You work hard to have an outstanding storage facility. You offer a wide variety of unit sizes, your employees are trained to be knowledgeable and your prices are competitive. In your eyes, your self storage business is the best one in town.
So why are you being outranked in your market by other companies?
According to the 2018 Self Storage Almanac by Mini Storage Messenger, there is 2.311 billion square feet of rentable storage space in the United States. The self storage industry is continuing to grow, making it increasingly difficult for even the most dedicated self storage operators to stay on top.
If you’re sinking in SERP rankings (Search Engine Results Page rankings determine the amount of traffic that your page receives), experiencing lower occupancy percentages or failing to generate as many positive online reviews as you’d like, here are a few possible reasons why:
Your Technology May Be Outdated
The modern self storage consumer wants a seamless experience. If you want to know if you’re delivering that, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does my website allow customers to rent storage units online?
- Does my storage facility offer automatic bill pay?
- Does my storage facility offer automated on-site technology via mobile access control or kiosks?
If you answered no to even one of these questions, it’s likely that your online and on-site technology is having a negative impact on your business. By implementing technology products that increase automation, such as kiosks, Bluetooth-powered locks and transactional websites, you can attract more customers by gaining a reputation as a business that believes in adapting technology to the modern market.
Your Marketing Power May Lack Oomph
The marketing landscape is not evergreen. Your self storage business may not be adapting to changes. Too many self storage operators focus on SEM instead of local SEO. If your marketing efforts are only addressing pay-per-click ads, you may not be shining in your market. Upping your local SEO game will allow you to reach potential tenants in your area and will prevent other storage facilities from outranking you. Self storage operators can easily implement a successful local SEO strategy by partnering with an SEO specialist who can stay on top of everything from local business listings to meta descriptions.
You Might Need to Retrofit Your Facility
When was the last time you updated your storage facility? Customers expect sleek, clean storage facilities with modern amenities. Retrofitting your storage facility can mean adding energy efficient LED lighting, brighter paint colors for interior hallways, digital signage, mobile access control, an on-site retail store and additional features that increase automation. Retrofitting enhances curb appeal and makes your storage facility stand out in your market.
You’re Not Always Thinking About Your Online Reputation
What’s one of the first things customers do before choosing a storage facility? They look at online reviews. An astounding 92% of internet users read reviews before making a purchasing decision.
If you’re not getting enough positive reviews or you’re just not getting enough reviews period, your search results are likely hurting. Increasing the amount of reviews on Facebook, Yelp, Google and other sites will generate more online traffic, which will naturally convert to more rentals at your storage facility.
Storelocal is a one-stop-shop when it comes to finding solutions for all of the above issues. From our Tenant™ technology suite, which includes GDS-powered transactional websites and local SEO and SEM marketing tools, to our vendor partnerships that can help you with everything from retrofitting your access control to managing your online reputation, we’ve got everything you need to stand out in your market.