77%
Renters want to see the exact unit: 77% want unit-specific photos, 67% unit-specific floor plans and 35% unit-specific 3D tours.
Source: National Apartment Association (reporting an Apartments.com renter survey)
Playbook · Get found on Google and AI search
The Google Business Profile tune-up
Your Google listing is often the first thing a renter sees. Five steps to make it complete, accurate and working for you, the way Google's own rules describe.
- 1Get the basics right
- 2Show the real place
- 3Earn steady reviews and reply to them
- 4Make your website back it up
- 5Check it every month
1
Get the basics right
Make every core detail complete and correct.
- Use your community's real name, exactly as it appears on your signage. No extra words.
- Check the address and phone number match your website and your listings everywhere.
- Post correct office hours, including holidays and any self-guided tour hours.
- Set the primary category to the one that best describes you, such as an apartment complex category, and keep extra categories to a minimum.
- Link your website, ideally the page for this community, not a corporate homepage.
Adding words like "luxury apartments" to your name breaks Google's rules and could get the profile suspended.
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2
Show the real place
Help renters picture living there before they visit.
- Make sure the profile is verified; Google only shows photos on verified profiles.
- Add real photos of units, amenities and the outside, and replace stock or outdated images.
- Refresh photos when something changes, like a renovated clubhouse or new finishes.
Why: the numbers
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3
Earn steady reviews and reply to them
Build trust with renters and with Google's local ranking.
- Ask residents for reviews at natural moments, such as after a completed work order or at move-in. Ask everyone, not only the residents you expect to be happy: Google's review policy does not allow selectively asking for positive reviews.
- Reply to every review, positive or negative, and keep replies specific and calm.
- Watch for repeated complaints; a small number of specific negative reviews can outweigh a strong average.
Why: the numbers
Two negative reviews
J Turner Research found a small number of specific complaints can outweigh a strong average rating.
Source: J Turner Research
Over half
In J Turner Research's national study of more than 1,000 renters, over half already use AI to summarize reviews and spot red flags.
Source: J Turner Research
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4
Make your website back it up
Give Google and renters the same clear story on your own site.
- Describe the community clearly on your website: name, neighborhood, floor plans and what makes it different.
- Add structured data so Google can read your name, address and hours.
- Check how fast your site loads on a phone; Google's ranking systems use loading speed, among many other factors.
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5
Check it every month
Catch problems before renters do.
- Search your community name and "apartments near" your area on your phone, and note who shows up above you.
- Fix anything that changed without you, such as hours, the phone number or a suggested edit someone else made.
- Track reviews and rating month over month in your owner report.
You cannot pay Google for a better local ranking. Google says there is no way to request or buy one.
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Want us to check your listing?Swifty's free Ecosystem Check compares your Google rating, reviews and listing details with nearby communities, and shows what to fix first.Get the free Ecosystem Check