Should I Use a DIY Property Management Website Builder?

So, your property management business needs a new website. Where do you start? Should you use a DIY property management website builder or is it worth splurging for a professional’s help?

Whether you’re a brand new property management entrepreneur or you’re a seasoned business that needs an online refresh, using the information below to determine the right course of action for your company.

Do I Need a Property Management Website?

First, do you even need a property management website to start generating money? The answer might surprise you: no.

Our clients are shocked when we teach this principle in our Mastermind classes. Should a property management website be one of the powerful tools in your arsenal? By all means! But it’s not the end-all-be-all for success.

Stop Chasing Fool’s Gold

We’ve worked with hundreds of property managers across North America, helping clients to generate millions in additional property management revenue. When clients come to us, they often have the same broken thought pattern.

“I need a website so I can start making money!” they tell us, convinced a website will solve all of their woes.

In reality, you can make money without a property management website. We show clients how to get started with prospecting and referrals that generate immediate business.

This isn’t just conjecture; many of our clients have added 100, 200, 300 doors without spending a penny on website ads or site development.

Take the example below, one of our clients who added 310 doors in his first year with DoorGrow through prospecting and referral partnerships. It can be done.

You’re definitely going to be leaving cash on the table without an optimized property manager website, no question. But the equation is not: optimized website + lots of traffic = nonstop sales. If you haven’t optimized your pricing, put the right team in place, or focused on building effective processes, you’re going to be spinning your wheels, no matter whether you spring for professional property management web design or not.

What Should an Effective Property Management Website Do?

• Generate Leads: Notice, we didn’t say, your website should be the sole lead generator for your business. However, an effective property management website is undoubtedly one of the players in the lead generation game. How did you find this article? You might have received a link from our newsletter, maybe you saw something on social media, but it’s also quite possible you searched for property management website builders on Google. So yes, an effective website generates leads.
• Sell Your Services: Your website should be your 24/7 salesperson, tirelessly showcasing your services to interested visitors. It’s the first impression, the handshake, and the pitch all rolled into one. Many entrepreneurs mistakenly put all of the focus on ensuring the design of the site is aesthetically pleasing but it also needs to be strategically designed to convert visitors into customers. It’s about creating a seamless user experience that guides your audience through a journey, from landing on your page to singing up for property management services.
• Collapse Time for Your Team: Time is money, and every minute your team spends interacting with leads, clients, and tenants adds up. An effective property management website should be easy to navigate and provide answers to your visitor’s questions. For example, you have investors looking for property management services in your area. How much do you charge for property management? What areas do you serve? Do you offer commercial and residential services? What are tenants looking for? Maybe they’re on the hunt for a new rental (property listings), maybe they need to pay their monthly rent, or perhaps something has gone wrong in their property and they need repair help.These are just a few examples, but these are all questions your site can answer.

What are the Benefits of DIY Property Management Website Builders?

So, you know you need a website. Should you opt for professional property management web design or should you go the DIY route?

Both approaches have their own benefits and challenges. Some of the benefits of using a DIY property management website builder include:

• Lower Startup Cost: You can typically build a website yourself using templates and shared hosting for less money than you’d spend working with a professional. If you’re brand new to the property management game or you’re working on a tight marketing budget, this might be the right option for you.
• Personal Flexibility: The sky is the limit when it comes to customizing your site and building it to meet your own specifications, at least theoretically. Many DIY website builders offer large libraries you can use to customize your site and its content.
• Fewer Time Restrictions: When you partner with a professional property manager website developer, it takes time to pull all of the elements of your website together. If you’re building everything out on your own, however, you can work on your own timeframe.

Many property managers build their own websites without professional help; you might even have competitors using their own websites or using the stock sites provided by property management software platforms like Buildium, Propertyware, or Appfolio.

Benefits of Choosing Professional Property Management Web Design

Working with a professional property management website developer also has a number of benefits that might make it a better option for your business. Read on to discover five of the benefits you’ll enjoy by partnering with a professional.

Technical & Website Expertise

When you work with a DIY builder to get your website created, the solution is typically an all-in-one shop. You can register your domain, set up emails, and build out your page content using their built-in tools. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that approach, the property management website builder puts all of the power in your hands. Depending, this can be a good or a bad thing.

Do you know how to optimize a website to increase its rankings on Google? If your bounce rates skyrocket, how are you going to address that?

What about webmail? Are you comfortable setting up MX records and troubleshooting deliverability issues? Do you have any safety nets in place to protect against bot attacks or hackers?

Are you feeling overwhelmed yet?

A professional property management website builder does all of the hard stuff for you. You have enough to handle on your plate without adding web developer to the mix.

Branding & UX Insight

Some of the biggest companies in the world spend millions annually on branding and marketing. Why? The answer is simple: effective branding can make or break a business.

Have you ever gone to the supermarket and noticed that one of your favorite brands has an updated logo? Or perhaps you’ve noticed when an app update on your phone means suddenly one of your favorite applications has a completely different look. Why does that happen?

Consumer perception dramatically impacts conversions and sales, plain and simple. You might not be a multinational raking in billions in annual revenue, but you’re not exempt from the rule because you’re a small business. Indeed, how prospects view your company will make or break your bottom line.

In addition to branding, the user experience (UX) your website offers can also have an impact on your sales revenue. Poorly optimized websites can cost you thousands in lost revenue each year. Using a professional property management website builder means you can say goodbye to the guesswork and let the experts take the reins.
Wondering how effective your current website is at capturing leads and converting visitors? Take our free DoorGrow Quiz to find out.

Add-on Features

There is a long list of add-on features and software tools available to property managers. From self-showing listing software (Tenant Turner, ShowMojo, etc.) to live chat boxes, automated rental analysis generators, and so much more, your website doesn’t have to be a static destination that never changes. Instead, you can transform your property management website into a veritable member of your team, helping to keep you efficient and reduce distractions.

Of course, implementing these features is never as simple as clicking a button; you’ll need to a wealth of knowledge to get these set up correctly.

What if you decide to change property management software? How will your new listings and portals integrate with your site? Do you understand API requests, Javascript, and HTML iFrames, all of which might be be necessary to fully incorporate your listings into your site?

Don’t limit yourself to the simple features a DIY website builder can offer. Let the professionals help you to build a website that truly meets all of your business’ needs.

Compliance Issues

Don’t let ADA compliance issues keep you up at night; breathe easier knowing your property management company is protected against common lawsuits connected to websites that don’t fully cater to disabled visitors.

At DoorGrow, we have worked carefully to develop comprehensive checks and balances designed to ensure our website clients are fully compliant with all WCAG and ADA requirements.  Not only does this ensure that every visitor to your website has a good browsing experience, but it also means you won’t find yourself on the bad end of a legal dispute.

Think of it this way: by partnering with an expert, this is one less thing that needs to be on your radar.

24/7 Support

Websites are a lot like rental homes; most of the time, things go smoothly, but every once in a blue moon, things do and will go wrong.

When you’re facing a website meltdown, you don’t want to find yourself stuck trying to solve the problem on your own. Our team provides support for issues both big and small, and we’re available to help answer questions, schedule training calls, and resolve those challenging issues you can’t seem to work out on your own.

Think of us like roadside assistance. It’s great if you never have to call us, but if you ever do get stranded on the side of the road, having us on speed dial is a godsend.

DIY vs. a Professional Property Management Website Builder: the Key Takeways

Ultimately, both DIY property management websites and professional options can help you to build the right presence for your business. If you already have lots of website expertise, an effective brand identity, and the technical knowledge necessary to keep your site afloat, you might want to consider the DIY option.

For business owners who already have too much on their plates or may need some help getting all of the pieces in alignment, working with a professional provides a better option.

Interested in our Mastermind or just looking for a professional property management web design? Book a FREE consultation to learn about options that fit your needs and budget.