As real estate agents, our online presence matters. Social credibility matters. Here’s why.
We know that real estate buyers go out searching for a property that suits their needs and those of their family. But when a buyer is choosing from two identical properties that are priced the same, the sale is going to come down to which agent they want to work with. That’s when online social credibility becomes important.
How do they decide if an agent is reputable? Well, they sift through their online presence. They check Facebook, LinkedIn and Ratemyagent. They see what other people have been saying, and they see how active the agent themselves are on social media. If they like what they see, they will be happy to trust the agent and work with them.
Your online social credibility can be the deciding factor in whether a buyer wants to work with you or not.
A Real Estate Example
Let’s take a hypothetical example. A buyer is looking at two very similar homes on the same street, sold by different agents. They like each home equally and they’re identically priced.
Agent A’s home is 89 Smith Street, on the market for $800,000. It’s a lowset home with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage. Agent B’s home is just up the road at 112 Smith Street. It’s also a lowset with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage.
How does the buyer decide which property they’re going to buy? Well, they slip into online sleuth mode, checking out the social media, reviews and engagement that each agent offers.
Agent A has over 10,000 followers that they engage with on a daily basis. They have 105 5-star Google reviews, big Instagram and LinkedIn followings and 82 5-star ratings on Ratemyagent.
Agent B must be relatively new to the game. They’re friendly and professional in person and on the phone, but only have a spattering of reviews and very little in the way of social media followers.
Who do you think the buyer would rather work with? Both agents are nice and professional, and both the properties are very similar.
Well, agent A has a definite advantage, and more than likely he will go with them. Why? Simply because of their social credibility, with many people willing to testify to their skill and experience and many people engaging with them daily on social media.
Social Credibility Statistics Don’t Lie
Social media powerhouse Hootsuite released a well-researched whitepaper on how the social activity of CEO’s in Australian companies influences the public perception and trust of those companies. The findings are extremely interesting!
For a start, three out of four consumers say that if the leaders of a company have a presence on social media, it immediately makes that brand more trustworthy. And if those leaders are regularly active on social media, the brand is perceived as being 23%more trustworthy than inactive brands.
With Australians spending two hours per day average (and rising) on social media, these are stats we shouldn’t ignore. Building social credibility is more important now than ever, because rest assured a potential buyer is going to have a good look at your online presence and reputation.
How to Build Social Credibility
According to Social Pilot, your social credibility is directly proportional to sales conversions. It makes sense to work on it and build it. Here’s a few tips how to do that:
Build an online community: Grow your online following by providing relevant, authentic content that resonates with your niche, which in our case is real estate. As you build a reputation for good content, your audience will grow.
Engage with Your Audience: You need to be involved with your community. Talk to them and answer their queries. Make them feel as if your always there for them, let them get to know you and trust you.
Customer Ratings and Testimonials: Before you buy a book or watch a movie you always check out the online reviews. Potential buyers will definitely be doing this to you. Ask anyone you deal with to leave reviews for you on social media. The key is to treat everyone you encounter with the same level of respect, dignity and professionalism. It’ll soon start to show up in your reviews.
If you have any questions about social credibility, get in touch with The Henry Wong Team® today. We love using our social media following and engagement to increase the reach of our real estate listings.
