Gabriela Zaninetti also says that the company’s culture focused on data and people
Leader in the real estate segment, ZAP+ brings together eight million advertisements for the purchase, sale or rental of properties on its portals (ZAP and Viva Real). Part of OLX since 2020, ZAP+ has the market challenge of helping the buying and renting experience to be better, simpler.
It is still a market with a difficult journey, says Gabriela Zaninetti, VP of marketing at ZAP+. To this end, the company relies on data and professional education in the sector, mainly through digital communication. Another bet is hybrid marketing, with in-house and external partners.
How is the moment for ZAP+?
We live in a moment of integration. The acquisition of Grupo ZAP by OLX completed two years. There are two years of integration and formation of a new culture. OLX acquired a group as big as it is. Our culture today is very focused on data and people. I think our main value is all about people. But a culture in transformation. In the end, I can say that we are in the second cycle of this new culture, which comes from OLX’s DNA, focused on technology, people, which finds two companies, because we come from some acquisitions. Globo acquires Viva Real, which creates the ZAP Group and OLX comes and consolidates this acquisition. We are in a cycle of people who came from the acquisition, but also a lot of new people in the market who come with the purpose of how we are going to transform, help the buying and renting experience to be better, simpler. It is still a market with a difficult journey.
What is the core business of ZAP+? Does it compete with QuintoAndar, for example?
ZAP+ brings together the largest real estate portals, which are ZAP and Viva Real, and also brings a layer of intelligence and education management. That’s why we say that, beyond portals, we are an ecosystem. ZAP+ is the business unit that looks at the real estate segment within OLX Brasil. The B2B market sees us as ZAP+. And our core business is the marketplace. In other words, the portals that gather what we call an inventory of all properties available for sale and rent. QuintoAndar is one of our major clients, which advertises within the portals so that it has this connection with users and can, from there, demonstrate its inventory. ZAP+ is the great intermediary in this market, uniting users with the entire professional ecosystem. We have more than 60% of the market advertising through our portals. This is our DNA, it doesn’t change. ZAP+ will not make the purchase, sale or rent directly. We will always be intermediaries. But we have a management layer that participates in this transaction. In other words, we now offer rental guarantees and support this user until the lease agreement is signed, for example. But we don’t do it like QuintoAndar. We always have a real estate as the owner of this transaction.
What are the main competitors?
The real estate market has changed a lot. Ten years ago there were virtually no competitors. When we look at our core business, the main competitor is ImvelWeb, in fourth place, from the perspective of advertisements available on the portal. There is already competition, without a doubt, with QuintoAndar, since it acquired ImvelWeb.
Is the ZAP+ market leader?
Yes, we are leaders with the three brands: ZAP, Viva Real and OLX. We are leaders both in terms of volume of advertisements, at the moment, two or three times more than our main competitor, ImvelWeb – QuintoAndar is still in its infancy in terms of advertisement availability – and, without a doubt, we have the leadership in terms of audience. We have around 32 million users visiting our platforms monthly.
What are the industry trends?
This year, the market sees a downward trend in the search for buying and selling real estate, with rent compensating for part of this loss. But there will be some improvement in 2023. The first number worked through DataZAP+, which our institute, our intelligence arm, still shows a drop in the search for buying and selling of properties in the market of 3%, but which is less than than this year, which was close to 10%. It looks like 2023 will be a challenging year, but better than 2022 was.
And what are your marketing challenges?
I think it’s two things. The first is that we manage to add practically all available properties to the market, being quite democratic platforms. As much as we see a difference in the user profile, being democratic and being in all of Brazil, with all levels of real estate, is a business that we defend and want to continue to be. And then there is a marketing challenge, which is not only to bring the audience to consume all these properties, but how can we help this user on their journey, which are long, complex journeys, which involve a lot of pain. From the pain of renting or buying a property, I choose this neighborhood or that one, am I buying or renting for a fair price? And marketing has a communication role throughout this non-linear journey, which is about how we take the user’s hand and tell him the truth, with data. There is a great deal of concern in resolving the user’s doubts when he makes the decision, providing information and educating.
Is this education done more through communication on social networks?
We have been doing campaigns from the top of the funnel to proprietary channels, including social networks. This year, ZAP had the campaign Pronto, I changed! (created by Adventures) with two great influencers dealing with the pain of the user during change. We brought in Gil do Vigor, who is an economist, giving tips on whether to buy or rent, and Paulo Vieira, who is a great storyteller, to tell real-life stories, like the son over 40 who doesn’t want to go out. from my house.
And is the brand on TV, in all media?
We are not very into TV, we have used a lot of social networks, digital media and many proprietary channels. We used out of home when we rebranded last year. I’m a big believer in OOH, especially when it’s a linear journey. The great investment channel is in digital. The combination of media between digital and OOH has brought great results for the company. But
our always on is, without a doubt, digital.
Why?
As a matter of investment and how we gain frequency with our users, especially in terms of education. Because I have to educate the end user and the professional as well. Part of my value proposition is that the broker and the real estate agent see value in serving the user quickly, see value in having transparency. And, culturally, we have many challenges, even challenges aimed at the reliability of the person who is wanting to move in what the broker and the real estate agent are saying. For this reason, we are going to increasingly support these professionals, both in terms of education and tools.
How is this support done?
Through the creation of neighborhood guides, for example, because the realtor does not need to have everything at the tip of his tongue, to the development of events, such as Conecta Imobi, which we resumed in person this year and brought together around six thousand people, from various regions of Brazil. In 2023, the event will be ten years old. Conecta Imobi also has a digital layer, which is an educational platform for this B2B audience, with a focus on serving the user. But the event is that big meeting of the market. We had around 200 speakers. We also launched the Conecta Imobi Prize, which awarded professionals, with categories such as Female Voice, because it has work aimed at women in the real estate market, which is still very sexist, and cases from the market. And the interesting thing is that it is an agnostic event. For next year, we have some ideas, such as launching a printed newsletter from Conecta Imobi.
What are the agencies that serve the brand?
When we talk about communication, today we work with Adventures. But we have a model that, depending on the product and the audience, we call on partners, such as Talent Marcel, to do a job on the voice of the customer, for example. I have a performance media agency, iCherry, and we also work with a CRM agency, which was Pmweb. The communication model that I think is ideal is the hybrid. In other words, the challenge is how to work better on the hybridity of communication. I don’t believe we’re going to be able to do everything inside, but yes, bring partners. It is very challenging, because agencies still want to receive a briefing. And I don’t want to give a briefing, I want them to be part of my discussion. And, at the same time, whoever is inside is not the owner of everything. We can learn a lot from our partners, who speak to different segments and serve different customers. For this reason, I believe more and more in partnerships between agencies.
How many people work in the company’s marketing?
About 102 professionals and we have an OLX division, a big focus on the goods and audio category, while I take care of the three brands, ZAP+, Viva Real and OLX, from a real state perspective. My segment is real estate.
And how is the consumption profile of Brazilians in the segment?
Most do the digital transaction, but when closing the deal, they want to have face-to-face contact with the real estate agency and visit the property. Among the new generation, there is a growing number who buy and rent without visiting, but the smallest part. This means that the broker consumes the digital, but it still has a large interaction in the physical environment.
