In the first Resident Experts webinar of 2025, Virginia Love, Industry Principal at Entrata, sat down with Evan Reyne, Vice President of Operations at Opiniion, a leading provider of resident experience measurement tools in the multifamily industry. He shared his extensive knowledge of online reputation management in the multifamily industry. With over a decade of experience, Even has navigated the complexities of both operator and solution provider roles, making him a true expert in the field.

The discussion centered around the tried-and-true rules of managing resident reviews, emphasizing three key principles:

Consistent Monitoring: Regularly checking reviews across all major platforms, including Google, Apartments.com, Facebook, Yelp, and ApartmentRatings.com, is crucial to understanding resident sentiment and identifying areas for improvement.

Prompt Responses: Responding quickly to reviews, both positive and negative, demonstrates a commitment to customer service and builds trust with prospective residents.

Actionable Feedback: Using review feedback to make tangible improvements to the resident experience is essential for addressing concerns and enhancing satisfaction.

The pair next discussed the recent FTC rules impacting online reputation management. Evan provided a concise overview of the key changes, focusing on the overarching themes of authenticity and transparency. He highlighted the following crucial points, including:

No Fake Reviews: Fabricated reviews, including those generated by AI, are strictly prohibited.

Transparency with Employee Reviews: Employees, friends, and family members should avoid leaving reviews unless they clearly disclose their affiliation with the property.

No Incentivizing Positive Reviews: Offering incentives exclusively for positive reviews is prohibited; any incentives must be offered for all reviews, regardless of sentiment.

No Review Suppression: Hiding or deleting negative reviews from public-facing websites is prohibited.

Evan also addressed the potential legal and brand consequences for non-compliance with the FTC guidelines. He emphasized the significant financial stakes involved and discussed the importance of educating teams about the new rules, assessing and strengthening internal policies, and ensuring that any technology solutions used for reputation management are also compliant.

The webinar concluded with a call for operators to embrace technology while remaining vigilant about compliance. Evan stressed the importance of understanding the FTC rules and choosing technology partners who prioritize ethical and transparent practices.

The key takeaway from the conversation is that if your business adheres to the FTC guidelines and leverages technology responsibly, you can cultivate authentic resident feedback, enhance their online reputation, and foster positive relationships with their residents. To watch their full conversation you can access the on-demand webinar here.