Apartment reviews are a good thing, and there are many ways to ask for them. Whether you launch a formal campaign or just send a simple note following a completed service request, the point is to encourage your residents to become more comfortable (and willing) to leave reviews.
In fact, encouraging residents to share apartment reviews that offer honest feedback is a positive step in proactively managing your online reputation. Yes, it can feel awkward — even scary — at first, but if you want your online reputation to shine, it’s time to get over the discomfort.
Once you’ve embraced ratings and reviews as a positive online reputation management and marketing tool for your community, it’s time to strategize on ways to ask residents for apartment reviews, encouraging honest feedback to help make your community the best it can be.
Keep reading to discover 10 effective ways to ask for apartment reviews and encourage positive feedback.
10 Ways To Ask for Apartment Reviews and Encourage Feedback
- Ask for them.
- Make it easy.
- Make it personal.
- Respond to reviews.
- Send quick reminders.
- Create apartment review stations.
- Use social media.
- Leverage community events.
- Provide incentives.
- Share the love.
1. Ask for them.
In the words of Maya Angelou: “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it!” Simply asking residents to share a review seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people don’t think to just ask the question.Encouraging residents to share apartment reviews online isn’t hard — and most people are more than happy to accommodate the request — but residents aren’t mind readers. You have to ask them to share their feedback and then follow up with “how” and “where.”
Residents might not know the importance of online reviews, so briefly explain how their feedback helps potential renters and showcases the quality of your property. And that leads us to the next simple way to ask for apartment reviews and feedback.
2. Make it easy.
People are busy. In many instances, it’s not that residents are unwilling to leave apartment reviews. Too often, you simply haven’t made it easy or clear enough for them to know how to actually do it.
The multifamily industry has been inundated with ratings and reviews for years, so it can be easy to forget that not everyone loves reviews like we do! When you ask residents for a review of your apartment community, make sure you tell them exactly where to go and how to do it!
Provide step-by-step instructions with an estimate of how long it should take to complete a review, and then share (and share often!) direct links to various review sites and your social media. Giving your residents options on where to leave apartment reviews increases the chances they’ll follow through.
3. Make it personal.
Asking for reviews can often be a very automated process, which is sometimes necessary to reach a large number of residents efficiently. However, it is equally important to take the time to connect directly.
Many people today miss that personal touch, which can significantly affect how residents perceive your request. Customized emails are a straightforward step toward personalization. However, it’s worth the effort to go beyond just that.
When interacting with residents, seize opportunities to request their feedback directly. For instance, after resolving a maintenance request, ask the resident if they are satisfied with the service and if they would be willing to share their positive experience online.
A direct interaction can be more impactful than automated messages because it occurs in the context of a recent, tangible experience. Residents are more likely to provide reviews when they feel their input is genuinely valued and their experience is still fresh.
4. Respond to reviews.
One of the best ways to encourage reviews is to respond to posted reviews. When you get a negative or positive review, respond promptly and thoughtfully and begin efforts to resolve the problem. This shows you are listening and engaged, which will often encourage additional feedback.
Did you know? According to the 2024 NMHC/Grace Hill Renter Preferences Survey Report, 47% of people expect management to respond to ALL reviews.
Studies show a 15% increase in churn when businesses fail to respond to online reviews. What’s more shocking, 56% of consumers change their opinion of a company based on how they respond to reviews.
Responding to all apartment reviews demonstrates your commitment to customer service and builds a sense of community and trust among residents. This active engagement can lead to increased satisfaction and loyalty, as residents are more likely to feel secure and appreciated in a community that prioritizes their input.
Additionally, addressing concerns in a public forum allows others to see the proactive steps being taken to improve the living experience, thereby enhancing your property’s online reputation.
Actively managing your online reviews helps retain current residents and creates a compelling narrative that draws in new ones, leading to higher occupancy rates and a thriving community.
5. Send quick reminders.
Find opportunities to encourage reviews when residents are happy. Look for areas where your onsite team excels at customer service and use that as the time and place to ask for a review.
For example, assume you have an excellent maintenance team that responds quickly and fixes things correctly the first time. Equip these team members with reminder cards they can either leave behind in apartments or hand to residents following a service call. When coupled with a friendly “ask,” this two-step process can encourage residents to follow through — often with positive reviews.
Some other simple ideas for adding quick reminders to encourage residents to leave apartment reviews include:
- Placing a banner on your resident portal.
- Creating QR codes to sprinkle throughout the community.
- Updating your email signature with a link (and request) to leave a review.
6. Create apartment review stations.
One way to encourage feedback and make the process easy for residents is to create apartment review stations at various locations across your community. Set up a dedicated area in your office or shared spaces with a computer, tablet, or signs with QR codes that link directly to review sites.
Creating a review station in your leasing office makes it much easier to encourage feedback, and residents can quickly post a review before leaving. But even if you don’t have dedicated space for a computer or tablet — or the extra technology to spare — QR codes are just as effective! A printed QR code takes up little room but can be prominently displayed throughout the community in common areas where residents gather.
Creating “Apartment Review Stations” makes it incredibly easy for residents to leave reviews and is one of the best ways to encourage feedback!
7. Use social media.
Apartment reviews and social media just go together, creating a powerful combination for building community and credibility. Using social media to encourage your audience to post objective reviews can significantly enhance your apartment’s online reputation because it emphasizes that you value honest and constructive feedback.
Focus on creating genuine connections with your audience. Authenticity is key to gaining trust and encouraging participation. Highlighting positive reviews on your social media can serve as a form of social proof, drawing attention to the positive experiences of current residents.
When you share a review, take a moment to thank the reviewer publicly. This simple step shows appreciation and demonstrates that you value resident feedback. Acknowledging someone when they leave a review shows others that feedback is valued and can encourage others to share, as well.
Engaging residents through social media helps build a positive online presence and fosters a supportive and interactive community. By leveraging social media to encourage apartment reviews, you create a dynamic and appealing online atmosphere that attracts new residents and retains current ones.
8. Leverage community events.
Community events are a fantastic avenue for fostering engagement and building rapport among residents, but they also offer a strategic opportunity to encourage valuable feedback and reviews.
Property managers can make residents feel more connected and invested in their community by creating enjoyable and memorable experiences, such as seasonal festivals or movie nights. When residents have positive experiences, they are more likely to share an apartment review.
These types of events allow onsite teams to engage residents in friendly conversations, subtly inquiring about their living experience and inviting them to share their thoughts. For example, “We’re so happy you’re having a great time. Would you consider writing a review about our experience at our community events?”
Community events provide the perfect setting to include an apartment review station, making it easy for residents to leave reviews on the spot. Offering small incentives can motivate residents to share their feedback, making the process feel rewarding rather than burdensome.
9. Provide incentives.
You’ve been working the steps — implementing many (or all) of the top tips for encouraging residents to share apartment reviews — but you still feel your feedback loop is lacking.
Did you know? The average survey response rate is 10%-30%, depending on audience engagement.
If that’s you, consider an incentivized review program for your multifamily community to encourage resident engagement. While incentivizing residents to leave apartment reviews can get a little tricky, if done right, it can increase the number of reviews posted.
An effective incentivized review program for multifamily residents involves a strategic approach that combines clear communication, attractive rewards, and ethical practices.
Here are some key components of an incentivized apartment review program:
- Clear and transparent communication: Explain the program’s purpose and how it benefits the community. Provide clear guidelines on how residents can participate. This includes instructions on where to leave reviews (e.g., Google, Yelp, ApartmentRatings, etc.), what kind of feedback is valuable (e.g., experiences, suggestions, issues), and any deadlines.
- Attractive and fair incentives: Offer appealing incentives that resonate with your residents. Common rewards include gift cards and entries into a raffle for a larger prize. But be willing to think outside the box, as well. For example, you could have a drawing where everyone who posts a review receives an entry, and the winner gets a reserved pool chair on a warm Saturday afternoon. What a fun and memorable way to ask for apartment reviews and encourage feedback! Ensure the incentives are structured so that every participant has a fair chance to win. For instance, instead of a single grand prize, you could offer multiple smaller rewards to increase the number of winners.
- Ethical practices: Emphasize that you value honest feedback. Ensure residents understand that the incentive is for leaving a review, not necessarily a positive one. Authentic feedback is crucial for improvement and maintaining trust. Maintain transparency to avoid any perception of manipulation.
- Engagement and follow-up: Send personalized thank you’s to residents who participate. Publicly share how feedback has been used to make tangible improvements. This demonstrates that you listen and encourages more residents to share their thoughts, knowing their input leads to real change.
- Ongoing efforts: Periodically remind residents about the program to keep it top of mind. This can be tied to community events, new initiatives, or seasonal changes. Refresh the incentives periodically, perhaps seasonally, to keep the program exciting and engaging.
By implementing a well-structured and transparent incentivized review program, you can foster a culture of open communication and continuous improvement, which can lead to higher resident satisfaction and a more vibrant community.
10. Share the love.
When residents take the time to share feedback about your community, that is news to highlight! While capturing apartment reviews internally is important, it’s not information you want to keep to yourself. Share the reviews you receive on your website, social media pages, printed marketing material, etc. to extend their visibility and encourage others to leave reviews.
If your website is not configured to show apartment reviews, you need to change that ASAP. It’s a simple way to “share the love” from your residents, but more importantly, potential renters find tremendous value in firsthand accounts from current residents.
Did you know? 79% of prospective renters report that reviews influenced their leasing decisions.
Displaying reviews builds trust and transparency, demonstrating that you value resident opinions and are committed to maintaining a high standard of living. It also helps to create a sense of community and belonging, as residents see their voices being heard and appreciated publicly.
Apartment Reviews Can Drive (or Drown) Your Online Reputation
Getting apartment reviews is crucial, but it’s just the beginning. But more importantly, it’s not an area where you can take a “set it and forget it” approach. Today’s renters rely heavily on online reviews to make decisions. A single negative review, left unanswered, can cast a long shadow.
You need a winning Online Reputation Management (ORM) strategy to attract and retain residents. With Grace Hill’s online reputation management tool, you’ll have access to a single dashboard view of your reviews, listings, and social sites, along with key metrics to help you understand and improve overall performance.
Grace Hill’s Reputation Management can simplify your ORM strategy by helping you:
- Maintain Consistency: Create and maintain a consistent brand voice across all review sites and social media platforms.
- Streamline Response Management: Save time by managing responses efficiently from a single, centralized dashboard.
- Boost Social Engagement: Turn satisfied residents into brand advocates by encouraging positive reviews and social media interactions.
- Attract New Residents: Leverage positive reviews to showcase your property’s strengths and attract prospective renters.
- Sustain Accuracy: Ensure your property listings are accurate and up-to-date across all platforms.
- Benchmark Success: Gauge resident satisfaction with our Local Brand Visibility (LBV) benchmark and compare yourself to competitors.
Consolidating this information into an easy-to-understand report empowers your multifamily property to respond to reviews, monitor competitors’ digital efforts, and gauge resident satisfaction.
Ensure Your Online Reputation Shines; Take Action Today!
In today’s digital age, online apartment reviews are the lifeblood of your community’s online reputation. By proactively soliciting reviews and implementing a strategic online reputation management plan, you can turn resident feedback into a powerful tool for attracting new residents and fostering a thriving community.
Grace Hill’s Reputation Management gives you the visibility, analysis, and insights you need to make informed operational decisions to build your reputation online and onsite. And with the support of our team of industry experts, you’ll be able to craft a winning strategy that keeps your online presence sparkling.
If you want your online reputation to shine, it’s time to put those apartment reviews to work! Get started today with Grace Hill.
