1. Objective
This SOP defines how a Virtual Assistant (VA) manages the agent's review request process and ongoing online reputation — so the agent consistently accumulates reviews after every closing, negative reviews are handled promptly and professionally, and the agent's overall rating on key platforms reflects the quality of service they provide.
Online reviews are one of the most powerful influences on a real estate consumer's choice of agent. A potential client comparing two agents with similar credentials will almost always choose the one with more recent reviews. Reviews decay in relevance over time — a stack of 20 reviews from three years ago performs worse than 12 reviews from the past 12 months. The VA's job is to make review accumulation automatic and systematic, so the agent never goes a quarter without new reviews.
The standard: Every closing triggers a review request within 7 days. Every new review receives a response within 48 hours.
Where this SOP starts: A transaction closes and a review request is due (per Post-Closing Client Follow-Up).
Where this SOP ends: This SOP has no end — reputation management is ongoing.Success looks like: The agent has a consistent, growing review count on their priority platforms, a response posted under every review, and no negative review goes unaddressed.
2. Your Role & Boundaries
2a. What you handle independently
- Sending the review request message within 7 days of closing — using agent-approved language
- Tracking which clients have received a request and whether a review was posted
- Monitoring all platforms for new reviews weekly
- Flagging new reviews to the agent within 24 hours
- Drafting review responses for agent approval
- Posting approved responses on the platform
2b. What requires agent approval before acting
- All review request message copy — the agent approves the language before the VA uses it with any client
- All review responses — agent approves before the VA posts any response, positive or negative
- Any decision to flag or report a review for removal — the agent decides; the VA does not initiate removal requests without explicit instruction
- Any outreach to a client about a negative review — escalate to agent immediately
2c. What you never do
- You never negotiate on the agent's behalf under any circumstances.
- You never provide pricing, legal, or strategic opinions to any party.
- You never sign or initial any document on behalf of the agent, client, or any party.
- You never communicate directly with the other party's client.
- You never incentivize a review — offering a gift card, discount, or any other benefit in exchange for a review violates most platform policies and FTC guidelines.
- You never post a fake review, ask a non-client to post a review, or manipulate review content in any way.
- You never respond to any review without agent approval.
- You never delete or flag a negative review for removal without agent instruction.
On negative reviews: Do not attempt to respond, report, or manage a negative review without the agent's guidance. The wrong response to a negative review can make the situation significantly worse. Escalate within 24 hours and wait for the agent's direction.
3. Schedule & Trigger
Trigger: A transaction closes — review request due within 7 days per Post-Closing Client Follow-Up.
Recurring:
- Weekly: Monitor all platforms for new reviews — notify agent within 24 hours
- Monthly: Compile review summary (new reviews received, response rate, current platform ratings)
- Quarterly: Include in the performance report for agent
If you are unable to complete this task: Notify the agent at the start of your absence or as soon as possible. Flag any open or time-sensitive items. The agent will determine whether to delegate or defer. Never let a recurring deadline pass without flagging it to the agent in advance.
4. Review Platforms
Confirm with agent during onboarding which platforms to prioritize. The standard priority order for most agents:
| Platform | Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Highest | Most visible in local search — consumers see this before calling |
| Zillow | High | Largest real estate consumer portal — heavily weighted by buyers/sellers |
| Realtor.com | Medium-High | Second largest portal — growing importance |
| Medium | Social proof for the agent's social following | |
| Homesnap / Homes.com | Lower | Confirm if agent is active on these platforms |
Recommended approach: Send the Google review link as the primary request. Offer Zillow as an alternative. Most clients will complete one review — asking for one platform maximizes completion rate. Confirm which platform to prioritize with the agent during onboarding.
5. Review Request Process
Timing
- 7 days after closing — per Post-Closing Client Follow-Up. This aligns with the closing follow-up sequence and comes after the congratulations message and document delivery.
- Do not send the review request before the closing follow-up conversation has occurred — the first message should be warm and relational, not a request.
Delivery Channel
- Text (preferred): Higher open rate and simpler link click-through. Confirm the agent's preferred outreach channel for review requests during onboarding.
- Email: Use if the agent prefers, or as a follow-up if text is not responded to.
Review Request Message
Text version:
Hi [Client First Name] — [Agent Name] here. It was such a pleasure working with you on
[the purchase / the sale] of [Address]. If you have a moment, I'd really appreciate
a Google review — it means a lot to my business, and it helps other people find me
when they're ready to buy or sell. Here's the direct link: [Review Link]
Thank you — truly.
[Agent Name]
Email version:
Subject: One small ask — [Client First Name]
Hi [Client First Name] —
Working with you was genuinely one of the highlights of my year, and I hope you're
settling in beautifully.
I have one small ask: if you have a couple of minutes, a Google review would mean
the world to me. It's the best way for buyers and sellers to find me when they're
looking for help, and a kind word from someone I've had the privilege of working with
goes a long way.
Here's the direct link — it takes about 2 minutes:
[Review Link]
Thank you so much. I'm always here if you need anything.
[Agent Name]
[Phone]
The VA uses these as templates. If the agent wants to customize the language for their voice, that's encouraged — the agent approves the version used.
Review Request Tracking
Log every review request in the review tracker:
| Date | Client Name | Transaction | Channel | Request Sent | Review Posted | Platform | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Date] | [Name] | [Address] | Text | Yes | Yes | 5 | |
| [Date] | [Name] | [Address] | Yes | No | — | — |
Update when the review is posted (if it is). This log also feeds the monthly review summary.
Follow-Up
If no review is posted within 14 days of the request:
- One follow-up only — same channel as the original request
- Keep it brief: "Hi [First Name] — just following up in case my earlier message got buried. Here's that review link again if you have a moment: [Link]. Either way, I'm grateful for you."
Do not send more than two requests total — one initial and one follow-up. If the client has not responded after two requests, log as "No response" and do not follow up again.
6. Review Monitoring
Check all priority platforms weekly for new reviews.
For each new review:
1. Note the platform, reviewer name, star rating, and review text
2. Notify the agent within 24 hours: "New [X]-star review on [Platform] from [Reviewer Name]. Review: '[Review text].' Draft response ready for your approval — or would you like to write your own?"
3. Draft a response using the templates below
4. Post after agent approval
7. Review Response Templates
5-star / highly positive review:
Thank you so much, [Reviewer Name]! Working with you was such a pleasure, and I'm so
glad [the purchase / the sale] went smoothly. I hope you're loving every minute of
[your new home / the result]. Please reach out any time — and thank you for taking a
moment to share your experience. It means everything.
[Agent Name]
4-star or kind but brief review:
Thank you for the kind words, [Reviewer Name]! I truly appreciate you taking the time
to share your experience. It was a pleasure working with you — please don't hesitate
to reach out if there's ever anything I can help with.
[Agent Name]
Negative or critical review — escalate immediately. Do not use a template without agent guidance.
If the agent directs a response to a negative review, keep it:
- Professional and calm — no defensiveness, no details of the transaction
- Brief — acknowledge the concern, invite them to connect offline
- Forward-looking — "I'd welcome the opportunity to speak with you directly"
Example (agent-approved use only):
[Reviewer Name], thank you for sharing this. I'm sorry your experience didn't meet
your expectations — that is never my intention. I'd genuinely welcome the chance to
speak with you directly. Please reach out at [phone/email] at your convenience.
[Agent Name]
8. Negative Review Protocol
When a negative review appears:
1. Notify the agent within 24 hours — full review text, platform, and star rating
2. Do not respond — wait for agent's direction
3. Do not flag or report the review without agent instruction
4. Provide the agent with: the review text, the platform's review policy URL (if the review may violate policy), and a draft response if requested
Review removal: Reviews can only be removed by the platform if they violate the platform's policies (fake review, spam, contains personal information, discriminatory content, etc.). If the negative review appears to violate policy:
1. Document the specific policy violation
2. Present to agent with the platform's policy page URL
3. Agent decides whether to request removal
4. The VA does not submit a removal request without explicit agent instruction
9. Monthly Review Summary
Compile monthly:
Review Activity — [Month] [Year]
New reviews this month:
- Google: [X] new — [X.X] avg rating this month
- Zillow: [X] new
- Realtor.com: [X] new
- Facebook: [X] new
Total review count (all platforms):
- Google: [X total] | [X.X] / 5 overall
- Zillow: [X total] | [X.X] / 5 overall
- Realtor.com: [X total] | [X.X] / 5 overall
Response rate: [X]% of reviews have responses posted
Requests sent this month: [X]
Reviews received from requests: [X] ([X]% conversion)
Notes: [Any negative reviews, notable trends, etc.]
File at: Ops / Reputation Management / Monthly Review Reports
10. Checklist
Per Closing
- ☐ Review request sent within 7 days of closing
- ☐ Request channel confirmed (text or email)
- ☐ Request logged in review tracker
- ☐ Follow-up sent at 14 days if no review posted (one follow-up only)
Weekly
- ☐ All priority platforms checked for new reviews
- ☐ Agent notified of any new reviews within 24 hours
- ☐ Response draft submitted to agent for approval
Monthly
- ☐ Monthly review summary compiled and sent to agent
11. Tools & Access
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Review platforms | Google Business Profile / Zillow / Realtor.com / Facebook — confirm access for response posting during onboarding |
| Review request links | Google: from Business Profile dashboard → "Get more reviews" / Zillow: from Premier Agent dashboard → Reviews |
| Review tracker | Google Sheet — Ops / Reputation Management / Review Tracker |
| Monthly report file | Google Drive — Ops / Reputation Management / Monthly Review Reports |
| Agent notification channel | [Confirm during onboarding — text / email / Slack / CRM task] |