The Importance of Client Reviews for REALTORS®

Client reviews are a vital piece of any successful real estate marketing plan

By Megan Kramer

From doctors to restaurants to pet-grooming services, people are utilizing online reviews more than ever to determine with whom they want to do business—and of whom they’d rather steer clear. Choosing a real estate agent is no different. While word of mouth is still a helpful way to gain new business, having a strong online presence with positive client reviews can help you stand out from the crowd.

There are certain clients who will take it upon themselves to leave you a review after you’ve helped them buy or sell their homes, while others may need to be prompted. But when and how should you ask? And what do you do when the reviews start rolling in? A few REALTORS^® share their advice.

Ask after closing—but don’t wait too long

Once a client has closed on their home, ask as soon as possible if they wouldn’t mind leaving you a review, so the events and details of the experience are fresh in their minds. If you let too much time pass, clients may forget key details or ignore your request for a review altogether.

If asking feels awkward, try to frame it as less of a formal request and more like just another part of the transaction process, recommends Molly Wendt, CRS, REALTOR^® Associate at Century 21 Randall Morris & Associates in Wimberley, Texas.

In Wendt’s case, Century 21 uses customer satisfaction platform RealSatisfied after closings to automatically send clients surveys, which include questions about their experience and a section for them to leave a review in their own words. Wendt lets her clients know the email will be coming and refers to the survey as a “report card.”

“I tell them that they will be getting a report card in their email shortly after the closing and ask if they would fill it out and tell us how they feel [about the transaction],” she says. “I make it sound like it’s not a big deal because it isn’t a big deal. It’s a simple thing to do, but it’s very, very good for your business.”

Wendt says the survey is essentially a checklist of every aspect of the transaction, and clients can provide a rating for each. There’s a percentage given at the end, and every agent looks for 100%. “I always tell my clients to give me an A+ on my report card,” Wendt laughs.

Try to keep reviews in one place

When you ask clients to leave reviews, ask them to do so on one specific site, so it’s easier for you to keep track of them. Tracy Jones, CRS, broker associate with RE/MAX Platinum in Sarasota, Florida, recommends asking clients to submit reviews on Google because they help boost your website’s SEO.

“The more information Google has on you, the better placement they give you [in search results],” she says. This increases your business’ visibility and the chance that homebuyers and sellers will reach out to you over your competition.

Of course, some clients will leave reviews in other places, which is when a tool like RateMyAgent comes in handy, says Catalina Schreader, CRS, broker associate at Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc. in Melbourne, Florida.

RateMyAgent allows account holders to link their profiles on sites like Google, Zillow and Facebook, so reviews on these sites can be compiled under one umbrella. You can also upload past reviews, which is helpful for agents just starting to use reviews in their digital marketing.

“It’s very important to try to have all of your reviews in one place,” Schreader says. “I think a lot of agents have reviews all over, so [on one site] it might show that they have only five or 10 reviews, when in reality, they have over 100 reviews, but they’re all in different places. I think I still have reviews out there I have to organize.”

Boost reviews with media

Schreader recommends utilizing tools like RateMyAgent not only for compiling reviews, but also for making them shareable. RateMyAgent can tie reviews to transactions and create branded posts, adding photos of homes and clients, information on homes and links to your website. This extra content adds a layer of authenticity and human connection to the reviews while also boosting your website’s SEO once they are promoted on sites like Google or Facebook.

Outside of tools like RateMyAgent, agents like Jones have found success in video recording client testimonials. Jones uploads them to YouTube, then shares the videos on her website and social media accounts. Jones’ graphics team also creates social media posts based on information from reviews.

It’s important to pay attention to your website and social media analytics, so you know what platform gets the most traffic. Sharing client reviews on your most popular sites will increase visibility and engagement.