What frenemies are for

A frenemy is not a friendly anenome. A frenemy can be both friend and enemy -- a partner and a competitor.

A report on local online ad trends, released this week by research company Borrell Associates Inc., says there is a fading view of major Internet portals such as Yahoo, Google, HotJobs, Monster and others as the enemies to other media (see Inman News article).

"What's in," the report says, is the notion that these companies and others are "the new frenemies." The report notes that traditional media such as newspapers are forging advertising partnerships with Internet sites in an effort to forge a symbiotic bond. Or is this more a case of: "If you can't beat them, join them?" The report also notes that traditional media are losing market share in local online advertising to Internet portals.

"Frenemy" may prove to be a useful term for the real estate industry, which is struggling to define its friends and foes in an Internet seascape blossoming with property-search Web sites. Such sites can enhance the exposure of for-sale properties, though industry players may be reluctant to share this information if their worries about the relevance of their own Web site or services outweighs the desire to forge new marketing agreements.

Real Estate Industry Solutions LLC, a subsidiary of the Florida Association of Realtors trade group, has released a paper that dives into the legalese that is commonly found in licensing agreements for Web site operators that are seeking content related to for-sale real estate.

The paper suggests that the "bottom line for brokers is to read the terms of service and know what you are  allowing the Web site operator to do when you post your property listings to its Web site," as the terms of service  may allow the site to send the data to others or use it in a manner that was not intended by the content provider  (see Inman News article.) In other words, the report seems to suggest: Beware of frenemies in friends' clothing.

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