Why Online Ratings Matter
Online ratings are important for any business, especially for landlords and Sullivans Island property managers. This is because ratings give potential tenants an idea of what it is like to live in your rental property. If you have a lot of positive reviews, potential tenants are more likely to choose your property over another that has fewer or no reviews. In other words, online ratings can help you attract new tenants and fill your vacancies more quickly.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of negative reviews, potential tenants may be deterred from renting from you. In addition, negative reviews can make it harder for you to fill vacancies and may even lead to current tenants moving out.
Best Practices for Boosting Online Ratings
You’ll need to use a few simple strategies to boost your online ratings. These are not difficult but do take time. For example:
- Make it easy for tenants to leave reviews. You can send them a text or email link to the review site (e.g., Google, Yelp, etc.). This will make it more likely that they will leave a review.
- Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. This shows that you listen to what tenants have to say and care about their experience living in your rental property.
- If there is a negative review, try to resolve the issue offline This will show the reviewer (and other potential tenants) that you are willing to work with tenants to improve their experience.
- Encourage happy tenants to leave reviews. You can do this by sending them a reminder after a favorable interaction, like finishing a maintenance request.
How to Ensure Positive Online Reviews
Even though you want online reviews about your properties and services, in all seriousness, it’s likewise best for your bottom line if those reviews are overwhelmingly positive. To ensure that your tenants leave positive online reviews, focus on the following strategies:
- Provide excellent customer service. This includes responding quickly to maintenance requests, being available when tenants need you, and respecting their privacy.
- Make it uncomplicated for tenants to leave reviews. As we cited above, you can do this by sending them a text or email with a link to the review site.
The Payoff of Great Online Ratings
Some of the paybacks of having high online ratings as a landlord or property owner include:
- More potential tenants will choose to rent from you.
- You will be able to fill vacancies more quickly.
- Current tenants are less likely to move out.
Each of these potential benefits also comes with the plus of lowering costs and keeping that rental income flowing steadily month after month.
Other Ways to Improve Online Presence and Ratings
Together with asking for and responding to reviews and performing good customer service, you can do a few other things to boost your online reviews. These include:
- Claim your business listings on Google, Yelp, and other review sites. This way, you can respond to reviews and manage your online reputation.
- Create a website for your rental properties. This will give potential tenants another way to learn about your listings and what they offer.
- Use social media to promote your rental property. This can help you reach a wider audience and generate more interest in your property.
You can boost your online ratings as a rental property owner and landlord by practicing these tips. This, in turn, will entice more potential tenants and help you fill vacancies more quickly. But even so, managing your online ratings takes time, which you could be spending working on your business instead. If you’re looking to give your single-family rental a significant boost, one of the best things you could do is contact Real Property Management Instant Equity. Our Sullivans Island rental market experts can help you optimize your rental income and free up your time. Now that’s a boost that could pay off!