Realtor.com® Shifts Strategy to Attract Larger Audience, Earns #2 Market Spot

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realtor.com

May 07, 2014, 01:00 ET

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Realtor.com®, the leader in providing consumers with the most accurate* U.S. residential listings on a mobile device and online, operated by Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE), today announced that its recent strategy shift - from Internet portals to a portfolio of online and offline channels - has pushed it to the industry's number two spot for unique users, according to comScore traffic data for March 2014**.

"The growing popularity of searching real estate listings across mobile platforms, coupled with the  success of our brand and social marketing campaigns, has proven to be the most effective and efficient way to attract transaction-ready consumers to our services," said Barbara O'Connor, chief marketing officer of Move, Inc. "We are no longer focused on Internet portals for traffic acquisition."

Realtor.com® offered its first mobile device application in January 2010. By January 2013, the number of its residential listings viewed on mobile phones and computers overtook those searched with desktop computers. By March 2014, the consumer behavior shift resulted in nearly 60 percent of all realtor.com® residential listings viewed each month being viewed via mobile applications. Consumers using mobile devices to house hunt spend more time reviewing listings and photos in a single session, which is a strong indication they are more ready to buy or sell than desktop computer users. To continue to gain a larger share of audience, realtor.com® will regularly enhance native applications for Android, iPad and iPhone as well as create native mobile applications for new platforms.

"Integrated marketing across all devices coupled with brand awareness not only builds a larger audience, it also creates brand advocates," O'Connor said. "Creating an ongoing emotional connection with our brand's unique ability to deliver accurate, real-time listings is key to growing and retaining our audience. Our advocates reward us with referrals and keep coming back to realtor.com® for services and information."  

In March 2013, realtor.com® rolled out its first, and now award-winning, consumer-brand campaign. Integrated marketing is a big realtor.com® priority for 2014 and is making a significant impact on desktop computer and mobile devices metrics. Additionally, realtor.com® will launch a cooperative advertising campaign later this year with the National Association of REALTORS® .   

"Attracting and retaining consumers interested in buying or selling is one of the easiest aspects of the process because we're introducing them to the most accurate listings available," O'Connor said. "Buyers and sellers prefer our devotion to accuracy because it spares them the anguish of wasting time with listings that are off the market or priced incorrectly."

* "Most accurate" claim(s) pertain to the accuracy of home listings, are based on comparison with other national listing portals, and are based on the greater frequency of listings-updating on realtor.com®.

**comScore March 2014 Multi-Platform report, comparing the Move Inc. Real Estate Sites to the Trulia Network.

Supporting Resources

REALTOR® and realtor.com® are trademarks of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and are used with its permission.  Move, Move.com, Moving.com, Top Producer, Tiger Lead, ListHub, Doorsteps and SeniorHousingNet are trademarks of Move, Inc.  These and all other trademarks used in this work are the property of their respective owners. 

ABOUT realtor.com®

Operated by Move, Inc., (NASDAQ: MOVE), realtor.com® helps connect people with the content, tools and expertise they need to find their perfect home. As the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®, realtor.com® empowers consumers to make the smartest decisions when it comes to finding a home by leveraging direct connections with more than 800 MLSs to deliver the most accurate and up-to-date listing information in neighborhoods across the country, and by making timely and meaningful connections between consumers and REALTORS®. Whether through desktop, mobile, or tablet versions, realtor.com® is where home happens.

ABOUT MOVE, INC.

Move, Inc. (NASDAQ:MOVE), a leader in online real estate, operates:  realtor.com®, the official website of the National Association of REALTORS®; Move.com, a leading destination for new homes and rental listings, moving, home and garden, and home finance; ListHub™, the leading syndicator of real estate listings; Moving.com™; SeniorHousingNet; SocialBios; Doorsteps®; TigerLead®; Top Producer® Systems and FiveStreet. Move, Inc. is based in San Jose, California.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of Move's future expectations, plans and prospects, within the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of Move, its subsidiaries, divisions and concepts to be materially different from those expressed or implied in such statements. These risk factors and others are included from time to time in documents Move files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, its Form 10-Ks, Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on Move's future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Move cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, Move expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Contact: 
Move, Inc. – Lexie Puckett, (805) 557-3151, [email protected]

SOURCE realtor.com