Google Business Profiles have become an integral part of the renter's journey. GBPs are often the first touchpoint a renter has with your property — and they play a major role in whether someone decides to schedule a tour, make a call, or sign a lease.

That's why robust management of Google Business Profiles across your portfolio is critical. Many operators still rely on agencies to manage their profiles, but these traditional models struggle to deliver the speed, scale, and accuracy today's renters expect.

AI-driven management has emerged as the modern alternative. This article explores why legacy agency models fall short at scale and how automation and AI are redefining multifamily marketing efficiency.

Challenges of Scaling With a GBP Agency

Multifamily portfolios rarely operate as a single brand or profile. They often include hundreds of properties, each with unique branding, pricing, availability, and amenities. This complexity makes it difficult for agencies to manage GBPs efficiently at scale.

Many agencies still rely on manual review cycles to approve and update content. These cycles can require weekly or monthly meetings, back-and-forth communication, and frequent signoffs — all of which slow down updates and create lag in reflecting current property information.

Because agencies often apply the same workflow to every property, they face severe bottlenecks. As a result, GBPs can remain outdated for weeks at a time — and renters lose interest when they encounter inaccurate or incomplete listings.

In contrast, automation enables real-time updates, instantly pushing the latest pricing, availability, and property details across the portfolio.

The Hidden Costs of Hiring Legacy Agencies

Multifamily portfolios rarely operate as a single brand or profile. They often include hundreds of properties, each with unique branding, pricing, availability, and amenities. This complexity makes it difficult for agencies to manage GBPs efficiently at scale.

Many agencies still rely on manual review cycles to approve and update content. These cycles can require weekly or monthly meetings, back-and-forth communication, and frequent signoffs — all of which slow down updates and create lag in reflecting current property information.

Because agencies often apply the same workflow to every property, they face severe bottlenecks. As a result, GBPs can remain outdated for weeks at a time — and renters lose interest when they encounter inaccurate or incomplete listings.

In contrast, automation enables real-time updates, instantly pushing the latest pricing, availability, and property details across the portfolio.

AI Enables Future-Proofing

In today's market, renters expect fast, accurate, and reliable information — and Google rewards properties that maintain fresh, complete listings. Keeping GBPs current not only improves local search rankings but also builds trust with prospective residents.

As fee transparency and availability regulations become stricter, manual updates pose greater compliance risks. Automation mitigates this by directly pulling data (like pricing and fees) from property management systems, ensuring accuracy and consistency portfolio-wide.

Future-ready operators are embracing automation to meet renter expectations, reduce operational overhead, and scale effectively. 

FAQs: AI vs. Agency 

Is AI better than agencies for apartment marketing?
AI and automation tools can update Google Business Profiles in real time and maintain consistent brand voice across an entire portfolio — something agencies often struggle to achieve efficiently.

What do agencies charge for Google Business Profile management?
Most charge a monthly retainer, with additional costs for extra posts, updates, or analytics. These expenses scale quickly with larger portfolios.

Can AI really manage Google Business Profiles without human oversight?
Yes. Automation can handle updates, posts, availability, and more by integrating with your existing systems — while still allowing for human review or edits when needed.

What's the biggest advantage of automation over agencies?

Scalability. Automation can manage hundreds of profiles simultaneously, ensuring information is always current without manual delays. 

Meeting Modern Renter Expectations 

AI and automation now offer the scalability, accuracy, and speed required to manage portfolios efficiently.

By adopting data-driven, automated systems, operators can maintain brand consistency, streamline updates, and meet the high expectations of today's renters — all while freeing teams from repetitive manual tasks.