfolio, reducing administrative burdens and enabling agents to expand their operations without relying heavily on major listing platforms like Rightmove, Zoopla, or OnTheMarket.
Considering that commissions on sales haven’t increased much over the past 30 years, while costs have spiralled upwards, I believe AI is the greatest saviour for estate agency business owners.
2. Optimise Your Website for Lead Generation
Studies show a simple interactive chatbot on agents website fetch them 70% more leads. Your website should be a powerful tool in its own right. Many estate agents treat their websites as simple brochures, but with the right optimisation, it can become a significant lead generation machine. Also, By investing in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), estate agents can drive organic traffic to their website, attracting potential buyers and sellers who are searching for properties directly on Google and Binge.
Features like live chat, AI chatbots, and user-friendly search functionalities can make your website as appealing as any property portal. Tools like Google My Business and local SEO strategies can increase your visibility in local property searches, helping your website rank higher without relying on Rightmove or Zoopla’s traffic.
3. Leverage Social Media to Build Your Brand
Estate agents can use social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to showcase their property listings, success stories, and testimonials. Social media provides a more personal touch, allowing agents to engage directly with potential buyers, sellers, and tenants. Through organic posts, paid ads, and targeted marketing campaigns, agents can reach a wider and more relevant audience at a fraction of the cost of Rightmove listings.
By building a solid social media presence, agents can grow their brand’s reputation locally, develop long-term trust with their audience, and gain new leads regularly. Instagram, for example, is particularly effective for showcasing high-quality images and video tours of properties, while LinkedIn is ideal for professional networking and B2B opportunities in the property sector.
4. Offer Value-Added Services to Retain Clients
Rightmove may help generate leads, but it doesn’t nurture client relationships for you. Estate agents should focus on offering value-added services to keep clients coming back, such as post-sale support, in-depth market analysis, or expert advice on buying and selling. There are tools in the market which let you do that without much efforts. By providing excellent customer service and staying in regular communication with past clients, agents can generate repeat business and referrals, which are often more valuable than one-off leads from a listing site.
Using AI tools like Propertyjinni which enables agents to automate email and WhatsApp post sales marketing, agents can maintain consistent contact with their database of clients, offering updates and guidance on market trends, available properties, or investment opportunities.
“Chose your hard, Post sales support is hard, paying Rightmove is hard, Chose you hard” – Aman Sood
5. Diversify Your Marketing Channels
Estate agents don’t need to rely solely on Rightmove, Zoopla or other large property portals. Instead, they can diversify their marketing efforts across multiple channels. Email marketing campaigns, Google Ads, and direct mail campaigns can all be highly effective at reaching different segments of your audience. By using data analytics and tracking tools, agents can measure the performance of each channel and fine-tune their approach for better results.
Platforms like Zoopla, OnTheMarket, or even niche local portals can offer alternatives to Rightmove, allowing estate agents to reach their target audience at lower costs. By spreading their marketing budget across various platforms, agents can avoid the pitfalls of depending too heavily on one source for leads.
6. Build a Strong Referral Network
Word-of-mouth referrals are still one of the most powerful tools in the estate agent’s arsenal. By delivering excellent service and building strong relationships with clients, estate agents can create a referral network that brings in new business organically. Encourage satisfied clients to recommend your services to friends and family, and consider offering incentives for referrals, such as discounts on fees or gift vouchers.
Referral networks help reduce reliance on paid advertising and listing platforms, as happy clients are more likely to recommend your agency to others. By fostering a reputation for reliability, trust, and professionalism, estate agents can grow their business without constantly competing for visibility on Rightmove.
7. Reduce Costs by Outsourcing Non-Core Tasks
Many estate agents feel pressure to keep up with the high costs of Rightmove subscriptions because they lack the time or resources to market themselves effectively. However, outsourcing non-core tasks like digital marketing, content creation, or admin work can free up time and allow agents to focus on what matters most: closing deals and building client relationships. There are many freelance portals like fiver and freelancer which provide on-demand resources needed for this task. If you don’t have time to coordinate the work there then hire a company in India or Philippines who can drive this for you.
By partnering with cost-effective service providers, estate agents can manage their marketing efforts without breaking the bank. This can help them allocate more budget to alternative marketing channels and reduce their dependency on Rightmove for generating leads.
8. Leverage Data and Analytics
Using data analytics tools to monitor the performance of your marketing efforts is key to reducing your dependency on any one platform. By tracking which channels deliver the best return on investment (ROI), agents can optimise their strategies and spend their marketing budgets more wisely. Rightmove is just one source of leads; with data, you can find out which channels are generating the best quality leads and invest more heavily in those areas.
Data-driven insights can also help you identify new opportunities in the market, such as emerging property trends or untapped local areas, allowing you to be more proactive in your approach to marketing.
Conclusion
While Rightmove may currently dominate the property market, UK estate agents don’t need to be tied to it. By embracing new technologies like AI and PropTech, optimising their websites and property listing boards for lead generation, building strong referral networks, and diversifying their marketing channels, estate agents can reduce their dependency on Rightmove and take greater control over their growth and profitability. Those who innovate and adapt will not only save on costs but also build a more sustainable and independent business for the future.
