The number of agents surveyed by T3 who did not manage to pick up any leads from their online reviews could reflect the fact that simply having a presence online is not enough, and that agents have to work to convert their reviews – even overwhelmingly positive ones – into fresh leads. T3 posits that this “performance gap” exists either because agents don’t know how to turn their solid reviews into leads or because it sometimes takes time to build momentum. For example, an agent may need to have more of his or her clients put up reviews before new potential clients start paying attention.

Yelp is not necessarily real estate-oriented, but its flexible platform and local focus make it a useful tool for Realtors seeking feedback from their clients. Using Yelp does not come without some hitches. The site’s algorithms are set up in such a way that reviews with users – “Yelpers” – with only one or two reviews often don’t show up on a business’ profile. An agent may think he or she has a few dozen reviews, but upon checking might find that they are invisible to most casual viewers.

Yelp’s software classifies certain reviews as “not recommended” and does not count them toward the site’s star rating feature, according to a study by David Kamerer posted on the peer-reviewed journal website First Monday. The software is designed to protect the integrity of the site and to filter out fake reviews. Business owners can find themselves in situations where low-star ratings are prominently displayed, while more positive reviews are filtered out.

Yelp does hold advantages for agents looking to expand their reach. Anyone can create a profile and write a review, and while businesses do have to keep up with some site maintenance – updating listing information, for example – the site is easy to use. Businesses can also move their profiles higher in the search results by buying advertising.

Sites with a more concentrated focus on real estate draw attention to specific aspects of an agent’s business, while providing space for in-depth commentary about the client’s experience. Yelp’s five-star review model carries over with Trulia, which eliminated its “Thumbs Up” recommendation system in 2014. Instead, the site now lets users rate agents on a scale of one to five stars based on five categories: honesty and integrity, local knowledge, responsiveness, negotiation and process expertise. Zillow, which purchased Trulia last July, has used a similar star rating system since 2010. Realtor.com does not currently offer rankings, even though they have tested them in the past.