Best Practices to Build an Effective Website

Aimee Miller, VP Marketing AppFoliowww.AppFolio.com

Confidential ©2008

It is a Great Time to be a Property Manager

Great opportunity to acquire more properties and grow your portfolio, but…

…it’s hard to do without growing your staff

Q: Are you expecting to add properties to your portfolio in the next 12 months?

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Today’s Focus: Build the Right FoundationSo you can use the Internet to Expand your Reach

1. Highlights from recent survey of Property ManagersHow they value and use the Internet for marketing

2. Internet marketing makes you more money Best Practices to make your website more effective

3. Build it and they will come? Not really…How to get started so that your website / business will be found

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Business is Growing

Q: How is the economy affecting your business?

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Are Rent Reductions Enough?

Simple answer…no.

Q: Describe your approach to using the Internet for marketing.

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72% Property Managers Rely on the Internet for Marketing

Your website really does matter. When was the last time you spent time to update it?

Q: How important is a professionally designed website for acquiring more tenants?

Q: How important is a professionally designed website for acquiring more owners?

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Polling Question #1

How do you feel about your website?  

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Building the Right Foundation starts with your customers

Owners Tenants

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Build the Right Foundation

1. Design for your customers2. Simpler is always better3. Don’t stop at your website- keep on

marketing  

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A Few Things About Websites

People are impatient• Want to find the information quickly• Scan the page looking for clues

Website must be useful and usableYour customers need to first find the useful information

Design for the Brain's strengths: High speed problem solving• Clear headings and labels• Clear hyperlinks• Clearly differentiating form controls, such as buttons and input fields• Highlighting key words or phrases in text

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Best Practice #1: Design and write for your customers

Structure of Site – Speak to each customer individually. •Simple navigation: Section for owners and tenants•Know what they care about and write about it•Every element in your site has a purpose

OWNERS TENANTS

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Best Practice #1: Design and write for your customers (contd)

OWNERS… Trust you with their investments Include testimonials, Associations

Want regular updates You deliver consistent, clear communications

Want units filled Show how you aggressively market properties

TENANTS… Want to quickly find properties Make the postings easy to find

Want to easily contact you Put it on the Home Page

Want You to be easy to work with Include testimonials

Tip: Be specific on geographic regions served and specialties: "We specialize in renting single family homes in Northwest Portland”

Tip: Be specific on geographic regions served and specialties: "We specialize in renting single family homes in Northwest Portland”

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Best Practice #2: Less is More – 2 Things to Keep it Simple

Bold Logos + Few Choices• Simple navigation – offer only a few choices• Brand your company with your logo

Simple Text + Cohesive Color Scheme• Get to the point in as few words as possible• Use a simple color scheme consistently that will make a lasting

impression (www.colourlovers.com)

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Best Practice #2: What does it look like in action?

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Best Practice #2: What does it look like in action?

Logo andbranding

is clear

Clear Offerings: speaks to both

owners and tenants

Simple navigation

Starting point tofind vacancies easily

Client testimonial and affiliations to build trust

Phone number clearly displayed

Contact information is

accessible

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Polling Question #2

Do you continue to market to your owners?

 

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Best Practice #3: Continue Your Marketing –Be Useful and Informative

Marketing To Owners

1. Market Trends – Rental Rates, Sales Trends

2. Examples of how aggressively you’re marketing properties

3. Update on new technology you’re using to save money, get more efficient, etc

4. How you’re providing outstanding service retain tenants

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Best Practice #3: Continue Your Marketing –Be Useful and Informative

Continue Marketing To Tenants

1. Offer coupons:

• Bulk rates for house cleaning services

• Bulk rates for landscaping services

• Local restaurant offers with coupons – charge the restaurants to advertise

2. Create a map with suggested hikes / walks in the area

3. Remind them of upcoming events

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Now You Have a Great Website!

Kick Back and Relax….Right?

Sadly No.

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You Need To Help Your Website Get Found

1 – Local Search

2 – Get Your Feet Wet with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

3 – Start Listening….

4 – Network Online (Another webinar!)

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Start with Local Search

1) List on Google LocalGreat way to get your business to show up on Google searches (http://www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter)

2) List on Windows Live Search LocalLocal listings, categorized by business type (maps.live.com/localsearch)

3) Yahoo LocalBusiness listings & community review site (local.yahoo.com)

4) Yellowpages.com (Free?)Great brand recognition (YellowPages.com)

5) CraigslistPromote your services when you post your vacancies (Craigslist.com)

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Do a Little Bit of SEO – Get Your Feet Wet

1) Define Search Words Your Audience Uses What will Owners look for?  

”Portland Property Management” “Lake Oswego Property Management”

What will Tenants look for? “Portland houses for rent” “Beaverton rentals” “School District XYZ + rentals”

2) Make sure Your Website Uses Keywords Focus: Use only 1 or 2 keyword groups per page and write naturally –

Rental Property Marketing Best Places: Headers, meta description, page title, url, etc.

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Start Listening !

• Who is talking about you, your competition, what’s happening in your neighborhood?

• Your Company• Your staff names• Local Realtors• Local competition

• Neighborhood/town• Local events• Local retailers

Start here:

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How Do You Listen?

1. Set up Google Alerts - www.google.com/alerts

• Your Company Name

• Competitor Names

2. Pay Attention to Online Reviews• Yelp.com

• Yahoo Local

• InsiderPages.com

• MerchantCircle.com

3. Listen on Twitter• TweetDeck – Set up multiple searches

• Twilert – Set up searches to come to your email

 

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We Covered: Build the Right FoundationSo you can use the Internet to Expand your Reach

1. Highlights from recent survey of Property ManagersHow they value and use the Internet for marketing

2. Internet marketing makes you more money Best Practices to make your website more effective

3. Build it and they will come? Not really…How to get started so that your website / business will be found

Confidential ©2008

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

1. Get Started with Local Search: http://www.propertymanager.com/2009/07/use-local-search-to-increase-traffic-to-your-property-management-website/

2. www.GetListed.Org - Another Resource for Local Search Listing

3. Ideas on How Property Managers Can Prosper in Today’s Economy, by Jennifer Newton - http://www.propertymanager.com/2009/08/2-ideas-property-managers-prosper-todays-economy/

4. Interview with Nick Scarabosio – Some Marketing Ideas: www.PropertyManager.com