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How to Optimize Your realtor.com® Profile
How to Optimize Your realtor.com® Profile
BY PAMELA BABCOCK
There’s nothing fun or assuring about clicking on a blank or incomplete business profile or the message, “[Insert business’ name here] hasn’t provided a bio yet.”
But that’s just what happens to potential buyers and sellers if you don’t make the most of a free online Realtor® profile to help attract more business.
While you may already have a website, Facebook, and Instagram for your business, you may be overlooking an important resource viewed by potential leads: your profile on realtor.com®
Crafting a well-written biography to highlight your strengths, expertise, and experience is crucial, especially since New Jersey Realtors®’ free Find a Realtor® tool can direct business your way.
“Having a profile on any site gives potential clients some insight about you and helps with their decision on who they would like to work with,” said Realtor® Frank D. Isoldi of Coldwell Banker Realty in Westfield. “With so many agents out there, any additional information you can give to set yourself apart is crucial.”
The National Association of Realtors® offers webinars and online tutorials to help enhance your profile. The first step is to claim your profile, followed by a high-resolution profile photo that accurately represents you.
Ensure your profile includes contact information, such as your phone number, email, website link, and your business/brokerage name and address. Consider adding a quote that speaks to your expertise and adds a human touch.
Localizing your profile by specifying the cities or neighborhoods you work in helps search engines like Google find your profile. Additionally, consider asking for referrals and incorporating existing ratings and reviews into the platform.
“The process was very easy,” said Isoldi. “I was able to copy and paste information I have for other sites and adjust them accordingly.”
Include a cover image which serves as a banner across the top of your profile. Some opt for an aerial view of the region they sell, while others might show their agency logo or a photo reflecting the type of properties they sell. Isoldi chose his company’s bold black and white logo as his banner.
“Brand recognition is very important, and I try to stay as consistent as possible,” said Isoldi.
About Me
The “About Me” section is the core of the realtor.com® profile and perhaps the most challenging section to write, especially for new agents. It typically covers expertise, key interests, what makes you stand out as an agent, passions, hobbies, where you grew up, or even your previous life.
Established Realtors® usually have short bios on their website or Facebook page they can use here, perhaps with a little tightening.
“This is a great space to outline your experience in the business and to add a look into your personal interests,” said Isoldi. On his site, Isoldi notes he is a lifelong Westfield resident, owns three homes in the town and is a product of the highly-rated Westfield public school system.
“I often have people reach out to me since I went to the local public schools in Westfield. One of the top reasons people choose to look in Westfield is the schools,” said Isoldi. “You never know what the connection will be.”
In Morristown, Realtor® Ryan Bruen’s profile highlights the fact he holds a Certified Public Accountant license and describes him as an empathetic, motivated, friendly and ‘fun’ real estate agent. It goes on to say Bruen possesses “a perfect balance of quantitative and qualitative skills, thanks to his numbers background as an accountant, and his creativity honed via his marketing degree and entrepreneurial endeavors.”
Bruen, who works on a team with his mother Debbie for Coldwell Banker, notes he was born and raised in Morristown and grew up in a family of prominent Realtors®, which includes his grandfather, father, and mother. “No commission is worth my reputation,” his profile says—a family philosophy passed down through many years.
On her realtor.com® profile, Realtor® Kate McDonough with Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty in Montclair, highlights a quote from a former manager who calls McDonough “a consummate professional, always on top of her game.”
McDonough has lived in Montclair for more than 30 years and has been a top producing agent for more than 15. Among other things, McDonough’s bio states she’s a past president of the Junior League of Montclair-Newark and past chairman of the Central Business District Revitalization Committee. It also mentions her hobbies: theatre, tennis, reading, Mahjong, and vacations on the beach.
Patricia M. Romano, a Realtor® with RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay, begins her profile with a slightly different approach designed to appeal to clients’ emotions and make them feel more comfortable. Buyers are often “filled with fear and trepidation...terrified of making a wrong decision with life-changing consequences,” she writes.
Fortunately, her bio adds, most stress and fear can be allayed by giving clients the information they need to make the right decision with confidence. Romano vows to be “absolutely committed to providing my clients with the highest level of customer service…You have worked hard to be able to achieve your dreams. I can help make them come true.”
Help is on the Way
Writing a professional bio can be a challenging task, according to Valerie Garcia, author of the e-book “Writing a Professional Bio: How to Build Trust, Get Attention, & Sound Like A Human.”
“People want to see who you are, what you believe in, and how you conduct business,” writes Garcia, a keynote speaker and consultant specializing in the real estate industry. “A great professional bio tells that story.”
According to NAR, the more complete your profile, the higher your ranking will be on its Find a Realtor® tool. But, too often, Garcia says people approach writing a bio as if it’s a résumé and cut and paste a dull list of accomplishments and accolades. “It’s a turnoff,” writes Garcia.
Garcia recommends gathering some ingredients before drafting your bio. Define your values and target audience, identify their biggest problem or need and consider how you can help solve that problem. Reflect on what led you to this career, your successes and failures and the results you’ve achieved. Consider your passions and the impact you want to make, and think of adjectives to describe yourself such as trustworthy, kind, driven or helpful, said Garcia.
A strong opening line is key to grabbing the reader’s attention and enticing them to continue reading. Start with a story or statement to resonate with prospective clients. For example: “Sarah Sloane moved six times by her 10th birthday. When her family bought their first house, she never forgot the feeling of realizing that from now on, she would get to grow in one place. Today, Sarah is honored to help buyers and sellers find the right community to plant their own roots.”
As you draft your introduction, according to Garcia, you might characterize yourself as a “business owner, community builder, creator, football fan, problem-solver, personal trainer, health nut, artist, negotiator,” or mention you’re focused on helping “neighbors, seniors, baby boomers, investors, real people, seekers of the American dream, members of the military, down-sizers, my community or students.”
When concluding your bio, add credibility with credentials, such as advanced degrees, specialized expertise, or industry honors. In the end, it’s important to review your professional bio periodically. After all, Garcia writes, it’s “a living thing” that could change “as your accomplishments, audience, and possibly even your values change.”
3 Tips for Writing Your realtor.com® Bio
Choose a Voice: Decide whether you’ll write in the first or third person. In the first person, you’ll use words such as “I” and “me,” while writing in the third person means using your name. Writing a slightly informal bio for your X (formerly Twitter) profile? First-person might be best. But if you’re adding a bio to your company page and all your coworkers used third-person, you should certainly follow suit, according to Indeed.
Be Authentic: Make sure your bio is an accurate representation. Describe accomplishments honestly, without exaggerating. While it’s good to highlight professional strengths, “you also want to be able to live up to your promises,” according to Indeed. “Authenticity and sincerity are the best option when writing a short bio.”
Encourage Next Steps: Bios should end with a call to action that spells out the next step you want readers to take. For example, Garcia said someone might write: “For a no-pressure meet-up with Sarah over coffee—or preferably pie—reach out today,” and include a phone number and email address.
