How to Build Long Term Trust with Your Online Presence

Why trust online matters in real estate

People search online before they call. They look at your website, your profiles, your reviews and your content. They are asking a simple question. Can I trust this person with my biggest asset.
Trust is your moat. It lowers fear, shortens the time to list, and increases referral flow. It also supports fee integrity. When trust is high, price is not the main topic.

In this guide you will learn simple steps that help you earn trust online over time. Each step suits a busy sales professional or property manager. You can start small and build each week.

The trust formula online

Trust is built when three signals line up.

• Proof that you do what you say

• Consistency over time

• Care for the person reading or watching

If you hold these three in every post, page, video and email, you will grow a strong brand that lasts for years.

Set up a clear and consistent brand

Clarity wins. People should recognise you in two seconds across every channel.

• Choose one headshot and one profile photo that feels warm and honest

• Use the same colours and fonts on your website, email signature and social profiles

• Write a simple one line promise that explains who you serve and where you work

• Use one short bio across all profiles and keep it updated

• Ensure your mobile number and email are correct everywhere

Tip. Read your bio aloud. If a ten year old can repeat it back, it is simple enough.

Your website is your trust home base

Social channels are rented land. Your website is the home you own. Keep it clean, fast and helpful.

• Clear hero section with your photo, your promise, and a simple call to action

• Service pages for selling, buying, property management and appraisals

• A suburb spotlight page for each core suburb you work

• Fresh listings, recent results and case studies with real numbers

• A simple booking link for appraisals and rental reviews

• Fast load speed and mobile friendly pages

• A privacy page and cookie notice

Add one helpful guide. For example. A step by step selling timeline or a landlord onboarding checklist. Give it as a free download in exchange for name and email.

Google Business Profile and local search

Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing people see.

• Claim and verify your profile

• Add service areas by suburb and postcode

• Upload current photos of you, your team, your office and recent sold boards

• Post weekly updates with new listings, results and community news

• Answer the Q and A section with clear, short responses

• Keep hours, phone and website link current

Aim for steady five star reviews. Ask after each successful settlement or lease start. Reply to every review with care and gratitude.

Social profiles that feel human

People follow people, not logos. Let your tone be warm, helpful and calm.

• Use real names on every profile

• Pin one post that states your promise and the suburbs you serve

• Share three types of content. Education, proof and personal

• Use simple captions. One idea per post. One call to action

• Reply to comments the same day

• Use Stories to show daily life. Open home prep, auction day flow, buyer checklists, tenant tips

Keep a simple rule. For every four posts, one can be a direct listing or offer. The rest should help or entertain.

Content that proves you know the area

Local knowledge is a trust engine. Show that you study the market and care for the streets you serve.

Ideas you can repeat each month.

• Suburb market wrap with median price, days on market and a plain English summary

• Street record spotlight with one paragraph on what made the sale

• Buyer question of the week with a short video answer

• Vendor story with one lesson learned

• Rental market update with vacancy rate and a one tip for landlords

• Local business feature with a photo and three reasons people love them

• Community calendar of school fetes, markets and sports finals

Use simple language. Avoid jargon. Explain any term you use. People remember clarity.

Video that lets people meet you

Video builds trust faster than text. People can see your eyes, your smile and your calm.

Start with these formats.

• One minute market update filmed in a quiet street in your core suburb

• Property walk throughs that focus on feelings, not only features

• Explainer videos. How to prepare for an appraisal. How auctions work. How to choose a property manager

• Client stories. A landlord who switched to you. A first home buyer who found the right home

Keep your setup simple. Phone at eye level, natural light, clean audio, and captions for silent viewers. End with one clear next step.

Reviews and social proof that feel real

Proof beats promise. Build a steady stream of social proof.

• Ask for a review within 48 hours of a happy moment

• Give people a review link and three prompts to make it easy

• Edit names and photos onto a testimonial tile for social and your website

• Turn strong reviews into short case studies. Show before, plan, result, lesson

• Build a Results page that lists recent sales and leased properties with dates and numbers

Never post fake reviews. If you get a poor one, reply with respect. Invite the person to talk offline. State what you will do to help.

Email that people want to open

Email is a direct trust channel. Send helpful information on a steady schedule.

• A fortnightly newsletter with three short sections

• One personal note from you about a local story

• One market insight in plain words

• One call to action such as Book a rental review or Get your suburb report

• Segment your list. Homeowners, buyers, landlords and tenants

• Use clear subject lines that tell the main benefit

Always use permission based email. Include an easy unsubscribe link. Your list will be smaller but far more engaged.

Community and partnerships

Trust grows when you stand with your community.

• Sponsor local clubs in a simple and useful way

• Partner with a mortgage broker, a conveyancer and a building inspector who share your values

• Offer free education sessions at schools or community centres

• Run a quarterly charity drive or clean up day

• Share community wins on your channels with kindness and credit

Small acts done often beat big events done rarely.

Privacy, consent and careful use of AI

People trust you with personal data. Treat it with respect.

• Get clear consent before adding someone to your email list

• Use secure tools for forms and storage

• Do not publish private details in posts or videos

• When using AI tools, remove names and addresses in your prompts

• Tell people how you use their data and how they can opt out

Good privacy habits build confidence and protect your brand.

Measure trust signals each month

What gets measured gets improved. Track a few simple signals.

• Website. Visitors, top pages, and contact form submissions

• Google Profile. Calls, website clicks, and review count

• Social. Saves, shares, comments, and profile visits

• Video. Watch time and completion rate

• Email. Open rate, click rate, and replies

• Leads. Source of enquiry and time to list or lease

Set one improvement goal for the next month. For example. Increase reviews by five. Or raise email open rate by five points.

A simple 90 day plan

You can build strong momentum in three months. Follow this plan and repeat.

Weeks 1 to 2. Foundations

• Update website photos, bio and service pages

• Clean up Google Business Profile and add five new photos

• Standardise your brand kit. Photo, colour, fonts and signature

• Map your top five suburbs and set up a content calendar

Weeks 3 to 6. Proof and presence

• Publish one suburb market wrap each week

• Post three times a week on your core social channel

• Record one video per week

• Ask for five reviews from recent clients

Weeks 7 to 10. Depth and community

• Launch a lead magnet such as A seller timeline or A landlord pack

• Feature two local businesses with photos and short notes

• Send a fortnightly email newsletter

• Host one free info night for homeowners or landlords

Weeks 11 to 12. Measure and improve

• Review your numbers and your inbox feedback

• Update your best performing posts into evergreen assets

• Plan next quarter themes and video list

• Set one new trust goal and one system change

Evergreen checklist for long term trust

Use this list each month to stay on track.

• Brand looks and feels the same everywhere

• Website is current, fast and helpful

• Google Business Profile is active with fresh posts

• Reviews arrive steadily and get kind replies

• Social content mixes education, proof and personal

• Videos feel warm and clear with one next step

• Emails go out on time with value first

• Community presence is seen and felt

• Privacy steps are in place and used

• Key numbers are tracked and used to make decisions

Final word

Trust is not a single event. It is a rhythm. Show up with care. Keep your promises. Share proof. Write in clear words. Help people make good choices. If you do these simple things each week, your online presence will work while you sleep, and the right clients will choose you with confidence.

Author Ken Hobson
ken@agentslibrary.com.au