Reviews are a huge factor in both search engine rankings and customer purchasing decisions. For local businesses, Google reviews are especially important because they show up on Google searches and in Google Maps, two of the online platforms with the most traffic.

However, reviews rarely just flow in naturally- most businesses have to ask for them. In fact, one marketing statistic shows that as many as 70-80% of Google reviews are left after a request from the business (Spiegel Research Center).

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Reviews are a huge factor in both search engine rankings and customer purchasing decisions. For local businesses, Google reviews are especially important because they show up on Google searches and in Google Maps, two of the online platforms with the most traffic.

However, reviews rarely just flow in naturally- most businesses have to ask for them. In fact, one marketing statistic shows that as many as 70-80% of Google reviews are left after a request from the business (Spiegel Research Center).

As a result, businesses that don’t ask for reviews get lapped, and negative reviews have an outsize impact on their overall rating.

Even though it’s important, asking for reviews can be intimidating for many business owners. Sometimes it seems too pushy or like it would ruin customer relationships. However, most customers are actually much more amenable to leaving reviews than they get credit for.

For customers that you already have a very good relationship with, asking for reviews in person is a great way to get high-quality positive reviews. Most businesses, though, have too many customers and need too many reviews, so they can’t keep up by doing that alone.

The easiest way to ask for Google reviews is to post a review flyer with a QR code in your business or studio.

Here’s how to customize a downloadable & printable Google review handout/flyer for free:

1. Download your business logo

The first step is pretty simple: download your business’ primary logo for use in customizing your flyer later. The best file formats are .png (which supports a transparent background) and .jpg.

Contrast is also important. If you have a light-colored logo, try making a silhouette or reversed-out version that will be easier to see on a white background.

One other thing to keep in mind with your logo is consistency. Make sure that you’re using the same logo that appears on your products, Google My Business listing, and elsewhere on the internet. This helps customers know they’ve found the right business to leave a review for, and makes your review poster look professional when you place it in your brick-and-mortar storefront.

2. Find the Google review link for your business

The easiest way to get a Google review link for your business is to use a tool like this one from Whitespark. You just type in your business name as it appears in Google, and it will automatically find your listing and create the link.

If the tool’s not working, search for your business name on Google. When it comes up, navigate to your business profile (make sure you’re logged in to the correct Google account, or you won’t be able to access the back end of your Google listing). Click onto the “Home” tab- not the “Reviews” tab (which is where you do things like responding to reviews). On the right side, there will be a “Get more reviews” box. Click the button and copy your review link.

Source: screenshot

This is what it looks like on a desktop computer:

On a mobile device, it’s easiest to use the Google Business Listing app (formerly Google My Business). Once you find the review form button (which will look similar to the desktop version above), hold down on the button to copy the link.

3. Create a QR code for your review link

Any free QR code generator will work for this. If you’re using a template in Canva like the one below, it’s super easy to use Canva’s own QR code generator and add the code to the design. Whichever QR code tool you use, just paste the Google review link you copied in step 2 and create the image, then download it as a jpeg (use the default settings).

Some QR code generators include a way for you to put your logo in the middle of the QR code. While it provides minimal added value to your review flyer, feel free to use this option- it won’t affect the functionality of the QR code at all.

Once you’ve generated the QR code, it’s a good idea to test it a few times and make sure that it loads the right link.

4. Use an editable Google review flyer template

There are a few Google review handout templates out there. I normally use this one: 

Source: screenshot

Make sure that you pick a template that allows you to edit the design and download it for free. The above template is editable & downloadable free of charge in Canva, but you will have to provide an email address.

Canva is a great tool for small businesses to have in general, so I would recommend having at least a free account. It’s great for creating business graphics for everything from logos to social media posts to blog infographics, and is simple to use- you don’t have to be a graphic designer to make your images & graphics look professional.

5. Add your business logo as a header image

Once you open your template of choice, upload the business logo you downloaded in step 1 and place it in the designated location near the top of the page. If placing it in the frame distorts the image, delete the frame and add the logo in its place. The second page of the template linked above contains an example.

Here’s what it looks like to drag your logo into a template in the Canva interface:

Source: screenshot

If your logo is bigger than the provided space or more intricate, it’s ok to make it a littler larger, but be careful of making the QR code too much smaller. The larger the QR code is, the easier it is for smartphones to detect it, and the easier it is for customers to use your flyer to leave you a Google review.

6. Add your Google review QR code

Using the same process that you added your logo with in step 5, upload the QR code image that you saved in step 3. The QR code should be displayed in the middle of your flyer. Make sure that your QR code is black and white and that the image is square, which will help mobile cameras read it properly.

7. Download the flyer as a PDF

Download your completed flyer as any type of PDF (PDF Standard and PDF Print will both work). In Canva, this is what the interface will look like:

Source: screenshot

After you’ve downloaded the flyer, you can print it or order it as a poster.

Getting Reviews for Other Sites, Like Facebook

Once you’ve made your Google review flyer, try using the template to make review posters for the other sites that you want customer reviews on! It’s important not to neglect other sources of reviews that customers use to make their decisions. Google understands, too, that your reviews will be spread out across multiple platforms, so it won’t hurt your search rankings to send a few customer reviews to different host sites.

The process is the exact same regardless of which platform you’re making the flyer for- find your review link, create a QR code from it, and customize the template. Make sure to delete the Google logo from the bottom of the template and replace it with an image of the logo that corresponds to the review site where the link will send your customers.

Some important review sites that you should consider creating flyers for are:

Facebook

It’s vital that your business has Facebook reviews in addition to all the reviews on your Google profile. Facebook has one of the largest user networks in the whole world, and a lot of customers use it in addition to Google to research businesses before visiting them.

You can find your Facebook review link by going to your business page and click on the “More” option along the top menu and then selecting the tab that says “Reviews”:

Source: screenshot

The reviews feature must be active on your business page for customers to leave your business ratings.

Yelp

While Yelp was previously most important in the restaurant and hospitality industries, it is now the review source for Apple Maps, making it a must have. If your business is located outside of the United States, Yelp may or may not be where Apple pulls reviews from- it depends on your business industry. Either way, Yelp is an important review aggregator where you should cultivate customer reviews for your business profile.

The main difference between Yelp and other review platforms is that Yelp has a software algorithm that hides reviews it suspects were solicited and characterizes them as “Not recommended”. As a result, there’s no direct review link for your business profile. However, you can still use the general link to your business’ listing for the QR code to make the review flyer- the “Write a review” button features prominently:

Source: screenshot

Where else do I need reviews?

The secondary business listing platforms that your business needs reviews on depends on your industry. Lawyers should have listings on websites like Avvo and Lawyers.com, while for car dealerships it’s important to get reviews on DealerRater and Cars.com. Search Google for “[your industry] reviews, and see what sites come up in the top 3 spots. For some industries, Google will even tell you at the bottom of the search results page the websites where customers look for businesses. Here’s an example:

Source: screenshot

You can rotate the flyers for different websites on different days, or just post all of them next to each other. Both strategies will facilitate a regular flow of reviews spread across the different places your business needs them.

About the Author

Valerie Robinson is the founder of RunLocal Marketing in Longmont, Colorado. She has a wealth of experience from 15 years of helping small businesses on the Front Range grow, including via website development and local marketing through Google.

Competition in real estate is fierce.

via GIPHY

Therefore as a real estate professional, you have to set your business apart from the rest.

The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) estimates that there are over 3 million active real estate licensees in the United States.

Competition in real estate is fierce.

via GIPHY

Therefore as a real estate professional, you have to set your business apart from the rest.

The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) estimates that there are over 3 million active real estate licensees in the United States.

How you set your business apart is with a custom inbound marketing strategy.  The center, or hub, of that strategy is the website. Targeted to your custom real estate niche, your real estate website can build your business immeasurably.

The housing market has changed dramatically over the past few years. Buyers are educated and well informed because of the internet. They now go online to find houses and research locations even before contacting a real estate agent. If you want to keep up, you must have a modern, mobile-friendly website for clients to find you and search properties.

If your website is outdated or doesn’t conform well to a mobile device, you will lose clients. Don’t be left behind — find out below why creating a custom website is so crucial in the real estate industry and how to make yours convert.

Benefits of a Custom Website – Updated for 2022

The internet is littered with real estate website builder tools where you can create a good looking site in minutes. They often make big promises like showing up in search and instant lead generation.

However, there are quite a few drawbacks when using one of those systems.

First, you don’t own the website or the code. You cannot take your site to another hosting vendor; if you want out, you lose it all. In some cases they will offer to sell your content back to you at an exorbitant price.

Second, these cookie-cutter websites all look and work the same. There is no individuality and very little flexibility.

Third, while many of these sites do have good search ranking it’s because you are effectively renting a page on another site that has spent a lot of money to get there. The money you give them each month allows them to grow. Your site will lose any SEO advantage you had once you leave their service. It’s like having a page on Facebook. Your will be found because of the Facebook brand but you will never own the page.

It is hard, or impossible, to incorporate G.L.A.M.R. into these websites”:

When you build a custom website, you have full ownership of the entire site. It’s all yours, and you can take it with you no matter where you decide to host it. Plus, you can customize completely and make it something special.

You can focus on your real estate branding and brand it to match your logo, colors, and fonts used in other marketing materials. The bottom line is that you have complete control and this is everything.

Along with customizing the look and feel of your custom website, you can also add functionality that is not available in those web “services.” If you want to schedule appointments online, you can. If you want to add the ability to chat with clients, you can add that easily also with a custom website.

There is no limit to what you can build with a custom website. With a custom website you can offer your audience a truly unique experience.

Target Your Niche

When deciding to build your custom website, you first need to determine your audience. Do you sell million dollar houses to film stars, or do you sell cozy starter homes to young families?

Your website’s look, feel and language must all target a specific audience, or niche. To do that, you need to know who your perfect client is.  Your buyer persona.  Once you determine that, you can start building.

The imagery, colors, and even the tone of your new website must reflect your audience and be identifiable to them. If your target market is young hipsters, then you will write your web copy much differently than if you are selling high-end, modern homes to business professionals.

Your aim is to create a cohesive website that checks all the boxes for your target audience.

Even after you determine your target audience, you will be able to group your clients further into sub-segments. When you follow-up on real estate leads with promotional emails, send each group custom emails.

You can tailor your message to different ages, incomes and cultural groups to pinpoint your approach. Your clients will appreciate the custom marketing and respond better since you have them in mind when you craft each message.

Is WordPress the Right Platform?

WordPress is the number one CMS system on the market and is used by small companies and huge corporations alike. There are many reasons it is so popular, but the first and foremost is that it’s free.

You don’t pay anything for the core program. Once you get it installed, you can use real estate plugin add-ons to enhance and extend the functionality, and you can install one of thousands of themes to change the look and feel within minutes.

WordPress is scalable, which means it can grow right along with your business and you’ll never need another system.

Many themes are free, but you can purchase some really great ones online that help you build million dollar looking websites for under $100.

WordPress is also great for SEO and online marketing. Plenty of plugins like Yoast make it easy to customize your pages with search engine-friendly practices.

Another great reason to use WordPress for your custom website is that it is “open source.” Open source means that if you don’t like something, your programmer can change the code instantly.

It’s also easy to use and extremely flexible as a blog or corporate website.

You can create landing pages in minutes, and even if you are not computer savvy, you can easily learn how to add content to your pages.

WordPress is flexible, updated frequently to stay safe and secure, and it has a great community support system if you run into trouble or have questions.

WordPress Can Connect You With Buyers and Sellers

Blogs

WordPress was originally developed as a blogging platform and is a great way to connect with potential customers. A real estate blog lets you get your message out so you stay ahead of the competition and develop a strong online presence. It’s also one of the best ways to establish yourself as the local area expert.

Adding a video to a blog post along with accompanying text is a powerful SEO tool to help you rank with Google. The video can help increase time on page which is a metric Google considers when determining a sites value. The added text gives Google something to index. Not sure what to write? Consider s transcription of the video.

Video Channels

If you already have a YouTube presence and want to stream the latest videos to your WordPress site there are plugins to help with that. This approach can help keep your site current and fresh. A dedicated video page on your website is like having your very own streaming TV.

Videos on a website can have the added advantage of increasing time on page which is another valuable SEO tool.

Need some inspiration? Take videos of the areas you serve, discuss real estate trends, or educate your customers.

Podcasting

Podcasting is hot. People are busy, sometimes too busy to watch a video. Podcasting is a great way to connect with future customers on the move.

Whatever you choose WordPress is the perfect platform to connect with potential buyers and sellers.

Build the Best Real Estate Website Possible

As you consider developing your custom real estate website, there are a few tips you should remember. First, your site is like your office manager: the first impression you make with clients.

Keep that in mind and make yours a good one.

Clients usually look you up to find out more information about you or what you are selling on Google. Have an easy way for clients to reach you right on the home page, whether it’s via email, phone, or both.

Connect your website to the MLS system so you can have thousands of searchable properties right there, front and center.

Don’t skimp on your About Us page. Flesh it out with detailed information about what your agency can offer and how your extensive experience helps you do your job.

Consumers love FAQs. Dedicate a page on your website to questions and answers that you receive frequently. Including FAQ’s is also a great way to rank with Google.

Consider having a live chat feature on your site where they can log on and ask you questions in real time.

Summary

Be sure your new site looks great and works on mobile devices.

Use an SEO plugin like Yoest to ensure your pages are search engine friendly and you will rank well with Google.

Finally, use high-resolution, good quality images throughout. Images and video are the best media to use for real estate. Nothing sells like a stunning image of a house for sale or a walk-through video!

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