A decade after some of real estate’s biggest names launched agent reviews, testimonials are gathering dust on portals, agent websites, and dormant social media profiles. Even the agents who continue to collect and publish reviews are left wondering:
Do these reviews matter?
Can anyone find them?
Should I be spending my time on this?
Reading reviews is a nearly-universal experience
Examine your own buying habits. A recent study shows that 93% of consumers say that online reviews have an impact on their purchasing decision.
Most of us interact with reviews every day, yet we have somehow convinced an entire industry that they can build their business without social proof. It’s not too late to change this mindset, or to provide buyers and sellers with a better experience for finding agents online.
The problem: Purchase anonymity
Regular reviews typically describe experiences with a product. Real estate reviews, on the other hand, offer the perspective of working with an agent, but they aren’t meaningfully tied to the product — the property that was bought or sold.
When buyers or sellers come across a typical review, it’s an all-text paragraph that can leave out important details like:
- How much the home sold for (*where applicable)
- Date of sale
- Property images
- Location of the home
- When the review was left
- If the client was a buyer, seller — or both
The solution: Putting reviews to work
Across the web, “verified” reviews are the new standard. It’s an easy way to ward off fake reviews, and it has the benefit of empowering customers through radical transparency.
Thanks to standardized MLS data, the real estate industry has the unique opportunity to uphold this same caliber. And that’s exactly what we’ve been working on at RateMyAgent.
RateMyAgent is the digital marketing platform that’s powered by verified reviews. Our goal is simple: We offer agents a way to validate and differentiate themselves online. With verified reviews, you can bolster your reputation and build the trust you’ll need to win new clients.
Here’s our quick three-step process:
- It’s free to use the RateMyAgent platform to request a new review or request verification of an existing review.
- Your client can write or verify a review without having an account.
- The review publishes its own optimized landing page, next to transaction details.
(And yes, you can broadcast them across your social media channels to bring them back to life.)
Example of verified reviews that are tied to MLS data.
Better than Google?
Most companies require reviewers to register. As consumers grow wary of this, conversion rates on review sites are beginning to tank. RateMyAgent is able to verify using MLS data, so we don’t ask reviewers to create an account. As a result, we have a 60% conversion rate, which is unprecedented.
We’re in this for you
Claim your FREE RateMyAgent profile today, then reach out to 3 of your past customers to get reviews that showcase the experience you offer and the value you provide.
It’s a quick setup that takes under 5 minutes, as detailed by Product Ambassador Kristi Kennelly in this video:
But we’re not just here to sell you on the power of reviews. We’re here to reward you, as well. Coming this February, we’ll host the RateMyAgent 2021 Agent of the Year Awards — often called “The Oscars of Real Estate” in my native Australia. This award will celebrate incredible customer service and is the first national industry-wide award of its kind to use verified reviews as the leading factor in determining the top agents.
More details coming soon. In order to be eligible, you’ll need to show social proof that you go above and beyond for your clients. And RateMyAgent verified reviews are where you should start. Set up your profile now.