A new industry report has cast a spotlight on the digital performance of the UK’s leading property developers, revealing both frontrunners and those lagging behind in adapting to an increasingly digital marketplace.
Published by the Human First Collective, a network of businesses championing human-centred approaches, the “Top 20 Property Developers: Digital Maturity Index” aimed to provide a benchmark for digital readiness and performance across the sector.
The report evaluates top developers across five key pillars: brand, performance marketing, customer experience (CX), technology, and innovation.
Berkeley Group, Barratt Developments, and Taylor Wimpey emerged as the top three performers in digital maturity.
Accoridng to the report, these developers demonstrated strong integration of digital and offline strategies, robust investment in customer relationship management systems and marketing technology, and an emphasis on user-focused customer journeys.
Despite these successes, the report underscored significant shortcomings across much of the industry.
A considerable number of developers have yet to harness the power of first-party data to personalise buyer experiences.
Innovation was often sporadic, confined to isolated projects rather than ingrained in organisational culture.
Furthermore, many developers lacked brand clarity, making it difficult to differentiate themselves in a competitive and saturated market.
Performance marketing was also missed opportunity for many, with few developers running integrated, consistent campaigns that spanned paid media and customer relationship management.
In addition, digital operations were frequently siloed, treated as secondary rather than essential business functions.
Becky Simms, director of Human First Collective, described the property sector as being at a “digital tipping point.”
She warned that buyers now expect the same level of personalisation and seamless service from housebuilders as they do from leading retail or travel brands.
She said: “Too many developers are still playing catch-up.
“This index doesn’t just name the winners, it highlights where the sector as a whole needs to do better.
“From building emotionally intelligent brands to creating connected digital ecosystems, the opportunities are huge for developers ready to evolve.”
