Top Tips to build your online community
With fewer properties going to market throughout New Zealand the competition for listings has increased significantly. This is the time to invest in building your profile online.
Here are our top tips for ensuring your first impression counts and sets you apart from your competition.
Consistency
Ensure your branding across all online profiles is consistent – and that your professional photo is recent!
Don’t feel you have to be seen everywhere online – pick a few social networks where your community can be found and do them well. This includes posting regularly (at least every few days!). Tip: 1.9 million Kiwis access Facebook on an average of 14 times per day so consider this one place where you will find your online community!
Your profile write up
First impressions are incredibly important in this heated market. Does your current profile grab prospective vendors’ attention? Does it tick the following boxes?
- Concise – not repetitive, long winded or flat
- Grammar and Spelling – does your write up read correctly? Are there any errors that you may not even be aware of potentially turning readers off?
- Relevance – when was the last time your profile was written? Have there been any changes in your career since that time? For example, achievements and awards gained, small details such how long you have been in the industry, and even with your current company.
Social Proof
This is when people look to what others are doing before making a decision. Some examples of social proof include customer testimonials, case studies and online reviews, and when our peers or friends “like” or approve products and services.
Just a few examples of how to easily incorporate social proof into your online profiles are:
- Reviews on your Facebook business page
- Linkedin.com recommendations
- Being tagged in social media posts
Engaging
The beauty of being active online is the ability to connect with many people including contacts, prospective vendors, colleagues etc. Get active and engage! Join Linkedin.com groups of interest to you, ensure you respond to comments and messages made on your Facebook business page, ask questions, show that you are approachable! This strategy is the perfect way to help you to position yourself as the specialist in your area. Make sure the content you are sharing with your online community is engaging – and participate/connect on a regular basis. Build this into your daily schedule.