Why the Communities I Manage Should Have a Website

In today’s world of technology, there are endless options to consider when it comes to communicating - social media, texting, IM chat, and most importantly websites. Think of a time you may have wanted to visit a new restaurant. You search online to get the details and to your surprise, there’s no website? What was your initial reaction? Like some, you may have started to second guess the credibility or even decided against going. But the key question is why. To simply answer, you lost trust and enthusiasm. As a property manager, you have the responsibility to grow and thrive your community — an HOA website is one of the many key ways to accomplish this. 

4 Rules of Marketing 

Consider the 4 rules of marketing as a way to understand why your HOA should have a website. 

Rule 1 - Marketing is a measurable business discipline

“Marketing is a business discipline founded in creative ideas applied for profitable growth. In its simplest and best form, marketing aligns to and partners with sales to connect a business with customers who want to buy what the business offers.” As an HOA property manager, consider this concept in the same way you market your HOA. You want to connect your business aka. HOA, with potential homeowners, “your customers” to live in your HOA because of what it offers. For example, if you offer a safe and trusted HOA community, you want to connect homeowners looking for the same criteria to your community. 

Rule 2 – Marketing starts with clear strategic goals  

Regarding measurability, marketing and sales have the simplest metric there is — profitable revenues that are increasing. Whenever the ROI dips below expectations, revisit the strategies and redirect the creativity.  Every HOA has to start with a goal. In fact, no HOA can be successful without one. It’s your responsibility to manage teams and create opportunities for your community. In order for others to help you build, marketing your HOA through multiple channels such as social media and website marketing will help you reach these goals. 

Rule 3 – Success requires uniqueness

Customers are bombarded by choices. The ability to make clear distinctions between choices helps customers make decisions. A company’s ability to be unique in the mind of the customer makes the life of the customer a little simpler.  There are endless options of HOA’s. Why should a potential homeowner choose yours? When you bring something unique and different to a community, a potential homeowner is more likely to take interest in your community. An HOA website needs to be creative, provide a sense of trust, and provide a perspective of growth and advanced technology. A non-local family in search of the safest HOA community, will do endless searches online which will then raise the competition. In this situation, marketing your website will be critical.

Rule 4 - The customer defines your success (the most important rule)

Customers define success through the simple act of giving their money in exchange for a product or service. If they give their money, the company is successful. If they do not, then the company is not successful. Simply put, no money, no HOA. For an HOA to maintain its success, it must financially be able to hold itself afloat. Websites are a crucial part of that success — they bring awareness to the community, along with helping market the HOA so that it can bring new business and homeowners to the community. 

Other reasons an HOA website is imperative to your community. 

1. State Law: In some states, HOA websites are required after a certain number of residents are living within the community. In some states such as Florida, “if your community has over 150 units then it must have a community website with a resident portal.” In this situation, be sure to check with your state's HOA guidelines for any website requirements. 
2. Communication: Lack of communication is one of the most common problems that HOA boards face. Communication is the number one key to a successful HOA. Without it, your community cannot market itself and create more robust communication between board members and its members. An HOA website is the key to increasing communication on several levels — from social media, advertising, marketing, finance, and advances in technology such as HOA software. 
3. Time equals cost: An HOA takes time and time equals money. A website can help decrease labor costs and increase profitability in many ways. “Rather than taking time and money to produce memos and mailers, a website can easily create reminders and updates to all your residents and HOA board members in half the time.”
4. Increases participation for all generations: “Having a website allows members to have more opportunities to participate and be more involved in their HOA.” Having an HOA website can help provide multiple channels of communication such as virtual meetings, email, and text communication for those who may not attend in-person meetings or lack mobility, such as the elderly.

How does my HOA build a website?

Time and money are always significant determining factors when building a website — the options of how to build a website are endless. An HOA may take the route of hiring a website developer or contractor to help develop their website — all of which have been successful for many HOAs. Yet, some communities may require a larger platform with more advanced technology, such as HOA software.

TownSq - Specialized software such as TownSq offers communities the option to communicate, provide information for potential homeowners, and improve daily processes and activities for all homeowners, managers, and board members. 

TownSq Website feature - TownSq offers a building feature that makes it easy for any HOA to build and customize their websites in as little as 15 minut. “Unlike some other tools to build sites, TownSq takes into consideration that building a website should be a stress-free experience.” 

• Customization: Customize photos, contacts, logos, fonts, and color schemes, website layout 
• Documents: Upload community documents, CC&R guidelines, legal and financial information
• Create privacy: Edit access to critical or sensitive information that is only available to specific members
• Service request: Log and take service request
• Pay dues: Townsq provides the options for members to pay dues directly from their website.  
• Community events: Provide updates to events and general HOA meetings 
• Compatibility: TownSq is compatible with both desktop and mobile devices

What could prevent my community from not wanting a website? 

As advances in HOA technology continue to rise, so will our need for communities to get on board with development changes. From time to time, a property manager may come across an HOA that may not be as open to a website or, simply put, be prone to change. No one ever said keeping tradition was terrible, but sometimes breaking those routines can do better than good. For example: 

• A decrease in membership can occur due to the lack of marketing and promotion of the HOA. 
• It can discourage new homeowners that may be more prone to a technologically advanced lifestyle. 
• Decrease in younger generation involvement and communication. According to an online article from Independent American Communities, “Millennials and GenXers do get involved in government when they’re given the opportunity. Local governments that embrace technology are reaching more of their younger constituents through social media.”

Already have a website? Consider upgrading to give it a more updated look. 

If your community already has a website, you’re already one step ahead! Yet, at times some communities may need assistance in managing their website and its overall look. Consider the following features and tools that can help an HOA website increase its presence. 

• Have a dedicated domain to create trust
• Insert an online portal 
• Create a communication channel like a private forum
• Insert links to your HOAs social media platforms
• Showcase the community by adding updated images or videos of the community
• Change the color scheme for a more updated look
• Provide compatibility between both mobile, tablet, and desktop views

Recap

Consider the four rules of marketing as a way to understand why your HOA should have a website. 

• Rule 1 - Marketing is a measurable business discipline
• Rule 2 – Marketing starts with clear strategic goals 
• Rule 3 – Success requires uniqueness
• Rule 4 - The customer defines your success (the most important rule)

Other reasons an HOA website is imperative to your community. 

1. State Law
2. Communication
3. Time equals cost
4. Increases participation for all generations

How does my HOA build a website?

Time and money are always significant determining factors when building a website — the options of how to build a website are endless. 

TownSq - Specialized software such as TownSq offers communities the option to communicate, provide information for potential homeowners, and improve daily processes and activities for all homeowners, managers, and board members. 

• Customization
• Documents
• Create privacy
• Service request
• Pay dues
• Community event
• Compatibility

What could prevent my community from not wanting a website?

As advances in HOA technology continue to rise, so will our need for communities to get on board with development changes.

• Decrease in membership
• Can discourage new homeowners
• Decrease in younger generation involvement and communication

Already have a website? Consider upgrading to give it a more updated look.

• Dedicated domain
• Insert an online portal 
• Create a communication channel or IM chat
• Insert links to your HOAs social media platforms
• Showcase the community by adding updated images or videos of the community
• Change the color scheme
• Provide compatibility between mobile and desktop views

Want to see how easy it is to create websites for each community you manage?  Request a demo!