Websites are a critical meeting point between property managers and residents. Here, we look at the costly mistakes property managers make when trying to maintain their websites themselves.

1. Websites are a critical meeting point between property
managers and residents. Maintaining an optimized site
is crucial to acquiring new residents, building credibility
and nurturing client relationships. Yet, today, most
property managers maintain their websites themselves,
neglecting key site functions that consumers want,
such as mobile optimization, social network integration,
and user-friendly design. Here, we look at the costly
mistakes property managers make when trying to
maintain their websites themselves.
THE BIG PROBLEM
WITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SITES
PROPERTY MANAGERS’ COMMON
WEBSITE MISTAKES
C O S T LY M I S TA K E S
By trying to maintain their own websites, property managers face many obstacles.
NO FEATURES
SPECIFIC TO
PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT
Poor Design
41%
?
Make sure prospective residents can
process their needs online.
When personally maintaining your site, you risk wasting time that
could otherwise be used to cultivate your business.
64%
Paying rent securely online.
75%
do not use analytics tools
to measure their websites’
performance.
100%
Time-Consuming Updates
Contacting managers
about maintenance issues.
Without metrics, businesses are unable to
track their progress, their reach, or their
customers’ habits and needs.
of small-business owners who plan to improve their websites, say
design/aesthetic is the top choice of action.
0
Appling for vacant units
and paying application
fees online.
No Metrics
By taking design into their own hands, property managers cause
themselves headaches and risk having poorly designed sites.
of business owners
consider the time
necessary to update
their websites a
major challenge.
Poor
USABILITY
Make sure that potential and current
residents can easily find vacancies
and other information online.
List vacancies with
nice photographs.
SORRY!
This website isn’t
optimized for
mobile devices.
do not feel they have the
tools necessary to make
sense of their site analytics
or take action to resolve
issues.
By allowing your residents to share their
experiences with your properites via social
channels, you’re enabling information
about your business to reach people you
might not have otherwise targeted.
Lack
Facebook widgets
Add floorplans and
video tours.
60%
25%
say the cost of
maintaining their sites
is a big hurdle.
Lack
Twitter widgets
Allow visitors to
search for
vacancies using
various keywords.
Lack
Twitter links
91%
94%
83%
NO MOBILE OPTIMIZATION
Most people today view websites on their mobile devices. Without the technology to engage this group, property managers are missing
out on key consumers.
0
100%
60%
do not have mobile websites or know if their websites
are mobile-optimized.
Give your current and prospective residents the tools they need to
To A Successful Website
:
Keys
A Checklist For Property
Management Professionals
interact with your business and ensure you don’t make these same
website mistakes. Focus on what matters, and leave the website to
the professionals.
Check out AppFolio’s newest ebook, Keys to a Successful Website, to learn more.
SOURCES: YODLE | NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION | SITEAPPS | VSPLASH