Online reputation management is key for multifamily marketers. Unlock the power of reviews for your community and learn how to leverage resident feedback.
In this insightful episode of the Rooms with Ronald podcast, Katie Ritter, Widewail’s Multifamily lead, and Matt Murray, CEO and Founder of Widewail, share their expertise on the crucial role of online reputation management for multifamily properties and property management in general.
Get a closer look at Widewail’s theories of reputation management and discover why actively monitoring and responding to reviews is essential for attracting prospective residents and enhancing your residents’ experiences.
The discussion kicks off with eye-opening statistics: 90% of people read online reviews before visiting a business, and 88% trust them as much as personal recommendations. Gone are the days of blind faith in flashy advertisements. Today, consumers sell to each other.
Widewail is based on this theory of trust marketing, Matt explains, emphasizing that proactively managing online reviews is critical for multifamily properties to stand out and appeal to potential residents.
Next, they discuss how Widewail's platform simplifies the review management process by monitoring major review sites, streamlining review requests, alerting property managers to new reviews and providing guidance on crafting appropriate responses.
The goal: make it easy for clients to share their experiences and for properties to stay on top of their online reputation.
“This is the beauty of the survey world: if you get more responses, your scores will increase.” — Matt Murray
Katie then offers valuable advice for handling negative reviews. She recommends thanking the reviewer for their feedback, acknowledging their concerns and taking the conversation offline to resolve the issue privately. This approach demonstrates to the prospective renter that the community values feedback and is committed to addressing residents' needs.
"A positive reputation shows customers that your company cares about their living experience. When residents are respected, they want to renew their leases, refer their friends and write favorable reviews when they move out.” — Katie Ritter
While monitoring reviews across all relevant sites is important, Katie highlights that Google is the top priority, since it’s often the first place people look for information.
Next, the hosts discuss unique factors of multifamily property reputation management. Ronald and Matt outline the top-ranking topics mentioned in reviews, including maintenance and on-site staff.
Matt shares a powerful example of how a Widewail client used recurring complaints in reviews to make meaningful improvements to their dog park. This showcased how reviews can help communities make tangible improvements to the overall resident experience.
Katie goes on to highlight the importance of asking for reviews at the right time: specifically, at key points during the resident life cycle: tours, move-in, move-out, maintenance and renewal.
Finally, the discussion wraps up with an emphasis on listening to your residents’ feedback and investing in resources to help your team provide the best support and enhance your online presence.
We hope you enjoyed this summary of our recent property management podcast content. Look forward to more in the future, and we look forward to having you as a listener.
Don't miss out on more of these game-changing reputation insights—listen to the full Rooms with Ronald episode here.
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