Do This One Thing to Increase Your Google Results!

Most real estate agents would love to be ranked higher in a Google search. But unless an agent spends a lot of money on Google advertising or invests major dollars regularly in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), landing in a Google search "above the fold" -- the first part of a screen before you scroll -- is unlikely.

Unless you take advantage of one opportunity that Google is offering every real estate agent today. That opportunity is Google My Business.

Google My Business is a powerful visual listing that displays at the top right of a Google search when someone is looking for you by your name and occupation. If potential clients are near you and are searching for a real estate agent nearby, your listing may be included higher in their Google search as part of Google Places, which also shows a Google map of local agent office locations.

Because of its prominent placement in search results, a Google My Business listing can deliver some of the best search placements there are for a small business. Most importantly, it allows you to connect with potential clients faster.

Google My Business features your office hours, address, contact information, photos of your business and office that you have uploaded, and a screenshot of a Google map of your business location that is hot linked to an interactive Google Map for directions to your office. It even displays your client reviews and your overall Google client rating.

Best of all, your Google My Business listing doesn't cost you one dime – other than your time to create your business listing and keep it fresh. You can set your free Google My Business account by going to this link: google.com/business.

Advantages for Agents

When a client searches for your name as a real estate agent, your Google My Business listing will be displayed at the top of the right side of the Google search. Anyone who lives near your office—or is nearby—and searches "real estate agents near me" could also see your Google listing in their search results. Your office will also appear on Google Maps searches.

Google My Business is dynamic, which means you can add to it. You keep it updated with new photos, videos and encourage your clients to add reviews. By doing this, your Google My Business listing will increase your authenticity as a real estate expert for your area in Google's view. As a result, your search results ranking by Google will also improve over time.

With Google My Business, you don't even need a website because it's an independent listing and contains all your business information: address and contact information, including your phone. If you have a website, of course it includes that too.

When a client or potential client searches for you and ends up finding you through your Google My Business listing, you have accomplished something else: You've connected with them in the way that they want to be connected, giving them just the right amount of information they are seeking. They don't need to see your entire website. They just may need directions to your office or your phone number to give you a call. That's what makes Google My Business unique.

Google My Business Tips for Agents

Add Photos: When setting up your Google My Business listing, don't forget to add photos. An exterior picture of your office location is important, as it can help your clients find your location. Remember, a lot of people will be using Google My Business to find your office. Having a visual picture of the building they are looking for will help them find you faster.

Encourage Client Reviews: After every transaction, send your customers an email thanking them for their business and ask for a little help. Explain that a quick review on Google – the most powerful search engine in the world – will help tell others about your service. Provide them a link for a Google review. It's easy to do and that review will be added to your Google My Business listing. Remember, the more reviews you get, and the more current your reviews are, the more Google is likely to push your search ranking higher when people are searching for real estate agents in your area. One extra perk: Google notifies you every time someone completes a review on your Google My Business listing.

Keep your listing fresh: If you decorate your office for a holiday, or have a promotion or event scheduled, post a new photo to keep your content fresh in your Google My Business listing. If you are involved in a community activity, for example, and are collecting items at your office, post a photo or sign related to that event as well. Fresh content works for Google My Business too.

One more perk: even though the listing is free, Google will provide you with reports on how well your listing is performing—at no charge. That's right, you can see what most people are interested in and the actions they took, from how many people clicked on your phone number from their smartphone to call you, to how many used the directions button to find your office through Google Maps.

Again, even the Google reports you receive are 100 percent free, so there's absolutely no reason every agent shouldn't sign up for their own Google My Business account.

Remember that Tech Helpline can help you understand better how Google My Business works. They can also help you optimize your photos for faster uploads or answer any of your tech questions. Give Tech Helpline a call today. Don't have Tech Helpline support? Ask your state or local REALTOR® association for it!

Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns and operates Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.