Is Rightmove the Google of UK Property Search?

So is Rightmove the Google of UK property search? It’s a question that’s asked a lot. They are obviously a dominant force and leader of the pack when it comes to online search.

rightmove google of property

Photo courtesy of Rightmove

The UK property search landscape

Rightmove may be the current leader of the pack when it comes to UK property search, however Zoopla are certainly trying to challenge that dominance. It is also going to be interesting next year when Agents Mutual enters the fray to try and challenge them. However, you will probably find that at a local level there are other less known portals or property classified websites that also attract interest. These may be regional specific. Or it could be that they cater for a particular market. For example affordable homes or retirement property.

Rightmove has first mover advantage in UK property search

Rightmove certainly has the edge with first mover advantage. However, can you write off competition from those mentioned above or even new players? Absolutely not! Remember, before Google came along there was the likes of Yahoo! and MSN. Google slowly went about their business and eventually managed to erode the market dominance at the time. Now Google dominates search!

Smaller niche players can have a slice of the UK property search market

Granted it’s harder for competition to enter the UK property search marketplace when there are big players already taking a massive share. Not to mention the big budgets that sit behind some of these companies like Rightmove and Zoopla. That doesn’t mean its white flag time for smaller more niche players.It’s a case of understanding your market and seeing how you can grow it effectively on a shoestring budget. It’s a challenge in itself. However, if you can provide great customer service and have loyal customers, then their word of mouth could certainly help to change the UK property search industry. It’s all about understanding their needs and being able to deliver above and beyond what they expect.

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