How to Use Google to Get Found, Build Trust, and Run Your Real Estate Business More Efficiently

Christine George
2 days ago
3 min read

You're Sitting on a Goldmine, and It's Called Google

Most real estate agents have a Gmail account. A lot of them have a Google Business Profile. Some even use Google Docs or Sheets to manage transactions. But very few are using these tools in a way that actually moves the needle.

That's exactly what Episode 137 is about.

I sat down with Tasia Custode, Google expert and creator behind the YouTube channel and podcast Talk Techie to Me, for a deep dive into how the Google ecosystem can function less like a set of basic utilities and more like a full-time administrative assistant, one that's mostly free.

Start With Your Google Business Profile

If you haven't claimed and completed your Google Business Profile, that's your first move. According to Google's own data, a complete profile makes you 2.7 times more likely to be considered reputable by potential clients. In a business built on trust, that's not a small thing.

For real estate agents, local discovery is everything. Your Google Business Profile is the tool that puts you in front of someone searching in your market before they ever visit your website. It's a zero-click experience: one search, and a prospect already has your phone number, your reviews, and a reason to call.

Tasia's tip for reviews: build a "Google first funnel." Send clients a direct link right after closing, within 24 hours, while the experience is still fresh, and ask them to mention specific neighborhoods or areas. That keyword-rich review becomes a discovery tool that works for you long after the transaction closes.

The Missed Opportunity Inside Gmail

Tasia's take on the biggest mistake people make with Google? Using each product only for its most obvious purpose. Gmail isn't just email. Google Drive isn't just storage. When you use these tools in concert with each other, the way they were designed, the cumulative effect is something close to having a real assistant.

On the AI side, Gmail now includes two features worth paying attention to. AI Overviews sit at the top of your email threads and give you a quick summary of everything that's happened in that thread, flagging follow-ups, upcoming appointments, and shared links so you don't have to dig. The AI Inbox (currently in beta and rolling out) goes a step further by breaking down your action items and to-dos each morning, so your inbox functions more like a daily briefing.

The search experience inside Gmail has also been upgraded. You can now ask Gmail questions in plain, conversational language, the same way you'd talk to any AI tool, and it will surface the right email and link you directly to it.

Google Workspace, Simplified

A lot of people conflate Google Workspace and Google Drive, so here's the quick version: Google Workspace is the full ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and now Gemini). Google Drive is the storage hub within that ecosystem. Think of it as the garage where everything is parked.

If you're running a business, Tasia recommends paying for a Pro version of Google Workspace to unlock the full Gemini-powered features. For real estate agents managing teams, the ability to create a personalized domain email through Google is reason enough on its own.

For agents who want to automate the complex task lists involved in getting a client from contract to close, the tool to know is Google Workspace Studio. It lets you build custom automation flows triggered by specific emails, form submissions, or other inputs, handling repetitive steps so you can focus on the people.

What to Do With the Next 30 Minutes

Tasia's recommendation for one action item: go in and play. Pick one Google tool you already use and spend 30 minutes exploring it beyond the surface. That's how basic users become power users, and that's where the real time savings live.

You can follow Tasia on YouTube at @TasiaCustode and find her full Google ecosystem course at tasiacustode.com.

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