Your reputation as a real estate professional isn’t just built by word-of-mouth anymore. Potential clients are often checking you out online before they even get in touch with you. If you want to boost your online reputation, follow these five tips.
1. Monitor your online presence. A general Google search can be a decent way to keep tabs on your name and your business online, but it’s time-consuming and bypasses social media sites. An easier way to do this is to set up Google Alerts, a tool that sends emails to the user when it finds new results that match the user’s search term. This way you can keep tabs on what people are saying about you online.
2. Share your expertise in online channels. You don’t have to wait for a PR expert to help you tell your story. You can self-publish your ideas on the internet and build a name for yourself in the specific areas of your expertise. Writing thoughtful and well-informed blog posts helps demonstrate your authority and your intimate knowledge of the real estate market.
3. Use social media to your advantage. The National Association of REALTORS® reports that 89% of real estate professionals are using social media—so it’s something you should prioritize. Don’t feel like you can leverage all social media networks successfully? Just choose one to start with. You don’t have to know everything about social media marketing to start making an impact in this area of your online reputation. Find someone who does a great job of it and follow them to start learning their strategies.
4. Contribute to online communities and message boards. Contributing to community discussions on message boards and in Facebook groups is another way to establish yourself as an expert. Spend time finding the right groups for your community. Many cities will have Facebook groups for people moving in or out of the area. Once you’re active in these groups, you can develop leads and improve your reputation by being the go-to expert for community knowledge.
5. Request client reviews. There’s nothing quite like a personal testimony. According to a survey by BrightLocal, 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from their friends. That’s astounding considering most reviews are posted by total strangers. So, get your clients to leave you a review for a job well done—whether it’s a testimonial you can profile on your blog, a review on your Yelp page or a shout out to you on social media.
McKissock Learning is the nation’s premier online real estate school, providing continuing education courses and professional development to hundreds of thousands of real estate agents across the country. As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning, along with its sister schools Colibri Real Estate, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Gold Coast Schools, The Rockwell Institute and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career. Learn more at mckissock.com/real-estate.
