Skip to main content

Property Websites in Zimbabwe, and Opportunities Available

Database Driven
Most of them are database driven, making it difficult for each entry to be found by search engines like google.com. Most use Cold Fusion, a technology not easily accessible by Google scripts. Google uses Perl. The difference is that Perl dumps information on every query (Client Driven), yet Cold Fusion keeps everything on the server on which the query is being requested (Server Driven).

What has influence these web publications
• Mindsets
o People only read from newspaper classifieds only.
o Who would want to invest in a vibrant website?
o It’s Zimbabwe anywhere!
• Lack of understanding of marketing in cyberspace.
• More of a presence issue, for corporate image issue.

The Technologies Used
Most of the websites were developed by WebDev and Design@7. WedDev is strong on Wed Development (the Database side), hence their sites have that orientation. Design@7 is strong with Graphics, hence their sites have that orientation. Some other sites were developed by small companies, which seem not to understand websites or Internet at all.

Opportunities

What is not fully utilised • Titles – Search Engines maximise on website titles. If you search “real estate in Zimbabwe, or homes, or property” with Google, the results will not immediately produce the above websites.
• Newsletters – Only one website had a newsletter link, where one could sign up for a newsletter. It has been two weeks now, I am still waiting for the newsletter.
• News and Information – Only one website has Newsflashes, but only has one story. Zimbabweans love news. They go on the Internet to look for news of anything, especially Obsessives and Bare Necessities, which are the two target audiences.
• Photography – Each website poorly captivates the properties in question. Their photography is very insufficient

What do consumers want?I believe that the above websites are not really addressing what the consumers want, and some are underutilising their tools.

• Target consumer groups should be understood. There are only two target groups – Obsessives and Bare Necessities. I am an Obsessive, I just want to be notified or given information in good time, of properties available, preferably earlier than other people. Learn how these tow behave.
• Sufficient information to make a decision.
• Seeing the beauty of the property (or worth), commensurate the price. Consumers want to feel good about each transaction.
• A non-technical website.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Impact of Online Advertising in Zimbabwe

The Internet is only one of many platforms on which an enterprise can publicise itself. At present Websites are competing for advertising attention with Print and Television advertising content. Let us seek answers for the following questions: How much advertising material are web consumers exposed to? This helps an enterprise formulate effective marketing strategies, which involve their website. DSTV, ZTV, Billboards, Clothing Publications (Labels), Movies, Food Courts, Specific Magazines, Newspapers, just to name a few. Do webverts ™ (Website Adverts) work? It is not a matter of just advertising, but an effectiveness measurement has to be put into place. Relevance, convenience, quantity, structure, of adverts should be considered. What is so different about Webvertising ™? Marketing gurus classify Advertising methods according to emotions nowadays – Fear and Love being the two extremes. We see this on Television and in Print media. Marketers often make consumers feel as though left o...
1 comment
Read more

.CO.ZW Cyberspace: What has Happened?

Ko Zvaitasei? Is what my mother would shout out across the corridor, as Isabel, and I fought over one thing and the next. Her concern was harmony and happiness in the home. As my mother’s concern, Ko Zvaitasei, what has happened to Internet in Zimbabwe ? Internet has become a nightmare for the masses of Zimbabwe – Entrepreneurs, Consumers, Marketers, Government departments, and the IT Industry itself. The population of websites in Zimbabwe is less than mire 500, 000, making eCommerce a waste of effort. Those who look after websites, are not playing properly with those who make websites. Those who own websites are not satisfied with what they have. Those who consume website content are not interested with .CO.ZW sites as they are with .CO.ZA or .COMs. What has happened?
Post a Comment
Read more

Webcology: Types of Websites

Websites are different, derived from their purpose. There are informative, Transactional, Referral, Behavioural, and Mixed. Informative Websites These are websites whose sole purpose is to provide information, whether commercial or academic. Websites that offer information for Commercial purposes usually sell their information. These websites require you to join a community, having paid a subscription. Most of these use the credit processing systems available, such as VISA and MasterCard. Websites that offer information for Academic use usually give out information for free. These include Public Databases, Archives, Community Institutions (e.g. Churches), and Government Departments, just to name a few. I came across an information website the other day, when I was looking for a template for a Shareholders Agreement. I visited the LawDepot.com website, which contains templates of legal documents. This website helps you build your desired Agreement. After filling in the template, the re...
Post a Comment
Read more