In our introductory post, I briefly mentioned a critical question we had to answer: “How is anyone suppose to share something they’re worried about losing?” I wanted to elaborate on this a bit more:
The team at Placester takes data security very seriously, and we’ve taken an innovative approach when it comes to protecting your data. Typically, data security on the Internet is associated with encryption. Encryption is designed to protect your data from people who shouldn’t have it; but how do you make sure the people who do have access to your information use it properly?
The web presents a real opportunity for real estate companies. still, we need to be cautious. Potential customers, like your renters, are experiencing a robust online experience from most industries (retail, banking, even education)–and they’re expecting the same from you. It’s true that Placester is about exposing your listings to the most “views,” but it’s also about making sure that you’re in control and no one can cut you out of the loop. To achieve this balance, Placester binds your listings to you. We do this in two specific ways:
1. We only share the general area or “block” your listing is in.
2. You control explicitly which websites get your data.
By only providing real estate websites with the block the property is on, we ensure that anyone interested in your property needs to talk to you–which is exactly what you’re looking for. This also emphasizes another major principle we’re focused on: the idea that regional, smaller and niche websites can be just as valuable as the mega-sites. Traditionally, you might think twice about advertising your listings with the little guy; after all, when it comes to Internet commerce, the conventional wisdom is the bigger the site, the safer and more legitimate it is. But with Placester, you don’t share anything that can be “lost,” so there’s nothing to worry about.
It’s worth noting that some people are fine with displaying the exact street address of their listings–and that’s okay too. In the coming months, we will support this option so you can choose what’s best for your particular business.
