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As a real estate agent, you understand that acquiring quality local leads is crucial, and one of the most effective methods is through your Google My Business Listing. Unlike Google Ads or SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which can be costly, your Google My Business Listing is free.
Your Google My Business Listing, especially for real estate agents, can generate high-quality leads from both buyers and sellers. It enables you to appear in searches such as "realtor in [city]" or "real estate agent near me."
Your Google My Business Listing is an excellent way to establish trust as an agent. It enables you to showcase high-quality photos from past listings, real verified reviews, verified contact information, and much more.
The biggest benefit of having your Google My Business Listing as a real estate agent is its visibility when buyers and sellers search the real estate market. When someone searches for "realtor near me" or "real estate agent in [city]," the Google Map Pack, where your listing appears, is typically at the top.
As a Real Estate Agent, your commission can vary and be inconsistent, making the Google My Business Listing even more crucial. It enables you to generate high-quality inbound leads without spending on ads or social media editors.
To set up your Google My Business Listing, start by claiming your profile. If you don't have one, visit google.com/business to create it. If your business already has a profile, search for the business name to find it. Then, click on 'claim profile' and follow the usual steps.
When filling out the profile make sure that you keep the following consistent:
Google Sheet to Help Keep you Organized: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SCSRRgkxv-LdPQz2OmUvUh1K3LWFJ7IcvPtfOJLAYlg/edit?usp=sharing
Once you've set up the basic information on your Google My Business Listings, you will need to verify your listing. For most, the easiest way to verify is through a video recording. This involves walking around your office or place of work and recording all the necessary information. You can also use the following verification methods:
Your Google My Business Listing is an ideal platform to showcase your previous listings. Utilizing high-quality photos and videos, from headshots to listing photos, is the most effective method. Consider reviewing these locations to discover some of your best photos:
Your description is a top-ranking factor for your Google My Business Listing. Therefore, it's important to cover key points and provide comprehensive information about your business. Make sure to highlight your Unique Selling Proposition, Target Location, and Target Demographics.
To assist you, we have developed a ChatGPT prompt that you can use to craft your description:
You are a Real Estate Agent working for [Brokerage] in [City]. You’ve been tasked with writing a brief Google My Business Listing description under 500 characters for [the brokerage/yourself]. Make sure to include a Unique Selling Proposition, Target Location and Mention of Real Estate. What additional information would you like from me before you begin writing? After you receive the answer you may immediately write it.
The area where most real estate agents and realtors make mistakes on their Google My Business Listing is the "Products" section. Many agents list properties like "1017 8th Street" or "928 Orange Drive" without explaining their services. Instead, you should describe your services and include an engaging visual. Here is a list of suggested products:
Finding high-quality visuals for products is often challenging. Here is a Canva template you can use: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGbc5W-Yyc/HRjCvhpgSdG4SazGdClJKA/edit?utm_content=DAGbc5W-Yyc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
Enabling Messaging on your Google My Business Listing allows people to contact you directly through the listing. This feature enables them to ask questions before fully committing to the service, and best of all, it is displayed publicly. This means that common questions will be answered for all future buyers and sellers. Questions often include:
As a real estate agent, your reviews and testimonials are your top marketing tool. Your Google My Business listing not only enables you to collect them, but it also rewards you for doing so. Google uses your reviews to rank you in the Map Pack, making it crucial to gather positive feedback!
Maintaining your Google My Business Listing can be tedious, but using it weekly is crucial for improving your ranking. The key feature to utilize is Announcements. These can include mentions of local events or educational information. Here is the checklist I use when writing my Google My Business Announcements:
As previously mentioned, reviews are crucial for a Real Estate Agent, making their collection a top priority. To gather reviews, many of our clients, such as KPR Brokers in Stevens Point, use a QR code immediately after closings. To generate your QR Code, click "[X] Google Reviews" -> "Get More Reviews" -> copy the link -> then use a QR Code Generator.
The final step for your Google My Business Listing is tracking your progress. To do this, you'll need software like Brightlocal to track rankings. Simply sign in with Google and select what you would like to track. The easiest option to understand is the Local Search Grid. I recommend a setting of 5km with a 7x7 grid size. Then, use the following keywords:
Your Google My Business Listing is one of the most powerful tools available to you as a real estate agent. I've seen agents receive up to 50 inbound leads each month simply by setting it up and utilizing it effectively. It enhances your reputation, generates more leads, and increases calls, all by appearing in searches for "Real Estate Agent Near Me."
