TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
WHY YOUR MARKETING
APPROACH ISN ' T
WORKING
If that old Apartment For Rent sign is all you ' ve got , then read this article !
By Cyndi Oaxaca
As little as 20 years ago , marketing an apartment complex was a far more simple task . Large signs and balloons announcing a grand opening were enough to draw in those looking for a new place . One could even take out an ad in the Yellow Pages and rely on mailers for the majority of their business . A posting in a local paper could also help a business spread the word . And there was the always reliable referral traffic .
These days , however , marketing is a whole new game . People don ’ t drive around a town looking for new places to live or seeking out “ For Lease ” signs . Instead , they ’ re turning to the Internet . Rather than seeking referrals from friends , most people prefer to check Yelp or other online review sites to gather insight . And it ’ s hard to say how many people actually read physical newspapers these days , or use the Yellow Pages for anything other than a doorstop . The digital world has caused a significant shift in the way people gather information , and apartments that fail to adopt are failing in their marketing efforts .
Changing Strides for Changing Tides
Many might argue that digital marketing is working better for apartments because more people are looking online for information than elsewhere . While this isn ’ t necessarily wrong , it fails to grasp the scope of how marketing and sales have changed by the Internet ’ s influence .
It used to be a seller ’ s world . Interruption tactics like commercials and billboards worked easily to let buyers know a new item was on the market and they needed it .
Now , with the prevalence of information on the web , consumers are in control . They are able to gather information on many solutions to a problem or issue , and choose the best option . This shift in power from being seller driven to consumer driven is why digital marketing is so powerful .
It ’ s not enough to set it and forget it when it comes to digital marketing . Many apartment communities may argue they ’ re already involved in digital marketing because they have a website and have put up listings for their properties . But then they do nothing with them . This approach can be damaging and even wasteful . It ’ s not digital marketing , but rather , taking the old outbound seller ’ s approach . A website isn ’ t meant to be a brochure or a flyer , nor will it be found if it ’ s just left up without making active changes . Digital marketing is meant to be dynamic , matching every step of a consumer ’ s journey .
What does that mean for the marketer ? Digital marketing approaches should be constantly mobile , with content and other optimization forms ready to give buyers what they need at any given stage .
Optimizing Your New Approach
So you know you need to have a digital presence . Many of you likely already do in the form of a website and a Google business page . But what comes next ?
The first question is , are you searchable ? And no we don ’ t just mean for “ Your Apartment Name , City Name ” although you should easily come up for that search . Instead , you should be trying to attract residents earlier . How ? Become useful in their search , and then optimize your site ’ s SEO to match .
This means creating content — web copy , blogs , infographics , and other useful tools for your potential resident . This is where most apartment complexes are lacking . For example , a good portion of your residents may be new to your city . So start optimizing your content around potential searches they may have . “ Best neighborhoods in X ” or “ best things to do in X ” are good obvious choices .
By ranking well for these searches , you get in front of potential customers early , helping lead them along their purchasing journey and being able to serve them the most helpful and relevant content on their quest . This makes your property remarkable . Your major competitors likely only show unit images or skylines on their site
34 | TRENDS • OCTOBER 2017 www . aamdhq . org