When preparing a property for a showing, you can stage everything to the last detail — perfectly matching décor, pristine lawncare and even the lobby scent as a potential renter walks in the door. But when it comes to online listings, consumers are in the driver’s seat. Win them over with these simple, effective strategies to spruce up your online curb appeal.

Crack the code: local search engine optimization (SEO)

As a property manager and apartment marketer, conquering local SEO can literally put your leasing team on top. Google searches with the “near me” tag are growing by a rate of 130 percent year after year according to Google research. With those key search words, Google prioritizes local business at the top of the page. To make sure your business always comes first, follow this checklist:

1. Create a Google My Business listing
When you claim your Google business page, the search engine will pull any information you provide — contact info, uploaded photos, a Google Map and Google Reviews — and place it at the top right of the search page. Google does this automatically for all businesses with an online presence, but by claiming your business page you have more control over the way it looks.

2. Consistency is key
Most leasing agents and properties have established social media profiles on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Yelp, but take time to make sure your information is consistent across each platform. Google is actively looking for identical terms across websites to best facilitate its search results. Periodically check that your company’s information matches word-for-word across websites, social media and in your Google My Business listing. The most important information, of course, is your contact information — make it visible at the bottom of every page of your website on both mobile and desktops versions.

3. Keep it local
When crafting your online image, make sure it is locally focused. This will give your company — and by extension, your properties — a sense of warmth and community as well as local expertise. In your text, feature local area codes instead of toll-free numbers, and list local mailing addresses instead of P.O. boxes. When uploading images, make sure the listing’s location is included in the photograph’s file name.

Foster more (and more) positive online reviews

Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth, so generating and interacting with reviews in the consumer-driven digital age is vital for the long-term success of any leasing team. Eighty-five percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and positive reviews make 73 percent of consumers trust a local business more. But it’s not just about quality — quantity matters too. Consumers are more likely to trust a business with more than seven reviews. Plus, the more reviews you have, the more you’ll stand out among competitors.

Offering incentives to current residents can increase the likelihood that they’ll spend the time to review your business. Think gift cards to local coffee shops and grocery stores or even a small one-time rent discount. People are busy and tend to forget to-dos that don’t impact them personally — especially when they’re moving — so don’t hesitate to send a polite follow-up email to solicit a response. Make it as easy as possible for someone to leave a review: Ensure the review section is prominent on your website, and make requesting a review a regular part of your moving-out process.

Of course, you might get the occasional bad review. Those reviews matter, but what matters more is how you respond to them. This is your chance to proactively address any complaints they raised in a polite, constructive manner. Doing so lets potential clients see how you react to problems and shows them that you care about your renters. It gives you credibility and sets you apart from other property managers and apartment marketers.

Scour, purge and alert

If you’re a big firm, you may have software that aggregates reviews for you. But if not, you can manage this essential task yourself. Scour the internet to get a sense of your business personality online right now. Go into private browsing mode ('incognito mode' in Google Chrome) and search yourself as if you were a prospective renter. For example, Google the name of your business and see what comes up. Do the links appear professional and contain up-to-date information? Purge any mistakes you find and tidy up the details.

Going forward, stay updated on what people are saying about your business by setting up Google Alerts. With the “Me on the web” feature, you’ll receive an email any time you or your business is mentioned on other sites. It is a free, easy way to regularly manage your online presence.

Managing your reputation in the digital world can seem like a monumental task, but by following these tips, leasing agents and apartment marketers can take control of their online curb appeal.