It’s no secret, monitoring online reputation and SEO performance should be a key component of every community management company’s marketing efforts – but do you know why it’s so important?
Many factors can play a major role in how your company is viewed online by HOA communities you serve, and prospective clients looking for a management company to work with. Each aspect is important, but protecting your reputation and leveraging organic SEO to generate new business opportunities are vital tasks to ensure success in an industry that sees constant consolidation. In this article, we will share six reasons why every community management company should make their overall online presence a top priority as part of their long-term digital marketing strategy. Let’s dive in!
#1: It’s Not a Race, It’s a Marathon
Properly managing your SEO and online reputation can make a positive impact to your bottom line within the first year of activity. Once you start focusing on these two areas, the initial work executed sets a foundation for continued success year after year. A marathon may sound daunting, but your independent community management company can’t afford to overlook the importance of managing SEO and online reputation efforts as part of your marketing strategy.
#2: Increase Customer Trust & Your Credibility
We’ll let the numbers do the talking on this one…
- 64% of people trust online search engines the most when they’re conducting research on a business.
- 85% of people say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
- 3 out of 4 people trust a company more if their reviews are mostly positive.
A prospective HOA Board member will no doubt use a search engine at some point, to learn more about your company and how it’s regarded by other communities you serve. It’s important to always put your best forward online, first impressions can make or break a potential opportunity to bring in new business.
#3: Best Practices are Constantly Changing with HOA-Focused Marketing
The world of SEO changes everyday, at the hands of the folks who essentially run the show (aka Google). To ensure your website and SEO efforts are following current standards and that you are staying at least one-step ahead of your competition, you need to keep an ear to the ground and be ready to pivot at a moment’s notice. Be proactive and you won’t fall behind!
#4: Boost Online Traffic, Engagement, & Conversions
A strong strategy around SEO and online reputation has become somewhat of a “required” aspect to ensure a community management company’s success, largely due to the fact that everyone is online – basically, at all times. By properly managing these aspects of your digital strategy, you give your company the best chance to be easily found online with a strong first impression to yield more customer engagement with HOA Board members, potential industry partners, and the communities they represent.
#5: Keep an Eye on Your Competition
It’s important to monitor what other management companies in your region are doing from an SEO perspective. Knowing where you stack up can help uncover what steps need to be taken to remain in a strong position within search engine results. Keeping a close on your competition’s rankings, and how they are performing online, can provide vital analytical insights to help you maintain your competitive edge over other community management companies servicing HOAs in your area.
#6: It Can Affect a Potential Client’s Decision
Before a potential client actually contacts you, it’s almost a guarantee that they’ve researched your company online. If someone can’t find you through a simple Google search, they may end up working with the other guys. If you have a low Google rating or a collection of negative reviews from community residents that haven’t been answered, they’ll likely move on to the next option. Don’t lose business because of your online presence – instead, use it to help illustrate the value of working with your community management company to ensure a happy and successful HOA experience.
Innovia Can Help
It’s our mission to make sure Innovia members are equipped with a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. We work with independent management companies to not only provide insights and guidance, but also the opportunity to join a specialized program focused on SEO and online reputation optimization. If you want to learn more about joining our co-op, click here.
