Apartment Marketing

It’s safe to say the tenants you’re targeting have scrolled through social media channels as they woke up this morning, then again at lunch time, traffic stops, drive-thru lines, and more. They’ll continue to shift their attention back to social platforms while taking a break from work, standing in line at the grocery store, watching the news, or brushing their teeth as they prepare for bedtime. For multifamily property managers, social media channels present a can’t-miss opportunity to attract and sway your ideal tenants — if you get the tone and content mix right.   Below you’ll find six ways to make prospects feel seen, educated, inspired or entertained by your social media presence. Mix and match them often to see engagement rise.   1. Humanize your property   You may have heard the adage that people prefer to do business with people, not faceless corporations. When marketing your property, putting a human face and personality on your brick and mortar is an instant rapport builder that helps you stand out from competing properties.   Balance sterile snapshots of empty kitchens or pristine landscapes with warm faces and personal stories, featuring residents, local staff, and more.   A few ideas: Featuring a pet of the month. Resident stories or testimonials, conveying their experiences in their own words. Staff spotlight including personal quirks that make them relatable to readers (e.g., hobbies, favorite spots in the neighborhood, favorite part of their job). Light-hearted content borrowed with permission from tenants (e.g., TikToks, videos or photos shot......

I’m going to let you in on a little secret.    Yes, a multifamily website can be expensive, but you don't always need to break the bank to have a beautiful and responsive web design.   Since a website is a service rather than a product, it can be difficult to put a price on it. What is the price you are willing to pay for something that will help you attract new leads, retain current residents, and ultimately add to your bottom line?    Priceless, right? But no one really wants to give their first-born child just to have a great website.   Also, just because something has a high price tag doesn’t mean that it’s better either. Does a name brand watch tell time better than a $10 one from Wal-Mart? While one may look nicer than the other (and will not turn your wrist green), it still functions the same as the other.   Of course, I am not saying you need to only buy off-brand products or that you can find a Rolex watch for $10. What I am saying is that you need to do your research when looking for a web design firm or developer to work with, because some companies will promise you the world (but will turn your wrist green) while others promise too little and charge too much.   Here are some of the questions you need to ask yourself when researching a new web design for your property:   Is the site ......

When it comes to your content marketing campaign, the strategy seems straightforward enough. The implementation? Not so much.  Everyone knows the first steps — develop your buyer personas, identify industry pain points, know what your remarkables are, then develop content. But content development isn’t, or certainly shouldn’t be writing blogs and other content at random. Instead, content should be planned carefully and with great intent.  Knowing where to start with your content planning can be difficult. Thankfully, my team and I have a methodology that we hope you’ll find useful. Planning Your Content Marketing Campaign Everybody plans content differently. For my team, we start by identifying our focus for the quarter. Is there an industry the client wants to focus on? Is there a topic that we can touch on effectively to reach our target customers? These questions dictate our focus, buyer persona, and pain point.  From there, we identify both the keywords someone might use to search for information at each stage of the buyer’s journey, and also what campaign offers would resonate best. Remember your personas when planning content. While this seems simple enough, this is probably one of the longest points in the process. This section is your foundation, and if your keywords are not accurate, or your content doesn’t speak to the persona, your content marketing campaign won’t be successful. That’s certainly a lot of pressure, but there are ways to find security in your campaign plan — namely, user testing. User Testing and Developing SMART Goals It can be easy to......

Over the past decade or so, the multifamily industry has undeniably become more pet-friendly. Go to industry conferences, and you'll see pet-focused sessions with panelists who have reaped the benefits of relaxing or even eliminating weight and breed restrictions. Visit apartment communities, and you'll likely see an array of amenities – such as fenced dog parks and pet-washing stations – designed to attract and retain pet-owning residents. New data validates these general observations. According to the 2021 Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative Report, 76% of owner/operators identify their properties as allowing some pets, which reflects a willingness to accommodate pets by a large majority of property owners and operators. But the same report also shows that residents often don't find rental housing as pet-inclusive as they'd like it to be. For example, according to the PIHI report: 72% of surveyed residents say pet-friendly housing is hard to find. 59% say pet-friendly housing is too expensive. 24% say their pet has been a reason for needing to move. 14% have surrendered their pet as a result of their housing situation. Clearly, apartment owners and operators have to be careful and strategic when crafting their pet policies. They have to strike the right balance of welcoming pet-owning residents with  helping non pet-owners feel comfortable, as well as protecting the community’s assets. However, the PIHI report provides a solid general blueprint for how multifamily communities can become more pet inclusive in ways that drive good business results. Among its recommendations for operators: Consider reducing or eliminating dog w......

To use Pinterest or not to use Pinterest? That is a big question on many of our clients' minds.   While yes, Pinterest can be a profitable social media platform to invest your ad dollars into, it really depends on your industry and product or service.   With more than 150 million monthly users, Pinterest provides a refreshing way to maintain and enhance your SEO efforts and reach a wider audience.   The pinning platform spurs more than 2 billion searches each month. Additionally, more than 250 million of those monthly searches are visual searches — opening the door for a lot of multifamily marketing potential.   So, for those who do want to dive into Pinterest and give it a shot — the next question is, how can I maintain a strong presence on this platform? Below, we explore a few ways to make the most bang  for your buck.  1. Start a Business Account The first step is ensuring you create a business account and not personal as this will give you access to the Pinterest ads manager and analytics tracking. Use your property’s full name in your account, and be sure to include all necessary descriptive information in your bio sections, including contact information, apartment logos, and any community amenities or features you would like to highlight. 2. Create Your Boards Pinterest boards are the topics by which you organize your content. You should create boards that showcase your property (rooms, amenities, events), as well as boards that provi......

All industries are increasingly embracing and investing in crisis management planning in case of emergencies (i.e. disasters, crimes, health issues, etc.). It can be hard for on-site teams to know what to do for residents during a crisis. It’s challenging not to get caught up in the what-ifs and what to-dos. While I’m sure you have a crisis communication plan in place, think about the overall tone, flow, and timing for how each message will be perceived and delivered. How can you emphasize and ensure your message is communicated properly? One way is to double down on digital communication efforts - it's the safest, most convenient way to keep on-site staff, current and prospective residents informed and safe. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before that in times of crisis, leasing teams should over-communicate updates to residents. And, video, email, resident portals and a wide range of other CRM/marketing technologies can help communicate information quickly and safely to employees, prospective and current residents so they can fully grasp your message when you need it to be heard. How to Incorporate Video and Email Into Your Crisis Management Plan When preparing how to provide updates and instructions to employees and residents, below are suggestions to make your communication efforts more efficient through video. Communication efforts should be transparent: While preparing communication efforts, be honest with employees and your residents about the situation. This ensures everyone has the most up-to-date information regarding the crisis and what protocols should be followed. Leasing teams can create a video saying ......

Do you find yourself aimlessly scrolling for way too much time on Instagram without ever really stopping to absorb any of the content you’re seeing?   If you’re doing it, you can bet your residents are doing it. And, they’re missing your posts.    A quick way to tell if your audience is passing your posts is if there is a huge disparity between your follower number and the average likes per post you’re receiving. If you have 1,000 followers and are getting eight likes per post, your audience is frequently scrolling by you.    While how active your followers are, the time you post, and how much you post are factors when it comes to engagement, there is still a good number of people who see every post.   So, how do you stop your residents from mindlessly scrolling past your posts and get them to engage with them, or at least read them?   I’ve got some recommendations for you:   1. Lean into your industry + being an apartment.  It’s likely your residents aren’t following many apartments on Instagram; you might be the only one.    So while the majority of their feed is filled with posts from brands and influencers, you have the chance to stand out with apartment-centered images. This includes pictures of apartment units, community amenities, and event announcements as well as tips and tricks for renters. This might seem obvious but it can be easy to try to copy what is trendy or popular at the moment......

“Weapon” might sound a little medieval for multifamily, but when you look at the power of TikTok and the impact it can have on your lead generation, it feels like an appropriate descriptor.    Before we jump in, if your target renter is above the age of 40, then you likely don’t need to worry about learning and using TikTok for your apartment marketing. 60% of TikTok users are between the ages 16-24 and 26% are 25-44.   So, if your target renter is a Gen Z or a Millennial on the younger side, then your apartment needs to be on TikTok (even more so if your direct competitors aren’t yet).    The platform is video only, so it definitely takes some time and effort to make content for your apartment but it’s well worth it. As the current most popular app, many young adults are using TikTok to find apartments. Plus, unlike Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, TikTok users watch videos with the sound ON. This means your message will actually be heard and you don’t only have to rely on visuals.    Here are three ways to utilize TikTok for your apartment marketing:   1. Make original content in bulk. Publishing consistent original content seems much less daunting when you create it in bulk. Try to set aside a few hours one day each week to create multiple videos.    The great thing about TikTok is it’s all about trends. There’s nothing wrong with starting out your TikTok journey by simply recreati......

No longer a far-fetched concept reserved to sci-fi movie plots, artificial intelligence is now an indispensable tool in your prospects’ daily routines. Think about it: Chances are you’ve posed a question or two to your favorite AI assistant today, whether that’s Google, Siri, Alexa, or else. Maybe you needed directions to a meeting, store hours for the nearest pharmacy, or a rundown of your calendar appointments — and you had no time or desire to read through a website, call customer support, or click through a handful of dashboards. You wanted answers in seconds, and AI delivered it.  Likewise, the tenants you’re trying to attract have a serious digital addiction and craving for instant answers. It’s why AI leasing assistants are no-brainers in delivering measurable improvements in conversions, engagement, and revenue.     Below are five ways an AI Leasing Assistant will bring more tenants to your properties: 1. Satisfy consumers’ craving for easy self-service and instant gratification Today’s consumers expect the same ease, immediacy, and anytime/anywhere access they enjoy from online retailers and media platforms. Fail to deliver those experiences and they’ll jump ship to a more responsive website, sinking your profits. Astute multifamily property marketers understand that to remain relevant and profitable, they must compete on the battlefield of user experiences, often measured against the ease and speed of Siri or Google. AI Leasing Assistants make that possible.   Speaking of speed and ease, todays’ consumers also don’t want to talk to a sales rep until they’ve completed some basic research, narrowed thei......

    Pre-leasing can make or break the success of a new apartment community, especially in today’s competitive multi-family market. Adding assets like 3D modeling, virtual tours, and interior renderings allow developers, property managers, and real estate marketing leaders to create more interest in their properties before the construction process is complete.   By using these tools in your marketing plans and content you are able to connect with future renters and give them the visual information they need to make a decision on whether or not your property is the right fit for them at an extremely pivotal time in their buying journey.    1) Why Would I Want a Virtual Tour or Interior Rendering? The obvious answer here is that it is literally impossible to showcase what your spaces will look like without these assets while your property is being built.  3D floor plans, virtual tours, and interior renderings give you access to digital assets that can accurately and effectively present your property's key features when it is physically impossible to show them.   2) What Makes a Good Virtual Tour or Interior Rendering? Accuracy. The purpose behind creating these assets while your property is still in the construction or developmental phase is to accurately present what the interiors and exteriors of your spaces and units will look like. The idea here is to be as close to a real photo or video as possible. Having photo-realistic visuals ensures that what future renters are seeing matches what they wil......