Industry experts contend that most (90%+) buyers actually find the home the end up purchasing through online searches before they ever even call an agent to view homes. The power of internet marketing is undeniable and isn’t going away anytime soon. This is especially the case with marketing homes online. All of the major real estate search engines (Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, etc) pull information from local MLS systems and regurgitate that info themselves. In short, if a home is listed in MLS, it is likely everywhere else on the internet.
As a seller, finding an edge is critical. A few strategies we use but most other agents do not or will not, are professional photography and professional www. Most agents don’t take the time and effort because it costs them money. I say “HOGWASH”! Most agents just take a simple digital camera to the listing or, embarrassingly, some even use their smart phones to take pictures. In terms of staging a home to maximize the appeal to potential buyers, most agents will give simple instructions… a “move this and that” approach. 
We have been providing professional photography and staging to our clients (regardless of the home value) for years with incredible results. Assuming we are priced at of slightly above market value, our internet traffic pics up tremendously. As a result, our listings usually get hammered with internet responses and boat loads of showings in short periods of time. Here’s the best part…. We also often see multiple offers on our listings. This means a bigger sales price for our clients and a bigger commission for us offsetting much of the cost we incurred to provide these add on service.
In a nutshell, the philosophy is simple…. With the ease and effectiveness of internet marketing, It only makes sense to put your best foot forward. If not, you’ll just be another face in the crowd!