Fractional ownership role-players to link in wide-reaching online network - The Fractional Network

Fractionalownership.co.za specialises in marketing the concept of fractional ownership, and is set to launch a strategy which will dramatically boost viewership of fractional ownership property listings both locally and globally. Says co-founder of fractionalownership.co.za, Dirk Wilson: "In the next few weeks we are launching The Fractional Network. This will put fractional ownership in front of people when they are thinking about property or lifestyle investments online. Global research indicates that approximately 80% of people begin their search for second and vacation homes online. People searching on various SA-based property portals today may not be able to find fractional ownership listings, but we are set to change this and assist in providing more purchase options for investors.

"We are partnering with South Africa's leading property search portals The Property magazine and, PropertyGenie.co.za to advertise fractional ownership properties on The Property magazine as well as the PropertyGenie and PropertyGenie affiliate websites. This provides exposure for fractional ownership properties simultaneously on 6 key portals. In other words, say Seeff have properties listed on fractionalownership.co.za, Seeff through this automated listing network will expose their properties on these other websites too. The benefit to the companies that market with us is that many more eyes will be seeing their product - these are high-volume sites for people specifically conducting property searches. The Fractional Network now makes fractional ownership available as an option to them."

The first phase of The Fractional Network will kick off with the following 6 property portals Thepropertymag.co.za as well as the affiliate websites of PropertyGenie: PropertyGenie.co.za, Realestateweb.co.za, Ooba.co.za, SundayTimesProperty.co.za and iafrica.com. The fractional ownership content is powered by fractionalownership.co.za. and the marketing distribution is done by The Property magazine and PropertyGenie.co.za. Says Wilson: "When launched in the next few weeks The Fractional Network will feature at least 100 fractional ownership properties, the widest selection of such properties to choose from. The number of companies and properties featured will grow, as will the number of partners who join in the network."

Managing Executive of PropertyGenie, Johan Strydom, says of the new network: "As South Africa's leading property portal and exclusive provider of real estate listings to a number of key South African websites, PropertyGenie always looks for ways to enhance its users' experience. So providing our growing base of users access to the latest fractional ownership listings through our integration with fractionalownership.co.za will provide more purchase options and add considerable value."

Wilson says he is currently talking to a number of major international property portals. "Since 2005 over 26% of our traffic on fractionalownership.co.za has been global users - we have an increasing amount of users from the UK, Australia, Dubai and Canada, with many expats wanting to re-invest in Southern Africa through fractional ownership. Having a presence on the international property portals, with a Southern African fractional ownership section, will open up the market to even more viewers, help the South African property companies to sell more, and boost the property market."

Why the focus on Internet-based marketing? Says Wilson: "Drastic cuts in media spend are evident across the property sector in general. Many companies are looking to reach a wider audience yet are more focused on cost-efficient marketing than ever before. This has triggered a sharp increase in Internet-based lead generation and measurable marketing media systems being allocated to marketing budgets going forward. Over the past 3 years many of the fractional promoters in South Africa launched their businesses though the Internet. Due to a growing desktop and mobile Internet user base and enhanced response times, fractional promoters adapt to on-line media products fairly quickly."

For more information or to sign up for The Fractional Network please contact Lynn Vermeulen on 021 556 5032 or e-mail Lynn@fractionalownership.co.za