Google Business plays a critical role in the online presence of your business. Especially as a realtor, it’s essential to have an optimized profile to draw the attention of your potential clients.
As a realtor, optimizing your Google Business Profile is one of the best ways to improve your online visibility. When potential clients search for real estate services on Google, your business will appear in the search results if it has a strong profile. Here are some tips for improving your profile.
Why do you need to optimize your Google Business listing?
A Google Business listing makes it easier for potential customers to find you and gives you the opportunity to rank higher in search results. However, simply creating a listing is not enough, and it would be best if you also optimized your Google Business profile. Here are four reasons why you should optimize your listing:
- Optimizing your Google Business profile helps you to stand out from the competition.
- It allows you to control the business information that potential customers see.
- It helps you to improve your visibility in search results.
- It gives you the chance to showcase your positive customer reviews and improve your credibility.
Optimizing your Google Business profile ensures that potential customers can learn about your business and easily find your contact information. In turn, this can help you to win new clients and grow your real estate business. So, let’s take a look at how exactly you can work toward improving your Google Business listing!
7 Ways to Improve Your Google Business Listing
1. Start with the Basics
Here are some basics to start with:
- Set up or claim your business profile
- Fill out your new profile entirely with as much information as possible
- Ensure you have the proper contact information
- Select a category
- Select attributes
- Add products and services
- Set up messaging
Having your listing completed with accurate contact information will help the performance of your profile and ensures your customers won’t have any difficulty contacting you. Choosing your category and attributes and filling out the description makes your offerings clear to your customers.
2. Photos
BrightLocal says business listings with over 100 images are more likely to generate clicks. As realtors, professional photos are constantly being taken of new listings, so use those to your advantage as well. Beautiful, eye-catching, professional photos are a fantastic addition to any listing. It’s also recommended that you include behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and other attention-grabbing content.
3. Have a Service Area
If your profile is set up as a realtor or real estate agency on your Google Business page, you want to set your profile as a service area business. As a real estate agent, you’re likely working in your local community, and being set up as a service area business allows you to target the areas you serve. It helps you to show up on Google Maps as well. You can also include surrounding communities in your service area to bring in potential business from other areas.
4. Publish Posts Regularly
Many realtors are focused on Instagram and TikTok but might be neglecting their Google Business page. Posting updates to your Google profile is essential to show clients that you’re active and help you draw in some business. You can post announcements, events, products, offers, or a what’s new update. Posting to your profile can help increase your profile’s engagement and get you more website clicks or phone calls. It also helps you rank higher on Google, much like adding over 100 photos to your profile.
When consumers search Google, it’s for a reason. When they’re scrolling through Facebook and Instagram, and your ad pops up, they might not even be in the market for a house or interested in selling. Keeping your profile active for those who are searching for realtors in the area means that you can stand out among the crowd. Those who are Google likely have more intent versus other platforms.
5. Answer Questions
Follow in the footsteps of Amazon. Amazon is a master when it comes to featuring a question and answer section on all their products. How does this translate over into Google Business? Well, simply put: utilize the Q&A section on your Google Business page! While answering questions isn’t necessarily going to boost your profile in Google’s rankings, it will help you keep the information about your business accurate. Anyone can answer questions left on your listing, but if you take the reigns, you can control any misinformation that may appear.
6. Respond to Reviews
Honest and authentic reviews are such a massive influence on other consumers. In fact, Google says it’s the number one influence. Reviews are a key ranking factor for Google searchers. If you’ve ever been on vacation and you’re on the hunt for the best restaurant in town, the ones with the best reviews will be the first ones on the search list. The top three local results show on Google Maps, and it’s called the local three pack.
In order to respond to your reviews, you have to get reviews in the first place. Realtors use many strategies to start the momentum of reviews on their Google Business listings. Ask your long-time and loyal customers to leave you a review. Include the direct link in your email blasts or other digital marketing efforts, and post about it on social media. Every chance you have to provide a direct link to a customer, you should. You can pull a Google review short link right from your profile.
Over half of your clients will write a review if asked, according to BrightLocal. Asking your clients in person, through text messages, or by having a direct link on your website. You can also have signage in your office that encourages people to leave reviews. Remember that it’s prohibited to ask for reviews with the promise of a reward like cash, gifts, discounts, or a giveaway.
Once your reviews start rolling in, it’s important to respond to them, regardless of whether they’re positive or negative. Responding in a timely manner helps to improve your local rankings. When it comes to getting new clients, responding as quickly as possible is a key tactic to converting them into customers. When other customers are searching for you, they can see you being appreciative of your clients by responding to positive reviews and taking accountability or providing context to negative reviews.
7. Be Active and Manage your Profile Going Forward
Once your Google Business listing is posted, it becomes part of your social media strategy and needs to be treated with the care and importance of any other of your digital marketing channels. Continuing to manage and be active on your profile is essential to continued success. The Google Business page might be a snapshot of your business, but that just means it’s one of the most important.
Keeping your page updated with the correct information will never lead to confusion. Managing the posts, making regular updates, adding new photos, and responding to every interaction you can is all part of managing your profile. Stay aware of any new features and try them out as soon as you learn about them.
Why and How Should You Use Google Business as a Realtor
Combined with a solid online presence, great website, and digital marketing tactics, Google Business profiles can be one of the best free tools in your toolbox as a realtor.
Those who are searching on Google for a realtor are already interested in what you have to offer, and your profile will show them why you’re the best fit for their needs. Taking advantage of this free tool is a no-brainer.
First, make sure that your profile is complete and up-to-date. Include accurate information about your business, such as your hours of operation, contact information, and real estate services offered. You should also add photos and videos to give potential clients a sense of what your business is like.
Next, encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Customer reviews can be incredibly helpful in boosting your profile’s ranking in search results.
Finally, stay active on your profile by regularly adding new content. This helps to keep your profile relevant and visible in search results. Following these tips can improve your real estate business’s online visibility and attract new clients.
Using these tips will help you to keep your Google Business profile optimized and humming along. Google Business is an incredible tool for realtors to attract new business and become area experts with excellent reputations.