4 Digital Marketing Tips for Apartments

To use apartment digital marketing to boost your building’s buzz and draw in future residents, check out our top tips below. Read on.

You can find everything online — limited-edition baseball cards, sold-out concert tickets, and long-lost cousins. Why shouldn’t you be able to find your ideal tenants there, too?

Even if your property’s website brags about every fantastic amenity, stunning views, perfect floor plans, and well-priced rent, a crowded market and high tenant turnover rate — 49% in 2021 — means that it’s essential to take advantage of digital apartment marketing ideas and strategies all year round. Even if you’ve just lit up the “No Vacancy” sign.

To use apartment digital marketing to boost your building’s buzz and draw in future residents, check out our top tips and building management solutions below.

1. Social Media

Most Americans — 81%, in fact — spend time on social media. It’s where they seek out inspiration for closets, gym routines, and, yes, their apartments.

Establishing a strong social media presence for your property on Instagram or Tik Tok can be a quick way to draw ample engagement — but popping up on explore pages requires thorough planning, targeting, and consistency.

When you’re launching your social strategy, consider:

• Focusing your audience — Who do you want to reach with your content? To get your brainstorm started, think about the community that currently exists within your building and the community you’d love to foster. For example, is your building tailored to families, with sitters and playrooms on-site? If so, showcase the family-friendly vibe in your posts. In fact, hosting on-site events is one of the best ways to build a community. For more information, visit our blog post all about community event ideas your residents will love.
• Posting regularly — To reach users and keep your following engaged, stick to a consistent posting schedule and make sure to respond to any comments, tags, and messages. This can help boost your ORA score.
• Avoiding generic posts — Your building is anything but generic. So make sure that your posts aren’t, either. Diversify your main grid with a mix of staged interiors, exterior shots, neighborhood vistas, portraits, and local flavor — just always keep your prospective renters’ interests, values, and aesthetics in mind.

When it comes to posting on visual platforms, don’t forget style. On Instagram, posting with a recognizable aesthetic might increase your chances of being featured on their “suggested users” lists. Take advantage of photo-editing apps like VSCO, where you can create a customizable preset photo filter that will give your apartment shots a unique mood.

• Collaborating with content creators — Entice prospective tenants by collaborating with influencers, brands, and local businesses that speak to the needs and desires of your audience. By partnering with accounts and individuals that already have established followings, you can quickly increase your rental property reach.

2. Internet Listing Services

Gone are the days of leasing apartments through ads in the paper. Instead, potential residents head to online services, which filter available apartments by a range of sizes, locations, preferences and budgets.

Some of these services include nationwide listings that can connect you to a leasing agent. Others vary by city, state, and region. Top sites include:

• Hotpads
• Zillow
• Padmapper
• Apartments.com
• Avail
• Zumper
• Cozy

While most of these sites charge small processing and account fees, they promise a profound return on your initial investment. Plus, with myriad indispensable services that range from tenant background checks to swift application processing, it’s easy to see how.

To stand out from the many apartments that field through these platforms, take advantage of the built-in opportunities to show off your space with the following tips:

• Upload attractive, well-staged photos
• Provide critical information about your location
• Include floorplans, maps, and 3D renderings
• Describe the building amenities and history

3. Email Marketing

With massive rental turnover rates, everyone knows someone who’s thinking about their next apartment community. Inspire conversation — and action — with targeted emails to your subscribers, leads, and clients. There are endless community newsletter ideas and engaging content ideas that are sure to help build a strong sense of community.

Best case scenario? You’re a click away from your next tenant. Second-best case? You’ve built name recognition and nurtured new leads.

Here’s what you should keep in mind:

• Be catchy — If you want them to see your listing, they’ll need to open the email first. Put your value proposition in your subject line — and make it clear, clever, and concise.
• Be consistent — But don’t be clingy. Think of email marketing as courtship. Your leads will want to feel considered, not harassed. Shoot for one email a week.
• Be compelling — Make sure to include a clear call to action (CTA) button in the body of your email that links to the next step — this is one of the most important marketing strategies. Examples include: Apply Now, See the Listing, and Rent Today.

4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to the process of boosting your ranking on search engines like Google and Bing. Taking advantage of SEO best practices will help drive traffic to your website — and get more eyes on your listings.

To pump up your SEO, try the following:

• Solicit positive reviews — To rise the Google ranks, increase the volume (and star rating) of your recent online reviews.
• Create content — Publish relevant, fresh content that contains niche keywords (words and phrases your audience tends to search for).
• Focus on quality — Don’t underestimate the savviness of the algorithms or your audience. Make sure your content is readable, informative, and compelling. Include visuals, research that will be useful to discerning apartment hunters.

Say Hello to Alfred, Say Goodbye to High Turnover

The future of apartment marketing? Digital. The future of apartment and building management? Alfred.

You’ve mastered SEO, subject lines, and your social media presence. You know how to attract trustworthy, motivated tenants. The next step? Keeping them connected, engaged, and happy.

With Alfred’s industry-leading technology, you can optimize your residents’ experience — and your business. Thanks to luxury concierge services along with secure rent payment portals, maintenance request logs, and remote management options, you’ll be empowered to provide your tenants with best-in-class hospitality service and a strong incentive to renew their leases.

Ready to turn a new leaf (and turn down high turnover)? Meet Alfred.

Sources:

Investopedia. Best Rental Listing Sites. https://www.investopedia.com/best-rental-listing-sites-5075293

New York Times. How to Use Social Media in Your Career. https://www.nytimes.com/guides/business/social-media-for-career-and-business

Digital Trends. How to Use Instagram. https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-use-instagram/

Michigan Tech. What is SEO? https://www.mtu.edu/umc/services/websites/seo/what-is/