How to Improve Your Reputation on Google

Imagine you're on the lookout for a new pair of shoes. You search high and low and monitor sales and discounts, but nothing seems to catch your eye. Then, you see an ad for a nice pair of Adidas, and suddenly your search is over. Since Adidas is a household brand, the company doesn't have to do much more than remind you of its existence to convince you to make a purchase.

That's about as favorable a reputation a brand can get, and it should be your goal, too.

As a real estate agent, you already know that your reputation is everything. If prospects don't have a positive perception of who you are and what kind of agent you are, why would they hire you over the numerous other competing agents in your area? A good reputation means you're trustworthy, and your clients want someone who they feel can deliver them accurate, up-to-date insider knowledge and won't lead them astray. In fact, according to a recent study by JD Power and Associates, a Realtor's reputation is the No. 1 reason for selecting a company for both first-time sellers (44%) and first-time buyers (39%), outweighing personal recommendations and past experiences.

But how do you prove to your prospects that you're the person they hope you are? Answer: Google. Or more specifically, a Google Business Profile.

Improving your reputation on Google

For the uninitiated, a Google Business Profile is an online storefront — a big panel on the right-hand side of the page in Google Search that hosts your business name, phone number photos, hours, reviews, address and other information when someone Googles you.

It looks like this:

Agent's Google Business Profile (Right)

Now, you may be thinking you could just create a personal website to serve the same purposes. And we're not saying that websites are a bad move; they are absolutely beneficial in legitimizing your business. It's just that Google Business Profiles can't be beat when it comes to building your online presence and reputation on, well, Google. Not only are they a first impression for your business when people search directly for you—which prospective clients do all the time—but they up your chances significantly of being listed on both the the first page of Google search results and the so-called Google Local Packs, seen below, for when people search the web for more, local, generic and wider-used terms like "best real estate agents in my city" or "top-rated real estate agents near me." When 90% of customers work with the very first agent they have a conversation with, that visibility is huge.

Top Agents Near Me (Matthew Kane Sadly Not Represented)

Then there's reviews featured prominently on your Google Business Profile. There's no greater indicator of a reputation than reviews, and Google is the number one most trusted review source on the Internet. Just a single positive review results, on average, in a 250% increase in appearance in Google searches, a 71% increase in profile views, and a 122% increase in the number of people who take action and reach out to you. Those numbers only go up with the number of reviews. Best of all, you don't have to be a high-production agent to reap the benefits of reviews. When we dug into the numbers, we saw huge spikes in traffic and metrics for agents who had Google reviews, regardless of transaction history.

How Homesnap Pro+ helps

As an established Google Premier Partner, Homesnap can instantly verify, manage and optimize your Google Business Profile for you. We'll take all the guesswork, technical know-how, and general head-scratchers out of building your Google presence so you can focus on your day-to-day responsibilities and serving your clients.

We'll help you:

• Claim your profile and load it with your photos, listings, contact information, and more
• Get verified and build your online presence
• Automate the review processes. No sending a bunch of emails or texts or cold calling former clients and begging for a few positive words. With just one click, you'll be able to solicit reviews from current and past clients, receive alerts when you receive a new review, and minimize the impact of negative reviews on your profile.

Bottom line:

A Google Business Profile is one of the best tools available for improving your reputation, and the leads you encounter will be high-quality active searchers — as opposed to catching casual browsers on social media. If someone's Googling your name, they're deeper in the buying or selling process, ready for a real estate agent with a strong reputation to take the reins.

Build the credibility now and clients will find you when they're ready to buy or sell.

Learn more about Homesnap Pro+ Google Business Profiles

To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.