Why benchmarking is important for Housing Associations

In the social housing sector the expectations placed on Housing Associations continue to rise. Customers want faster communication, clearer updates and a stronger sense of connection with the organisations that manage their homes.

At the same time the regulatory environment is becoming more demanding. Digital communication is now an essential part of how Housing Associations listen to their communities and build trust. 

Many organisations still ask the same question: How do we know if we are performing well online?

This is where benchmarking becomes essential. By comparing your digital performance with that of similar organisations, you gain a level of insight that is impossible to achieve by looking at your own data alone. 

Benchmarking provides context and it helps you understand whether your results show excellence or whether they highlight opportunities for improvement. Most importantly it gives you the knowledge you need to make confident decisions about your digital strategy.

This blog explores the benefits of benchmarking against other Housing Associations and how the Orlo benchmarking tool makes the process easier and far more powerful.

Digital teams collect a huge amount of data, reach, engagement, reaction times, customer sentiment and more. While these numbers matter, they only become truly useful when they sit alongside comparable figures from similar organisations. 

If you see that your engagement rate has risen over the last quarter that is positive. If benchmarking data shows that most Housing Associations have increased theirs at double the rate then the picture looks different. Benchmarking gives you a clearer sense of reality and it allows you to see whether your organisation is keeping pace with sector trends.

Benchmarking is not just about identifying gaps, it’s also a powerful way to learn from success. 

By observing the Housing Associations that excel on social media, you can discover the types of content that connect most effectively with customers. You can see how other organisations handle service updates, urgent announcements or community stories. This can inspire fresh ideas for your own channels and help you refine your tone of voice. It can even reveal opportunities to simplify customer communication and offer clearer guidance.

Social media is often the first place customers go when they are concerned about a service or want to express frustration which means that reputation can shift quickly. 

Benchmarking allows you to study how other Housing Associations handle sensitive topics such as damp and mould concerns or regeneration updates. You can observe the tone they set and the clarity of their messaging, including the level of transparency they provide.

The housing sector is under growing scrutiny and digital transparency plays a major role in how organisations are perceived. Benchmarking helps you understand what the sector now considers ‘standard practice’, especially during challenging times and crises.  

If most Housing Associations are using video explainers for complex topics, for example, this signals a shift in expectation. If others are running live question sessions during incidents, this highlights a valuable opportunity to engage more openly. 

Benchmarking helps you stay aligned with emerging norms which strengthens your standing with customers and regulators.

Benchmarking delivers significant value but collecting and interpreting data manually can be challenging. This is where Orlo’s Benchmarking tool changes everything. 

Designed for Housing Associations, it brings together a wealth of digital performance data from across the sector and presents it in a clear, intuitive format.

With the Benchmarking tool, you’ll be able to keep an eye on your industry peers, giving you the chance to take inspiration from their channels and understand exactly what works, and what misses the mark. And even better, you can then put these insights to good use and devise a more informed strategy. 

This helps you stay one step ahead, allowing you to review and adapt your content to the “here and now” so you can remain proactive to the changing moods and expectations of your community.

Ultimately, knowledge is power. Instead of guessing what might be effective, you can create custom reports that are easy to digest, view, and share with your wider team. Whether you need to understand results at a glance or do a deeper dive into which campaigns are resonating, Orlo ensures you see the full picture. This clarity empowers you to make better, evidence-based decisions for your team and your customers.

Benchmarking is no longer a “nice to have”. It is an essential part of understanding your digital performance and building a strategy that truly supports your residents. With the Orlo Benchmarking tool you can unlock insights that will help you operate more effectively,  respond more quickly and communicate more transparently. You can learn from your peers, spot new trends early and make confident decisions that deliver real value.

Housing Associations work tirelessly to support their communities and strong digital communication is central to that mission. With Orlo you have the tools you need to elevate your approach and to ensure your organisation leads the way in the sector.

For more information on benchmarking, why not watch our webinar on exactly how it works? Although it uses Local Government examples, this webinar still particularly relevant for Housing Associations. You can watch on demand here.

Or, if you would like to see how the Orlo Benchmarking Tool can support your team I would be delighted to show you more. Contact me at jennie.robinson@orlo.tech