Use 'Yelp' to build online reputation

Online reviews can be a two-way street, enabling Realtors® to grow their business and reputation, while helping other businesses do the same, according to real estate instructor Gee Dunsten.

“We’re returning to the time of our grandparents when a business’s success was based on the relationship it had established with its customers,” Dunsten said.  “Word of mouth used to matter and it now does again, online.”

“The advent of social media, blogging and sites like YouTube, Facebook and Yelp are changing the game,” he said.  “When someone goes online to look for a camera, they’re not only interested in price, they’re also interested in the ratings posted by people who have already purchased the camera and postings about the company itself. Consumers have shifted from being product-based to information-based.  There’s no doubt, we’re guided by what people are saying,” Dunsten said.

Sites like YouTube, Facebook and Google that allow consumers to rank businesses are already having a significant impact on the business world, including real estate.

Dunsten suggests Realtors® create an account on Yelp, a site that reviews local businesses.  “Yelp will allow you to help local merchants by posting comments about their business and check out what people are saying about you, as well.”  He recommends Yelp because it is the backbone of social media referral sites and the recommendation platform for real estate site, Trulia.

Earlier this year, Yelp reported that more than 45 million unique visitors clicked on the site to make a spending decision based on Yelp’s more than 15 million reviews.

“By highlighting local restaurants, stores and services, Realtors® will become local ambassadors,” Dunsten said.  “Be recognized for knowing where to get a good bagel, who’s a good painter in your area and how to avoid traffic.  Reputation is important to every business on the Internet,” he added.  “It’s also a good idea to set up Google alerts, so you can follow what’s being said about you and how you’re being quoted.  If there’s a problem, you can address it immediately.”

Dunsten shares a story about a consumer who purchased a house, only to find out later that there were some major issues with it.  The agent and broker refused to address the issues with him, so not only did he share his dissatisfaction with family and friends, but went to the extreme of erecting a 4’ x 8’ plywood sign in front of his house with a lemon painted on it, as well as the name of the agent and real estate company who had sold him the house, telling people not to deal with them.  “Whether or not it was justified isn’t the point,” Dunsten said.  “This clearly shows that the idea of consumer reviews is only going to get bigger.”

Dunsten believes this shift will encourage people to do a better job.  “If a professional isn’t doing a good job, it won’t be a secret for long.  If an agent makes an honest mistake, he should say so and do whatever is needed to make it right.  Our grandparents got it.  They paid attention to people; their names, interests, likes and dislikes and went the extra mile to give them good service.  We’re returning to those standards.”