With so many online ad sources to choose from, how can you be sure which is best for you? Below I offer 5 tips for choosing a great ILS. Enjoy!

Does their traffic measure up?

Most Internet Listing Services (ILS) will happily provide you with their web statistics. Take the time to thoroughly review any report offered to you before you sign on the dotted line. Some smaller sites will even provide you with a copy of their Google Analytics, if you ask. Keep in mind, while most sales reps are honest, no one in their right mind will give you unfavorable traffic statistics. Alexa.com is a great, free website that allows you to get a general overview of any website’s traffic as far back as 2 years. Benchmark against other popular ILS sites for perspective. 

Check whether they’re popular in your city

Simply because an ILS is nationwide, doesn’t necessarily mean they have high web traffic in your city. A simple way to gauge an ILS’s regional market penetration is to google the keywords – apartments in city name, and then scroll through the search results until you see their site. Don’t just search using the city you are located in; type other city names that your prospects move from.  

If the ILS isn’t on the front page of Google, you may want to find an alternative ad source. Studies have consistently shown the majority of renters look for their apartment using search engines. 

Before you run a Google search: If you are signed into any Google account, logout. Also, consider clearing you search history. Both steps are important to do before running the search because Google ‘remembers’ your previous searches, which could skew the results.

Don’t fund their market penetration efforts

What if your ILS rep. assures you that her boss is pushing for more exposure in the city(s) you are interested in as soon as more apartment communities sign up? While it may be good that a popular ILS wants to expands to your city, it shouldn’t mean you have to front them the dough to do it.

Before you commit your ad dollars to an ILS, make sure they are committed to you. For $49/month SEMRush will show you where websites rank for various keywords and whether they are spending money on Google Adwords. You could also simply run the google search described above, and check if the ILS has ads at the top and right side of the page.

If the ILS has a flat monthly fee, you will get a better return on investment if you wait until there is evidence of 3 solid months of marketing efforts from them. Alternatively, if you want to get in early, ask for a significant discount and no longer than a 90 day contract; terminate at will.

Don’t let them keep all the SEO-goodness.

Most ILS sites have a bad habit of blocking potential SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefits that come from listing with them. If an ILS does not display your website link somewhere on your listing, don’t bother. Furthermore, if they do link back, find out if they use no-follow links. In short, a no-follow link has a special tag in the hyperlink that tells Google not to count it for any SEO purposes. This is an ugly practice that we, in the multifamily industry, need to put an end to, together. Make it a contingency to you advertising with an ILS that they will not use no-follow links when linking back to your website. And get it in writing.

Don’t ask around.

What? You don’t want me to ask other colleagues if the site is worth the money? Unfortunately many professionals have an emotional view on comparing one ILS to another. If a community manager has a long-lasting relationship with an ILS rep, their opinion may not be as objective as one would like. Stick to the data and try to keep emotions and folk-wisdom out of your decision. That being said, if you know someone that has valuable traffic data for an ILS of interest, go for it!

I hope these tips help you maximize your return on investment. Did I leave out something? Please share with us!