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Update Your Profiles and Online Presence

By
Education & Training with Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp Non-Licensed

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, there's a rumor he fell off and got broken. The reality is that Humpty Dumpty just moved away, found a new wall but no one knew because he didn't update his web profiles.

I was reading an article on FloridaRealtors.org about a study done by the WAV Group that stated:

"NEW YORK – Jan. 23, 2017 – According to an audit by the WAV Group, a real estate consulting firm, an average 10 percent of brokerages' online profiles are inaccurate or outdated." quote from article...

Having many profiles and social media sites myself, it made sense to go around the web this weekend and see just how bad it really could be? I'm ashamed of myself, more than 15% of my profiles were incomplete, out-dated or simply needed some attention and love. 

My suggestion and advice to everyone reading this is to go "Google your name" to see what pops up first and make sure you update and edit everything in your search results.


Many agents and brokers make changes or move to different companies and get so excited about it, they forget to go around the web and update their important contact information. I had a couple profiles still showing that I worked for Zillow and one that said I was still a full time employee here in the rain.

All agents and brokers should begin now by identifying and then updating your pages and profiles starting with REALTOR.com, Facebook profile and pages, Homes.com, Zillow.com etc. While many of these sites get a boat-load of traffic, your incorrect information there could be sinking your boat. 

(if you like co-branding as seen below and in links above, I can teach you the secret in another post...)

 

Zillow Co Branding

 

Realtor.com Co BrandingHomes Co Branding

 

Don't forget your Associations, MLS's and third party sites etc. as these too get missed during moves. 

Let this be a friendly warning and nudge to all of us that changes are inevitable. Even a phone number or simple address change is enough to warrant your research and Internet presence updates.

Comments (70)

Noel Mayer
Upper Montclair Weichert Realtors - Montclair, NJ
YOU WILL BE RIGHT AT HOME WITH NOEL !

Brad,

 I'm still in the construction phase so for me its to complete what I started.

Thanks for the reminder

Feb 07, 2017 03:04 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Having Brad Andersohn looking over your shoulder is nothing but good....

Feb 07, 2017 03:18 PM
Jerry Murphy, CRS, SRES
Long Realty West Valley - Anthem, AZ
Anthem, Phoenix, and Scottsdale AZ Real Estate

Thanks for the heads up Brad.  I'll get on this.

Feb 07, 2017 03:52 PM
John Slocum
Premiere Property Group, LLC - Vancouver Washington - Vancouver, WA
Broker, SFR - Vancouver WA Real Estate

Hi Brad, been trying to do these updates for the past month with mixed success.  Biggest challenges have been changing old entries that now want you to go through Yext (for $$, of course); and with Google Business. 

Made the Address and phone number change in GB, and they have never sent the postcard to Verify after repeated attempts.  Instead, the phone rings off the hook with robo calls and the Announcement to Verify my Google Business page - when they just want $$ and are not with Google. 

Google Adwords sent me their propaganda to the correct new address but, no Verification Postcard.

I've made one last request to get the Verification postcard, and if this fails, GB says I must delete the business page and start over.  Seems very fishy to me that their postcard never shows up!

Hope other Rainers don't have this poor of customer service from GB.  John and Kat

Feb 07, 2017 03:52 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Brad

Your post makes a great point . . . .  Thanks for sharing your insight.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Feb 07, 2017 04:17 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Brad

Looks like a feature for your post.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Feb 07, 2017 04:18 PM
Rene Fabre
ARFCO Media - Renton, WA
Practicing Philosophical Eclectic of the Arts

Hi Brad... It's a never ending process... then there's the whole thing now, should they be written in 1st person... Good read!

Feb 07, 2017 10:35 PM
Debra Leisek
Bay Realty,Inc Homer Alaska - Homer, AK

Good Idea! I forget to do this and should so thanks for the reminder!

Feb 07, 2017 11:40 PM
Tony Morganti
RE/MAX Crossroads in Cuyahoga Falls and Stow, Ohio - Cuyahoga Falls, OH
CRS, ABR, SRES - Cuyahoga Falls, Stow

Very good advice Brad and a timely reminder for us all especially at this time of year.

Feb 08, 2017 03:52 AM
Jim Paulson
Progressive Realty (Boise Idaho) www.Progressive-Realty.info - Boise, ID
Owner,Broker

Very true Brad.  I am surprised how many Brokers don't Google their agents to see what they are doing online and where their profiles are showing up.  

I use Google Alerts for mine.

Maybe they will create an app that automatically ages you in your profile photo if you don't update it within 3 years?

Feb 08, 2017 11:16 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Jim - brings up a great point... the validation of the WAV group percentages right? 10% my friend and that's probably just a Zestimate (lol) 

Love using Google Alerts and highly recommend it to all reading this...

But a morphing app for a profile photo???  That is simply is genus!?!  :-)


Feb 08, 2017 01:56 PM
Mick Michaud
Distinctly Texas Lifestyle Properties, LLC Office:682/498-3107 - Granbury, TX
Your Texas Lifestyle is Here!

Wow.  Really need to do some cleanup and clean out.  Seems I've got internet multiple personality disorder.  Thanks for the heads up.

Feb 08, 2017 10:48 PM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Mick - we all have a little case of "mpd" or I would have posted this long ago! lol~

Feb 09, 2017 03:35 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Brad 

The visitors to our on line sites is either getting up to date information . . . . or old and outdated information.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Feb 10, 2017 05:56 PM
Brad Andersohn

Exactly! And the latter... we'll never even know...    :-O

Feb 12, 2017 06:21 AM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I actually do this in December in between holiday parties.

Feb 11, 2017 11:39 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Lyn Sims - you set a good example and your "standard" bar is higher than most :)

Feb 11, 2017 11:40 AM
Kasey & John Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID
Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

I try to update once a year, end of December beginning of the new year.  But you make a great suggestion to Google myself.  I don't do that. I should to see what comes up...-Kasey

Feb 11, 2017 08:48 PM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Kasey - there are 5 really good people search tools you can use and I would also set up "Google Alerts" with specific keywords to report.

The 5 Best People Search Tools are:
Pipl, Spock, 123People, Facebook & Google

Feb 12, 2017 06:27 AM
Mott Marvin Kornicki
Waterway Realtors® • Notary Public & Apostille - Sunny Isles, FL
Miami Notary & Apostille 786-229-7999

"NEW YORK – Jan. 23, 2017 – According to an audit by the WAV Group, a real estate consulting firm, an average 10 percent of brokerages' online profiles are inaccurate or outdated." quote from article...

I think it's way more than 10% Brad Andersohn :-) I found so many bad or broken links here on A\R profiles and across SEF MLS listings on a regular basis. 

May 30, 2018 01:08 PM
Mott Marvin Kornicki
Waterway Realtors® • Notary Public & Apostille - Sunny Isles, FL
Miami Notary & Apostille 786-229-7999

I think it's way more than 10% of real estate profiles that need updating! Brad Andersohn - I find many broken or bad links here on A\R profiles too.

May 30, 2018 01:10 PM