Boost Your Online Presence
As consumer shopping habits have shifted online, so has the way people evaluate professionals they work with. In particular, clients tend to be very particular about the real estate professionals they choose. And it’s no wonder – they’re about to make a life-changing investment. When clients have so many talented real estate professionals to choose from, it often comes down to who has the better reputation. Your reputation 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. We’ve compiled six tips to boost your online presence and help you get more leads.
Research Your Online Presence
Start by simply google searching your name. A simple google search can be a good way to keep tabs on your name and your business and gauge what your perceived reputation is. However, google searches can be time consuming. Setting up a free tool such as Google Alerts can help you monitor any keywords of your choosing (such as your name, business name, or your industry), and send you emails when your keywords are mentioned in web pages, newspaper articles, blogs, and more.
Share Your Expertise on Different Platforms
Utilize your social media platforms to share your expertise in your industry. Do you have a niche within your industry? Capitalize on the fact that you probably have knowledge within your niche that others don’t. Bring value to your followers by sharing information that’s helpful, educational, and relevant to them. Starting your own blog is another great way to share your expertise in a more formal way. You can write about anything – from your personal success story to showcasing homes you recently sold.
Modern & Easy to Navigate Website
Most home buyers and sellers these days will start their initial real estate process online. You want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward by having a website that truly represents you and your brand. Your website should be easy to navigate with appealing graphics so your visitors feel welcomed as soon as they enter your site. If you have any high-profile listings in your portfolio, be sure to display that on your website. This shows people you are a trusted real estate professional by high-profile clients.
Contribute to Online Communities
Posting to your social media platforms and your own websites are great ways to reach people that already follow you, but how do you reach people that are not within your circle? Posting to online communities such as forums and message boards are good ways to connect with people that have never heard of you and your business before. Spend some time to find the right groups within your community – for example there may be a Facebook group for people moving in or out of your city. Once you’re active in these online communities, you will start to develop relationships and improve your reputation. Before you know it, you will be the go-to expert in your community.
Request Client Reviews
There’s nothing like a personal testimony from a happy client. Prospective clients want to know you’re the real deal before actually dealing with you – and your proof is in your reviews! Ask your clients to leave you a review – whether it’s a personal testimony on your blog, a review on your Yelp page, or a shout out on social media. Reviews can be a powerful tool in your arsenal that affect how a potential client perceives your business.
Take Time to Answer Reviews and Other Feedback
Good or bad review – its important to respond to all feedback in a timely manner. While it’s a no brainer why you should respond to your bad reviews, you may wonder why its worth responding to your good reviews. Think of it this way – for every positive review you respond to or share on your platforms, you increase your exposure and reach of that feedback. For example, if a client shares a good review to their social media with 100 followers, your response could extend that reach to your own followers across multiple channels, expanding the reach of that review to potentially thousands of potential clients.
