Did you know… 38 percent of participants reported they monitor their online reviews only once a month and 58 percent have not setup Google Alerts for their property? Recently, Property Solutions teamed up with Jen Piccotti from SatisFacts for a webinar on reputation management best practices. So what does it take to monitor, track, and improve your online reputation?
After monitoring industry trends and from polls taken by the attendees during the webinar, it became apparent that some property managers are monitoring their reputation, but many are still unsure about how to engage in improving it. While the struggle to improve your online reputation continues, here are a few key tips for property managers:
What has the greatest impact on prospect/resident perception?
No surprise, third-party sites, (Yelp, ILS, and aptratings) got the most votes at 55 percent. The old tale holds true that what you say about yourself isn’t nearly important as what others say about you. According to SatisFacts, the top five most frequently reported advertising sources cited by new residents are ILS’s. Reputation management is difficult in this space because third-party websites have high SEO ranks, residents that comment are typically dissatisfied and looking to move, and managers are unable to respond.
Tip #1: Sign up for Google Alerts! Incorporating Google Alerts into your SEO strategy, properties will be able track their progress in cleaning out the bad and replenishing it with new content. Then watch your property website rise in the rankings. Encourage happy residents to post on these sites as well.
How does your website affect your reputation?
Your apartment website is your first impression, so invest in it. Make sure you have attractive photos, relevant, engaging content, a good blog, and attractive floor plans (maybe 3D floorplans). You can change opinions by having an attractive website and instill a new impression.
Tip #2: With the free ratings and reviews within ProspectPortal™, your website can generate an abundance of SEO-friendly content. Plus you will have administrative power to decide whether or not to post reviews submitted by residents and also respond to comments. Now engage.
How can performance reviews help?
Performance reviews are very different from a ratings program. Online ratings are often made up of very few individuals who feel a very specific way. “Focusing on the things that are most important to your residents will be your first line of defense for your online reputation,” advises Jen Piccotti.
Tip #3: Monitor, track, improve! Performance reviews give you a broader and more comprehensive view at how your community feels about living at your property and can help you better decide what to improve.
What are you posting on Facebook?
It’s important to have engaging and fun content, and it’s also important to not become an annoyance to your residents. Use Facebook to invite residents to upcoming community events, or to give them a heads up on construction or work that will be going on at the property. Facebook is not the place to nag residents about rent or to ask them to remove their trash from their porch.
Tip #4: To send or not to send! With the Social Media Toolbar, your Facebook page will act as an extension of your website. Keep your traffic on your website instead of sending prospects elsewhere. If that isn’t enough, Property Solutions’ Facebook App will allow you perform several of the same functions that your website can – pay rent online or search your property.
In the words of Warren Buffet, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” We all probably have things we can do differently to improve how we’re managing our reputation. People will give bad reviews, but stay positive and remember they don’t represent the majority. We’re big believers in karma and that if you take care of your residents your reputation will take care of itself.
View slides from presentation here.
