RECO Compliance - Online Advertising & marketing

Hey SQ, your online marketing looks great, and it’s clear you’re putting in the work. As a team, we’re always aiming to stay sharp, so it’s worth taking a moment to make sure everything aligns with RECO’s advertising guidelines.

Below is some information that has been pulled from RECO Bulletin 5.3

Summary

Advertising requirements apply to websites and social media, just as they do with any other advertising medium. Brokerages and agents must ensure that all online advertising complies with the legislation.

As examples:

• Proper identification of the real estate agent;

• Clear and prominent identification of the employing brokerage;

• Current, clear, and accurate information;

• Consent to advertise certain information; and

• Avoiding false, misleading, or deceptive information.

  
  

Brokerages are responsible for ensuring advertising compliance. This obligation extends to advertising on websites and social media by all agents the brokerage employs. Agents are expected to comply with their brokerage’s lawful advertising policies.

For more information about advertising requirements, refer to Bulletin No. 5.1.

Websites

Whether websites feature all of the brokerage’s agents, multiple agents in a team, or an individual agent, these websites are all brokerage websites. Brokerages, along with the agents featured, are responsible for ensuring that these websites comply with all advertising requirements.

One of the common complaints RECO receives about websites is that the brokerage name is not clearly and prominently identified. In the case of team websites, the absence or lack of prominence of the employing brokerage name misleads the public by inaccurately representing that the team is registered to trade in real estate.

Links to other websites

Brokerages and agents must not represent that their services include those on another website they provide a link to. If the link creates the impression that the brokerage or agent is participating in the delivery of the services, or endorsing the services provided, the brokerage or agent might assume responsibility for the performance of those services.

It should be clear to the public that such a link is taking them to a website that is not owned or operated by, or otherwise connected to, the brokerage or agent.

Social media

While social media platforms may seem less formal, the same advertising requirements apply. Advertising or promotion of services or properties on social media platforms must meet the same requirements as other advertising.

Social media account profiles

Typical social media profile information fields do not always make it easy to comply.

The proper identification of the agent and brokerage must be readily visible or accessible on the account profile through the available information fields and customer profile graphics, such as display and cover images.

Personal and business accounts

Agents using a social media account for both personal and professional purposes, or advertising on both personal and business social media accounts, must ensure both accounts and each message relating to trading in real estate comply with advertising requirements.

For the full Bulleting post, CLICK HERE!