50 percent of homebuyers in 2018 found the home they purchased online, while only 28 percent used a real estate agent.
— National Association of Realtors
When it comes to buying or selling a home, most potential clients use the internet to begin the process. Your need for a strong digital presence has become increasingly important now that the internet is an integral part of life.
What does this mean for you as an agent? The internet has a world of opportunities for real estate agents to engage with their market and build their business. You work hard to create relationships with your clients in person, it’s worth your time to maintain your online network and presence as well.
Why Your Reputation Matters
Your online reputation is often a client’s first impression of you. So, how a prospect perceives you online will play a key role in their decision to enlist your services or find representation elsewhere – which is why it’s important to build a strong, recognizable, and trustworthy brand around your real estate business. Clients want to trust that their agents are experts in the field. An impressive online reputation will further incline them to do so.
How to Build a Reputation Online
For real estate agents, building a reputation online doesn’t happen overnight, but these four strategies can help expedite the process.
Provide relevant content to your followers
Content matters! Consistently posting social media content helps establish yourself as a valuable asset to current and future clients. You shouldn’t post random content; it should be relevant to your followers. If you work with clients who are selling their homes in urban areas, write content that speaks to their specific scenarios. To attract clients who are looking to purchase their first homes, try providing insight into the must-knows for preparing to buy.
Network
Networking is crucial for building your reputation as a real estate agent. Building relationships with others can help you create a solid list of recommendations should your clients need an inspector, contractor, mortgage lender, or other professional to make their dream home a reality. It can also be a tool to attract new leads. Maintaining a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites through Brand Pro can help connect you with people who have the potential to become clients later on – even if they aren’t currently looking.
Showcase your reviews
Reviews can make or break your online reputation—73% of people surveyed said they trust a business more after reading positive reviews, and 91% of 18 to 34 year-olds trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Reviews are two-fold; testimonials help build trust with your potential clients and provide constructive feedback so you can improve your services and differentiate yourself from competitors. There is space to publish reviews on your profile, so you’ll want to share a few to show your credibility as an agent.
Respond to all comments, messages, and reviews (both positive and negative!)
When “putting yourself out there” online, there’s always a chance you’ll receive some not-so-positive comments and feedback. Your first instinct may be to ignore or delete the message, but this can negatively impact your reputation! Instead, focus on implementing reputation management strategies. Be polite in any response to both positive and negative messages, and refrain from letting your emotions get in the way of your replies.
Building a Reputation Online with Brand Pro
With Brand Pro, both new and established real estate agents can reach thousands of clients and prospects, engage their audiences, and save time with one centralized platform. When you sign up for an account, you will create an agent profile to showcase your experience, local expertise, and other relevant information. This profile includes your agent bio, active listings, open house dates, social activity, and local expert content. No manual updating your listings—automated MLS updates will keep your listings up-to-date.
Brand Pro also helps to manage your Facebook Business Page and create cohesion between your agent profile and social media profiles. You’ll have access to premium content that you can edit, which will then be listed on your agent profile and can be shared on social media to position yourself as a thought leader in the real estate industry. To build your brand further, you’ll have a continuously running Brand Pro ad that directs users to your branded Facebook Business Page.
Get Started
Learn more about how Brand Pro can help you build and maintain your reputation online by visiting our website. If you’re ready to take the next step, sign up for our free 1-week trial and experience all Postamo has to offer.
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