REPORT ON OBJECTIVES/RECO 2017 ANNUAL REPORT /35 Be the source of consumer-protection education and information for real estate transactions Objectives for 2017–19 2017 Accomplishments Deliver consumer protection information • Continue to enhance educational content on website and promote through earned, paid and social media • Fresh consumer information posted on RECO’s website weekly. Updated targeted landing pages (for new home buyers, up-sizers and downsizers) to reflect changing market conditions Assure consumer transparency and strong disciplinary mechanisms are in place when registrant standards are not met • Continue to produce Regulatory Digest • Review RECO policy and practices related to publishing regulatory outcomes, with a view to enhanced transparency and ease of access to disciplinary information • Produced Regulatory Digest so consumers and registrants could see summary of RECO regulatory actions • Issued four public advisories to warn consumers about freeze orders and individuals putting the public at risk by trading without registration • Explored website enhancements to make it easier for the public to find our regulatory actions, which will be implemented in 2018 Public outreach • Continue to reach out to local media as part of Be Home Smart consumer outreach campaign • Continue to use Toronto Star’s “Ask Joe” column to help educate consumers and make them aware of the benefits of working with a regulated real estate professional • Actively targeted and engaged with local media around province ahead of Be Home Smart campaign stops to discuss consumer protection in various Ontario real estate markets • Produced weekly “Ask Joe” column in the Toronto Star, providing timely and newsy consumer protection advice to home buyers and sellers How we will measure success Measuring success • Disseminate at least 15,000 copies of Reconnect, as well as 2,500 copies of home buying and selling brochure • Continue to grow social media community; increase followers and engagements with consumers on Facebook and Twitter • Increase visits to customized consumer website pages • Continue to respond to media inquiries concerning consumer issues and other developments in the sector • Disseminated 34,611 copies of RECO’s consumer newsletter, Reconnect, which included key information about the complaints process and RECO’s role that consumers would previously receive from the home buying and selling brochure • Increased followers on social media channels to 11,725 on Facebook (6.7 per cent increase over 2016), 4,513 on LinkedIn (36.5 per cent increase over 2016), and 7,329 on Twitter (12.9 per cent increase over 2016) • 20,422 visits to customized consumer website pages driven by online ads • Expanded consumer advertising budget to include broadcast; obtained 4.4 million TV and radio impressions • Participated in 77 media stories about real estate consumer protection