Leveraging Reviews to Grow Your Real Estate Business

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Nearly 9 out of 10 consumers read online reviews. For real estate agents, online reviews are big business: an agent’s trustworthiness, honesty and reputation are the most important factors when buyers and sellers choose an agent. As sites like Zillow, Trulia, Yelp and Redfin continue to grow in popularity, managing online reviews will only continue to be more important. So, if you want to start leveraging reviews and building your online reputation, he’s the skinny on how you can win the review game.

 

Increasing Reviews

Did you know that the number of online reviews you have influences where you rank in search results? And that 85% of consumers only feel satisfied that they can trust a business after reading at least 10 reviews? That means increasing your review volume is crucial for SEO and your credibility. To increase reviews, first make sure you’ve claimed your profiles on major review sites and completed your details. Include links to profiles on review sites in your email signature, website, newsletter and blog. Better yet, ask past clients to offer feedback on review sites. Whatever you do, DON’T be tempted to write fake reviews or buy reviews – review sites are cracking down and will flag your profile. For example, Yelp will post a Consumer Alert on your profile to notify potential clients that you’ve been caught posting fake reviews.consumer alert yelp

 

Leverage Positive Reviews

Positive online reviews are marketing gold – word of mouth is the most trusted form of advertising. First, thank online reviews for their feedback – it shows genuineness and that you care about clients after the sale too.review response

To get even more traction from positive reviews, direct potential clients to view your profiles on review sites by having links on your website, social media profiles, newsletters, email signatures and print advertising. Better yet, share positive reviews on social media to increase exposure and let these positive reviewers know that you appreciate referrals!

 

Mitigate Negative Reviews

Any agent, no matter how exceptional, may end up with a few negative reviews. When you read a review, first take a step back and be objective. Is there an opportunity for improvement? How would you react if your broker had given you the same feedback? While negative reviews can be embarrassing, they often can offer valuable performance feedback.

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Consider responding to the review with tact – either publicly or in a direct message. This functionality is available on most review sites if you’ve claimed your profiles. Responding publicly shows that you respect clients and address problems, but if you feel the client is especially angry or are dealing with private info then a private message is likely the better choice. When responding publicly, try to highlight the positive, apologize for any mistakes made and invite the client to bring the conversation out of the public eye if you need to address their concerns further. For example,

Hi Jane,

I’m glad that we were able to get your home sold quickly, but I’m sorry you felt out of the loop and found the transaction process stressful. I want all of my clients to feel 100% happy after working with me, and would appreciate if you could email me any details on the particulars of what made the transaction less than ideal – I appreciate the feedback.

Susan

After responding to a negative review and working to amend the situation, the client may take the review down or update it to show that you solved the issue.

 

At the end of the day, you don’t need to be afraid of online reviews. While they can make any business owner weary, 66% of Yelp reviews are 4 or 5 star ratings. And better yet, 13% of agents receive 21 or more leads from online reviews. Have you used online reviews to increase referrals?