With over 8,000 homeowners associations formed every year, the market is ripe with new clients for your association management company. But that also means that the market is ripe with competition from other management companies wanting the same business. To stand out from the crowd in today’s world, digital driven marketing initiatives are key.

But how can you even consider digital marketing tactics when you’re slammed supporting customer needs and driving business? Here’s the good news: just a few digital techniques can go a long way, and you don’t have to be an agency with decades of experiences to have success.

For a quick rundown of what you can do to stand out in a digital world, take note of these five simple tactics you can add to your overall marketing strategy:

1. Build your personal brand.

You may be wondering why the first idea presented here is about you, not your company. Thanks to the rise of social media apps like TikTok and the overall appeal of raw, personalized communication, the person behind the brand has become more powerful than ever. This means that your online presence should be something you invest time and energy in this year – even if you only have 15 minutes a day to do so.

So, google yourself. What are the first results you see? We’re guessing one of the first results is your LinkedIn: would you be pleased if a prospective board member clicked through to see your profile, or could it use a refresh? Do the rest of the results have anything to do with your professional life, or is it completely unrelatable? You may think it’s odd to google yourself, but that’s exactly what your prospects do when they first hear from you.

To build your personal brand online, determine first how you’d like to appear to others and what your “dream google result” would look like. Then, build it out. Adding yourself to your website, continuously posting on social, contributing to group commentary in industry publications, and regularly attending industry events are simple ways you can build yourself (and therefore your company) online.

2. Listen and respond to reviews.

One of the most important elements to digital marketing is the way you communicate with your clients online. This includes those pesky reviews, whether they are good or bad. 97% of consumers read reviews of local businesses and 77% would write a review if asked by a business – this means that the opportunity for you to build your reputation and presence while promoting your customer service initiatives is instrumental in brand attraction.

Through Google, Nextdoor, and social media platforms, be sure you are monitoring reviews and responding in appropriate timeframes. Thank your clients for positive reviews and respond appropriately to negative reviews. The way you communicate online will be extremely important to prospective HOAs and COAs, as they will check on these reviews to see not just how you are rated, but how you collaborate with others.

Beyond the quality of the response, the quantity of the reviews and ratings is also important in developing a brand reputation online. Don’t be shy to ask for a review online from a client who is over the moon with service from one of your employees, and consider an incentivized campaign for your clients to write a review through a gift drawing.

3. Hyper-localize your content.

Hyperlocal marketing is a tactic often employed by brick and mortar retail locations and restaurants. It’s especially effective for them because their business hinges on customers finding them, not the other way around. The goal is to use language that specifically talks about the area being served.

Hyperlocal marketing works great for management companies because your service area is typically fixed to a geographic location. With hyperlocal marketing you can zero in on specific towns, districts, neighborhoods, or even single communities within your service area who you want to bring on as your client.

To go hyper-local, consider the content. Write blogs and social media posts very specific to HOA-related topics in your area, such as reserves funds needed for pending natural disasters or changes to e-voting laws. Promote customer success stories to showcase the localized and personalized nature of your business, and keep Google My Business up-to-date.

4. Do a little bit of SEO.

If you want to grab the attention of self-managed community associations or associations looking for new management, you need to make it easy for them to find you. This means investing some time and energy into a keyword strategy that will improve and enhance your search results. Create a keyword list based on the common search terms that your ideal client would conduct online and build those keywords into your website’s core content.

For an impressive SEO strategy, hyperlocal tactics play an important role here as well. Consider long tail keywords such as “Charlotte best condo management company” to rank high among your most ideal client. It’s also important to plan out your keyword strategy to ensure you’ll be at the top of search results.

All of this might seem quite cumbersome, but have no fear: we have a keyword planning tool that you can use for free here!

5. Keep your website fresh.

Last but certainly not least, look at your website. Does it have up-to-date content? Does it work on all mobile devices? Is it easy to navigate, and does the content make sense for your average prospective client? Most importantly, if a prospect decides they’d like to connect with you, can they easily fill out a form or book time on your calendar?

Oftentimes, owners will spend loads of time building out the best social media handles and influencer campaigns to drive buzz for their business. But if that buzz takes prospects to an ill-performing site, none of that hard work matters.

Be sure you’re updating and reviewing your site on a consistent basis, and if your site is completely out of date, it may be time to consider a developer and designer to support you in an upgrade. You should also lean on your software provider to keep your content looking fresh through the latest custom-branded web portals and mobile apps for your boards and homeowners to use and enjoy.

If you’re looking for a deeper dive into these digital marketing tactics and other ideas to build into your overall brand growth strategy, you’re in the right place. We have a whole e-book on Brand Attraction to guide you through building your online brand step-by-step. You can download the guide here.