Before home buyers make the biggest decision of their lifetime, uproot their families, and/or liquidate all of their savings, they seek out a realtor they can trust. A majority of prospective home buyers rely on referrals to make this choice. In fact, an estimated 78 percent of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
If you’re a realtor and only utilize your website to market your services, it’s time to expand into reviews to attract more business. As you probably already know, Zillow is a fantastic place to do that. This homebuying hub is a major destination for home buyers. Almost 180 million users visit Zillow each month, and nearly 50 percent of home buyers find their new home online. But Zillow is more than just home listings. Zillow realtor reviews also provide information and ratings about realtors like you.
If you haven’t yet, it’s time to leverage this review platform to drum up business from a very qualified audience—people actively shopping for homes and primed to buy. Here’s how you can do just that.
How Real Estate Agents Can Get More Zillow Realtor Reviews
Every real estate agent should create a Zillow Profile to increase your visibility on a premier home search website. That’s where your reviews will also show up. Here are a few easy ways to get more reviews and grow your online reputation through Zillow.
- Sign Up for an Account
To list as an agent with Zillow, you need to create an agent account on the site. Standard Zillow agent accounts are free. To create a Zillow account, you just need to provide some basic information like your email address, name, and phone number. With a free account, you can create a profile that will appear in site searches. You’ll also receive a lead inbox and gain access to the Zillow Premier Agent App.
- Include Plenty of Information in Your Zillow Profile
Include as much information as possible in your Zillow account to make your Profile look more professional, complete, and personable. An appealing Profile with plenty of information and a high-quality picture may encourage customers to leave reviews more than an incomplete Profile. Plus, giving potential customers the information they need may also make them more likely to contact you for help buying or selling their homes.
- Promote Your Presence on Zillow
Organic traffic will drive some people to your Zillow Profile. However, you can’t count on all of your customers and former customers spotting your Zillow Profile on their own. Because of this, you may need to promote your presence on the platform to start getting reviews. There are multiple methods to promote your Zillow Profile to garner reviews. First, you may ask clients in-person for Zillow reviews. This can add a personal touch, which may make them more likely to leave a testimonial. You can also use text messaging or email marketing to promote your presence on Zillow. Include a direct link to your Zillow Profile to make the review process quick and easy for customers to leave feedback on your profile. You could even incentivize reviews by offering discounted services, a raffle, or something else appealing to your customer base. As you know, reviews are as good as gold so they’re worth the investment.
- Use the Zillow Reviews Widget
The Zillow Reviews Widget acts as a direct link between your WordPress website and your Zillow Profile. You install the Zillow Reviews Widget as a WordPress plugin, which produces a widget that your site visitors see. The widget highlights your Zillow reviews on your website. When a user clicks the widget, it takes them directly to your Zillow Profile. This isn’t just a convenient way to showcase good reviews and promote your presence on Zillow; it may also encourage existing customers to leave you a review on the site.
- Consider Signing up for a Zillow Premier Agent Account
Whether you are a Zillow Premier Agent or have a free Zillow Profile, the review process on the site works pretty much the same. However, having a Zillow Premier Agent account may make it easier to attract more reviews. That’s because Zillow Premier Agent can help you advertise, which may drive more traffic to your Profile and encourage more customers to leave testimonials. Becoming a Zillow Premier Agent also has many other benefits. Zillow Premier Agents gain access to additional tools to help them connect with leads and information about what homes those leads view, save, and search for. These insights may help you tailor your marketing approach to sign more clients.
Why Zillow Reviews Matter More Than Ever
While Zillow is a go-to tool for potential home buyers, it also offers some great benefits for realtors. Here are a few of the reasons why Zillow reviews may tremendously benefit your business.
- Increase Visibility
Having a healthy amount of realtor reviews on Zillow can increase your visibility, build trust, and attract new clients. Zillow is the leading home search website. While potential home buyers use the site to search for homes, they may also use the site to research local realtors to find one they’d like to work with. If you’re competing with hundreds of other realtors, your reviews may set you apart and attract more clients. Additionally, having recent reviews may also help you attract potential sellers who may find your Zillow Profile and reviews when they search for a real estate agent to list their home.
- Generate Reviews
Listing as a realtor on Zillow helps you get reviews in the first place. Reviews can improve your credibility and help potential clients decide if they want to work with you. Good reviews can be very persuasive. And since Zillow reports an enormous amount of impressions per day, your reviews on the site might be even more impactful than other traditional marketing channels.
- Build Word of Mouth
Getting reviews on Zillow can make you more aware of what people have to say about you. Gaining additional insight into what people liked or disliked about buying or selling a home with you can give you the information you need to make improvements and streamline your process. Plus, online reputation management is important, so staying abreast of your latest Zillow reviews will give you the opportunity to address any concerns or complaints. It’s always better to address negative comments head-on. Often times this can result in a positive outcome and better customer perception as well. You may be able to mend a relationship by practicing transparent communication.
You May Still Be Wondering…
Can I buy Zillow reviews?
No. Zillow policies state that Zillow may withhold suspicious reviews, including reviews by family members, reviews from other employees at the same company, and reviews with an invalid email address. Zillow may also stop posting reviews if one user submits too many reviews or one professional receives an unusually high number of reviews.
The legality of paid reviews is also questionable. But even if purchasing reviews were clearly legal and an option, it may not be a good idea. Many consumers can see through purchased reviews, and it may diminish their trust in you. While a high star rating is appealing and a goal every real estate agent should have, it’s not worth getting caught purchasing reviews. Doing so could permanently undermine your credibility.
Are there fake reviews on Zillow?
While Zillow has policies in place to try to prevent fake reviews, a few may still slip through the cracks. If you think a review of you or your business is fraudulent or violates Zillow’s Good Neighbor Policy, contact Zillow and the offending content may be removed.
Creating a Profile on Zillow is an important step to increasing your visibility with potential home buyers and sellers. It’s also necessary to generate reviews on Zillow, which can be tremendously beneficial to your real estate business. Profiles are free and only take a little time to set up, so make yours today!
