Homes.com Offers an Online Reputation “Playbook”- What do Clients Want?

Homes.com offers online reputation ‘playbook’

http://www.inman.com/news/2013/03/14/homescom-offers-online-reputation-playbook

White paper is also a plug for ‘Social Impact’ marketing service

BY TEKE WIGGIN, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013.Inman News®

Ed: This article from Inman News details a social media primer for reputation building or online branding. The social media craze has grabbed the real estate industry like wildfire but some  spend forty to seventy hours a week online putting all their information, click pics and minutiae on the web. Do clients really like this?  How do we protect our Clients?? The Barton Group is investigating thes issues in depth, working with Upper Valley experts in the fields of photography, copy writing, videography and communication. We will feature some of these stars in a future post to demonstrate our commitment to these issues!

A new white paper from Homes.com takes a look at best practices for using online directories, review sites and social media platforms to manage a brand’s “online reputation” and keep tabs on competitors”Maximizing Your Online Reputation: A Playbook for Engaging Consumers and Winning their Business” is also a plug for Homes.com’s social media marketing service, Social Impact, which is offered at a 30 percent discount.

Before diving into best practices, the 23-page report calls attention to the importance of maintaining a polished image on directory, review and social media websites. Citing marketing software developer HubSpot Inc., the white paper said 72 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Information technology research and advisory firm Gartner Inc. has found 74 percent of consumers rely on social networks to make purchasing decisions, the paper said.

Given that so many consumers use online chatter to learn about brands, those that cultivate an attractive online image may reap significant rewards, the Homes.com report said. The white paper pointed to a Media Post News report that said that brands with the highest “social media activity” boosted revenue by as much as 18 percent. Developing the infrastructure for building an attractive online reputation, first and foremost, means creating an online footprint that spans the most popular directories, review sites and social media platforms, the report said. Those include Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and business directories on major search engines, it said.