Local attractions have a lot of influence when buying property, especially in the summer, since nature is most attractive, and the energy level is monumental. Let’s delve into how to highlight the summer charm that cities offer. Local attractions. Start with the key local summer attractions such as popular parks, nature trails, and recreational facilities. If the property is located near one of the top ten national parks in America, highlight that feature and the unique experiences surrounding it. For instance, the Everglades in Florida, home to many rare and endangered species like the American crocodile and manatee, offer a unique and diverse natural environment. Or the Redwood Forest, which is more than just a collection of trees. It also protects vast prairies, riverways and almost 40 miles of coastline, providing a unique coastal living experience. These distinctive aspects of the local attractions make the properties in these areas more appealing to potential buyers, sparking their curiosity and excitement. Annual summer festivals, fairs and community events can also influence buyers’ move. In Atlanta, the annual Decatur Arts Festival transforms the streets of downtown Decatur into a vibrant artistic hub. It features diverse visual and performing arts and interactive experiences, fostering a sense of community and making residents feel like an integral part of the local arts scene. Don’t forget about local markets and food festivals. Farmers’ markets, food festivals and local culinary are significant for attracting buyers to the area. Houston’s BBQ Festival celebrates its 11th year with an impressive lineup of the best barbecue joints in the city. Many towns offer local farmers’ markets with fresh produce, local vendors and unique food experiences. Pikes Fish Market in Seattle offers fresh, wild, premium Pacific seafood. This emphasis on the quality and variety of local...

As we enter the bustling event season, many will attend multiple events and conferences this spring. It’s crucial not to let the whirlwind of activity disrupt the work-life balance. Let’s explore some key reminders on maintaining a balanced life, allowing positivity to flow naturally rather than being forced. Work-life integration, a concept that emphasizes blending professional responsibilities with personal interests and well-being, can be a powerful tool during the event season. It’s not about juggling but about finding a harmonious balance. Explore strategies that promote this harmony, such as flexible scheduling to accommodate personal commitments. Remote and compressed workweeks are particularly beneficial during the event season, especially for event planners. There are several apps to streamline activities and stay on track for event managers and planners, such as Eventbrite and Asana. Practice some time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro technique. This technique was developed in the late 1980s by university student Francesco Cirillo, who struggled to focus on his studies. Feeling overwhelmed, he asked himself to commit to ten minutes of focused study time. Encouraged by the challenge, he found a tomato (pomodoro in Italian) shaped kitchen timer and founded the Pomodoro technique. Cirillo wrote a book about the method, but its most significant strength is simplicity. There might be minimal places to recharge at conferences, but many now incorporate designated workstations. Using your smartphone or watch, set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on the most important task until the timer goes off. When the session ends, mark off one Pomodoro and record what was completed. Enjoy a five-minute break, do some deep breathing or stretches, then continue the rest of the event activities. Schedule regular breaks. Recharge during events and create designated “unplugged” times to disconnect from work and enjoy...

Unconventional resident events can add a fresh and exciting dimension to a property management company’s community-building effort. The benefits of stepping outside the traditional event model will help to retain residents and attract new ones. Unique gatherings can strengthen the sense of community among residents. Here are some types of think-outside-the-box events to explore over the holiday season. Spice up the community with Escape Room Challenges or Mystery Dinners. Transform common areas or vacant units into escape rooms where residents work together to solve puzzles and mysteries. Include a mystery dinner to solve the crime during the meal, then have residents go out and explore around the building. Add a scavenger hunt and have prizes at the end for the winners. Plants and Pets. Plants are so good for the environment and cleanse the air around them. Arrange a gardening event where residents exchange plants, seeds or gardening tips. Microgardening is popular in smaller apartments, so maybe provide a small basil plant to start residents out with. Don’t forget about the four-legged residents. Look for a local pet mobile photographer for the holidays so residents can get their holiday cards made. Culinary Adventures. Delve into the world of cooking classes as a resident event. Cooking classes can enhance residents’ culinary skills, foster connections and offer a fun and educational experience. Find a local chef or culinary expert to lead the classes and provide some sample recipes or themes for these classes. For example, set up some spaces in the common area to learn how to make fresh homemade pasta, which can be a romantic date night for those during Valentine’s Day. Another example would be to decorate holiday cookies together. Provide the cookies already baked, then have various colors of icing in pipping bags...

In today’s digital age, online reputation plays a crucial role in the success of property management companies. Positive reviews attract new residents and instill trust and confidence in services. At a recent industry conference, we learned from standout property management company (and valued Yardi client) The Bozzuto Group what strategies and insights are working for them. Let’s explore how to manage online reputation to boost reviews and gain efficiencies effectively. User give rating to service experience on online application for Customer review satisfaction feedback survey concept. The importance of online reputation is essential in the property management industry. Customer sentiment and experience surveys are heavily relied on to make informed decisions. Data from diverse sources impact reviews. Use more than just Google as a source of information and review data. Kelley Shannon, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Customer Engagement for The Bozzuto Group, says: “You’re only as good as the lowest performing property.” With lower scores in metrics of customer satisfaction and loyalty, reputation can be ruined. Take the time to monitor and respond to reviews on platforms and social media channels. “If they are taking the time to write, you should take the time to respond,” she added. Give teams a goal of ten reviews per month, and in more prominent properties, aim for 15 on various platforms. Set up notifications and promptly respond to both positive and negative feedback. Addressing concerns, resolving issues and showcasing a commitment to customer satisfaction will lead to happier residents and community.  If reviews are negative, look at the positives and aim to keep them going. Communication, friendliness, cleanliness, amenities and availabilities are all part of getting stellar reviews. If vendors or a part of the property management team lives on campus, have them go online and...

Michael Wilke is the marketing strategist at Towne Properties. When he joined the company in 2014, Towne was dependent on ILS advertising for leads and leases. Towne’s property sites didn’t have online leasing yet. In his current role, Michael has worked with the rest of the marketing team to modernize Towne’s online user experience to meet shifting renter expectations. When Towne shifted its strategy to include online leasing via RentCafe websites, it realized its property websites convert leads at a better rate than ILSs. Take a look at Towne Properties’ award-winning websites. As a result, Michael started looking for the most effective and cost-efficient ways to drive traffic to Towne’s websites. The challenge Towne’s RentCafe property websites were converting at a better rate than ILSs, but they needed more leads. Michael knew how to set up Google Ad groups, but he felt like he was just scratching the surface of what was possible. And he didn’t have the time to maintain and optimize campaigns for every property. Ultimately, he and the Towne team decided to get expert help. The solution When looking for a marketing partner, the REACH by RentCafe digital marketing agency stood out. Since Towne uses Yardi and the agency is a part of the Yardi family, Michael knew that integration would be simple and data would be clean.  Towne enlisted REACH search marketing experts to optimize their websites and set up ad campaigns quickly. More importantly, Michael said, “[REACH experts] have the expertise that we don’t have. That became clear during the setup process. They were going over all the things they were going to do for us, the dedicated teams for search marketing, creative and more.” REACH SEO results Thanks to ongoing search engine optimization, Towne’s websites are getting more traffic that converts into...

People of different ages search differently. In fact, Google’s search data shows that search term lengths are growing with each new generation. Boomers average about 4 words per search, while long-tail search loving Gen Z averages 5 words per search. As a smart marketer, you should be keeping an eye on generational search trends. When you know how each of your different customers search, you can make sure you’re meeting their expectations and creating a good user experience. In this article, we’ll look at generational search trends across Gen X, Gen Y (also known as millennials) and Gen Z. Gen X Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen X are natural self-starters. They didn’t grow up with search, but they quickly mastered it. While it can be hard to earn a Gen Xer’s trust, once you have it, they’re typically loyal customers. Gen X search trends 72% research businesses online Less likely to search for “best”, “top” or “popular”More likely to look for an article that compares products before purchasing Gen X social media trends 95% use Facebook35% use LinkedIn25% post regularly on TwitterValue independence and prefer to make their own assessments of a product, brand or serviceContent should educate and excite (how-to videos, tutorials and in-depth explanations) Top tips to appeal to Gen X in search Consistent brand messaging across your website and business directories is keyMake sure to reward loyalty with discounts, a thank you email and excellent customer serviceIf you’re looking to do some social advertising, focus on Facebook Gen Y Members of Gen Y — commonly referred to as millennials — were born between 1981 and 1995. Often considered digital natives, millennials are very comfortable using technology to search for everything across multiple platforms. Gen Y search trends Tend to care more about...

You’re probably at least somewhat familiar with the newest king of digital marketing: search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of organically improving a web page’s ranking on search results pages, and it’s especially important in today’s multifamily industry, which has changed greatly in the past five years. For a long time, the dominant multifamily marketing strategy has been internet listing services (ILSs). However, with the shift to younger, more tech-savvy generations like millennials and Gen Zers, direct-to renter marketing strategies like SEO and PPC have become more important, especially in the current state of high occupancy. Janeya Filzen, senior search marketing specialist at REACH by RentCafe, comments that “online marketing is the best bang for your buck,” pointing out that renters now constantly use online searches to find and compare apartments.   Marketing analytics repeatedly show multifamily SEO to be the best performing marketing source, with the lowest costs and highest return on ad spend. You’ve heard a hundred times that it’s important, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about what it takes to truly optimize a website for outstanding results and financial performance. Without further ado, let’s ask search marketing expert Gretchen Walker some of the most common multifamily SEO questions! Can you really prove the value of SEO? As Gretchen Walker, manager at REACH by RentCafe, says in this video, you can 100% prove the value of SEO. We live in a world of advanced property marketing technology, and you can track the entire lead journey, from a curious searcher’s first click all the way through to them signing a lease. With the right tools, you can also track performance metrics like return on ad spend (ROAS), cost per lease, bounce rate and how users are interacting with your web page....

Figuring out how to best design your website can be a daunting task. This summer, REACH by RentCafe surveyed more than 12,000 people on RentCafe.com to learn more about their website design preferences.Read on to see the survey results and learn more about the most popular website design trends of 2022. Survey says… Which color schemes do you prefer? Calm and soothing: 73.5%Dark and moody: 15.2%Vibrant and bold: 11.3% Which two design concepts do you prefer? Soft, curved edges and shapes: 33.6%Plant or earth-inspired prints: 21.4%Subtle textures: 20.1%Sharp geometric shapes: 15.8%Colorful floral patterns: 9.2% How would you decorate your apartment? Clean and minimal. I like things calm, simple and purposeful: 59%Dark backgrounds and a roaring fireplace. I love a cozy library vibe: 16%Romantic countryside. I want to feel like I’m in a whimsical cottage: 15.7%Lots of patterns and colors. I like to bring laughter to life, the more the merrier: 9.3% I’d be most excited to live in an apartment that: Embraces a soft, relaxing atmosphere with calm colors: 47%Is sleek and modern: 29.5%Emphasizes sustainability in the design: 12%Has chic outdoor spaces: 11.5% When viewing a design, how do you want to feel? Calm: 68.6%Excited: 14.2%Intrigued: 13.5%Amused: 3.6% Japandi and minimalism Kicking off the top design trends of 2022 is Japandi. Neha Marathe, design manager at REACH, defines Japandi as a hybrid that’s “a brilliant fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian styles which are anchored in minimalism, clean lines and neutral colors.” Japandi design celebrates a blend of simplicity, functionality and intentionality, and it’s on the rise. In fact, between 2020 and 2021, Google searches for Japandi increased by 1,217%. An important element of Japandi is minimalism, which celebrates clean lines and uncluttered surfaces while avoiding excessive ornamentation. More and more, people are gravitating towards...

What do you call a group of diverse digital natives and entrepreneurial decision-makers with the ability to change the multifamily industry? This title belongs to Generation Z, the largest and most tech-savvy group of renters yet. Last summer, REACH by RentCafe conducted a survey to better understand Gen Z’s search habits, but members of this generation are now a year older. This means they’ve lived through 365 days of new experiences, changes and adventures. It also means that they have had a whole year to refine their online search behaviors. This summer, REACH wanted to investigate where this generation stands a year later when it comes to their online search habits and how best to win their attention. To do this, we interviewed over 12,000 members of Gen Z to gain insight into how to best attract members of the youngest, biggest and perhaps most important renter group yet. Here’s our Gen Z update: What are Gen Zers looking for? Findings from this year’s survey confirm that, once again, many Gen Zers don’t yet know what they’re searching for. This year, 41% admit that they’re still figuring it out when asked what they’re looking for in an apartment. This data tells us that the apartment search starts early for Gen Zers. At this stage, they’re probably using an ILS to shop for and compare apartments. On the other hand, 59% of Gen Zers know more about what they want, including apartment size, price, location and desired amenities; a full 26% of Gen Zers say they have all the information needed to make a purchasing decision. These renters are ready to take the next step, using long-tailed search terms to find the specific apartment that meets their needs. So how do you market to the...

Online apartment reviews are an important way for potential renters to get a feel for your community, and it’s critical to have them on your website. In addition, reviews directly impact how your website appears in a search. In fact, it’s estimated that reviews account for 17% of the ranking factor for the Google 3-pack of local listings! A June 2022 survey from RentCafe.com revealed that over 60% of Gen Z renters consider ratings and reviews most of the time when searching online. But it’s not just Gen Z. The NMHC 2022 Renter’s Preference Report found that 69% of prospective renters looked at ratings and reviews when searching for an apartment community. A solid reputation management strategy impacts three areas of your business: marketing, leasing and customer service. Read more to understand the importance of reputation management throughout the renter lifecycle. How does reputation management impact marketing? Good apartment reviews lead to good search signals, which will boost your community in search engine results, helping you get found by more prospective renters. But there’s more to it than simply collecting a few good reviews. A solid reputation management strategy focuses on four key components when it comes to reviews: Quantity – How many reviews do you have compared to your competitors? More reviews mean more visibility and greater reach.Quality – How good are your reviews compared to your competitors? Positivity and honesty are important when it comes to creating quality reviews.Recency – When were your latest reviews posted? A review from one month ago will carry much more weight than one from six months ago.Responses – Is your business responding to every review? 46% of renters expect to see responses to all reviews, so it’s important to follow up on both good and bad...

Are you a right-brained creative or a left-brained pragmatic? And when it comes to property marketing, which is better? That is the subject up for discussion at the Apartment Innovation and Marketing Conference (AIM) this year. For years, there has been a belief that people favor one side of the brain or the other. The theory goes that people with right-brain dominance tend to be imaginative while those with left-brain dominance are inclined to be logical. Recent research shows that the brain is not nearly as dichotomous as previously thought. In fact, many talents are strongest when both halves of the brain collaborate. “The pop psychology notion of a left brain and a right brain doesn’t capture their intimate working relationship,” science writer Carl Zimmer explained in an article for Discover magazine. That said, the popularity of the theory still holds out. People love to find out which is the dominant side of their brain. So why not take a quiz? Then get marketing tips geared toward each talent and learn how to marry the two for property marketing success at AIM 2022. Right-brained or left-brained? Take the quiz. Tips for right-brained marketers Right-brained marketers are intuitive and expressive with a strong interest in storytelling and visuals. Use your creativity to build a strong brand on social media. Focus on creating a compelling visual library that tells the story of your community.Stay up to speed on design trends in different industries — including fashion, interior and tech — then challenge the larger marketing team to incorporate them into initiatives collateral and website updates. Tips for left-brained marketers Left-brained marketers are planned and orderly with a strong interest in results and analytics. Take charge of your company’s paid search campaigns. Compile performance data or use...

Should you grow your own team or hire an outside firm? Explore the pros and cons. Multifamily marketers have spent much of the last two years evaluating, reevaluating and adjusting to the changing behaviors and needs of our renters. How can we reach them? How can we engage them? What do they want from us? (Functioning websites, accurate pricing and anytime communication, for starters.) With a new year comes a new set of opportunities. Ideally, we’ll all take the lessons learned during the pandemic and continue to improve on our marketing. But realistically, do we have the time? Imagine, your company has just unveiled exciting plans to grow the portfolio. Better still, it recognizes the importance of a strong digital marketing presence when it comes to attracting prospects. As the marketing manager, you have an important decision to make: Do you grow your in-house team or hire an outside agency? Both options are common in multifamily marketing, as is the choice to use a combination of the two, with the in-house team managing one set of projects — such as creating lease-up flyers — while an external agency oversees other projects — such as managing SEO and PPC ads for the lease-up. If you’re struggling with this decision, or wondering how to find the right balance, it’s important to consider the strengths of each approach, as well as the budget and bandwidth of your operations. When to keep marketing in-house (or not) Wondering if your in-house team can meet the needs of your properties? Digital marketing can be like a web, as you layer additional strategies, the overall strength and reach should increase. That begs the question, if you build your in-house team, how many people will you need? Will you hire generalists and/or...

If you could help make the holidays less difficult for your residents, would you do it? Grief, stress, loneliness, social anxiety and financial struggles can be particularly heightened during this time of year. Through supportive services and resources, you can aid residents during the holidays with tools that you already have on hand. Resident loyalty is solidified through the human-to-human connection Research confirms that developing a sense of community adds value to housing. Residents who feel integrated into their communities are more likely to renew their leases, which saves you time and bolsters your bottom line. The suggestions below can help residents feel welcomed and supported during difficult times. They show that you care because you do care! As a bonus, your efforts will not go unnoticed when it’s time to renew the lease. Resident retention improves your net operating income while giving you warm, fuzzy feelings for the holidays! Read how you can promote resident retention through culture and branding. Encourage residents to move with you to address the symptoms of stress, depression and loneliness Consider hosting group fitness classes and wellness events at your property. Physical movement releases feel-good hormones called endorphins. Endorphins interact with the brain receptors that decrease the reception of discomfort. They also reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Certain types of movement can also soothe the nervous system. For indoor options, restorative yoga, yin yoga, tai chi and qigong are methods of movement that activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system of the body promotes physical and mental recovery, healthy digestion and helps the body to relax. (As the nation continues to navigate the pandemic, some residents may not be comfortable in indoor group activities. Consider setting up a camera on the instructor so that they can lead both...

Search engine optimization: You know you should be doing it, but are you taking proactive steps to optimize your apartment marketing website? By now, the benefits of SEO for apartment marketing are clear. By optimizing your site, you make it more attractive in search, both to search engines and potential customers. When search engines like your website, they think it is trustworthy and answers relevant search terms. When customers like your website, they engage with it by visiting multiple pages and clicking buttons. Relevance and engagement cause your site to rise higher in search results, helping you build authority, reach more potential renters and fill more vacancies. Property management SEO may seem like an overwhelming responsibility. After all, every time there’s a significant algorithm change, new articles come out with tips and tricks designed to adapt to the changes. But what you might not realize is that SEO is intended to be more or less straightforward. If your website creates a good user experience by functioning well for all visitors and providing valuable information for your target audience, it should appear in search results. And for apartment marketers, the search results that matter are typically local ones e.g., “one-bedrooms in <city>” and “<neighborhood> apartments for rent.” With that in mind, here are a few DIY SEO tips for apartment marketing. Start making these updates today to see positive results in the long term. Optimize the metadata for every page Every page of your website should have an optimized title tag and a metadata snippet. This is what will show in search results. Google measure title lengths in pixels, not characters, but per Moz, it’s a good idea to keep your title between 50-60 characters. Meta descriptions can be any length, but Google generally truncates...

The tech-savvy members of Gen Z are no strangers to browsing and shopping online. As a generation with high expectations, ratings and reviews are a large part of their online buying process. But just having ratings and reviews isn’t enough to win their business. You have to be strategic if you want to stand out from the competition. REACH by RentCafe is digging into how Gen Zers use ratings and reviews. This information will help you figure out how to achieve glowing ratings from your young renters. Why are reviews important? Before jumping into how Gen Zers use ratings and reviews, it’s important to first understand just how essential this aspect of your business is. For one, reviews help potential customers gauge an item or service’s quality while simultaneously informing your business about what works and what could be done differently. Additionally, reviews improve your search rankings. Did you know that, without them, there’s no chance of showing up in the Google local pack? Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, reviews increase the likelihood of conversion, and isn’t that the goal of your digital marketing strategy? Ratings and reviews inspire customers to reach out to you, increasing the probability of them converting. RentCafe.com conducted a study of all the apartment search journeys that resulted in a lease and found that ratings and reviews were one of the top three features that lead to conversions. When you’re looking to draw in Gen Z renters, ratings and reviews are a critical part of the marketing process. How do Gen Zers use ratings and reviews? As part of a survey series with more than 10,000 Gen Z participants, 65% of Gen Zers say they consider ratings and reviews always or most of the time when searching online. This...

Step aside millennials, the largest generation ever is ready to rent. The oldest members of Gen Z will ring in their 25th birthdays this year, and this tech-savvy group is quickly becoming the fastest growing renter demographic. Coming of age in the era of smart phones and social media, Gen Zers are highly skilled and have even higher expectations compared to previous generations. By now, you probably know the basics about Gen Z, but as the up-and-coming generation of renters, it’s critical to dig deeper. To appeal to these “digital natives,” you must first understand their habits, values and lifestyles. Lucky for you, REACH by RentCafe is taking a closer look at Gen Z characteristics and will be sharing its research data with you in a series of infographics. But first, let’s understand who exactly these Gen Zers are. Gen Z’s top 3 characteristics Gen Z is made up of independent and entrepreneurial thinkersMost Gen Zers were raised by members of Gen X. As parents, Gen X tend to favor autonomy and entrepreneurialism, values they have passed on to their children. Members of Gen Z celebrate their independence and ability to express themselves, and they don’t have the perception that things will just go their way. They aspire to become leaders, and 41% plan to become entrepreneurs. More than others, this young generation seeks to create success instead of expecting it. Gen Z values diversity and societal changeWhile Gen Z is the largest generation yet — roughly amounting to 2.46 billion people in 2019 — it is also the most diverse. According to the Pew Research Center, in the US, 52% of Gen Zers are non-Hispanic white, 25% are Hispanic, 14% are Black, 6% are Asian and 5% are other.They’ve also experienced and embraced...

For more than 35 years, Westcorp Property Management Inc. has focused on spaces and places that bring out the best in people. It creates, invests in and manages residential, commercial, hotel and mixed use properties. The company is based in Canada and has properties both in Canada and the U.S. It’s no surprise that a portfolio of this size and diversity relies on technology to help its prospects, tenants and team be successful. Recently we had the chance to speak with Uryelle Dimailig, Marketing Manager at Westcorp, about some of the tools and strategies the company uses to support its residential properties. Keep reading to find out what makes a strong marketing and leasing strategy, how to get the most out of it and who else can benefit from these tactics. If you are currently advocating for any kind of marketing technology at your property management business, this interview is a must-read! What elements are critical to a strong marketing and leasing strategy for residential properties? Digital marketing is important. You have to keep up with how consumer search behaviour is changing. Five years ago, we could put everything on the ILS and get leads that converted. Now, it’s much more competitive and your apartment listings don’t get much exposure on ILSs unless you pay to promote your listings on them. An opportunity that is often misunderstood is that those ILS dollars can be the same investment as a PPC campaign. We’ve found that building a digital leasing presence through property websites, SEO and social media brings in more leads. For us, a RentCafe website is an essential marketing and leasing tool. Because it’s integrated with our Yardi Voyager database, our website can show renters accurate availability, current rates, floor plans and all the...

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is, I don’t know which half.” Does this sound familiar? Even though these words were said by retail magnate John Wanamaker more than 100 years ago, they still ring true today to many in real estate. With the broad expansion of the digital marketplace and corresponding rapid shifts in consumer behavior, there are more places than ever to advertise your properties, all at varying costs and success rates. But how do you know which advertising sources are working? The answer is marketing data, something that’s widely available today given the online customer journey. “Marketing analytics give you the information you need to positively impact your company’s bottom line,” said Esther Bonardi, vice president of marketing at Yardi. “Most property marketers look at cost per lease, often attributing the lease to the source that drove the first customer contact, but there is so much more data now that you need to take into consideration.” Keep an eye on these five property marketing metrics and you’ll be better able to drive revenue, reduce wasted advertising spend and plan for the future. 5 Marketing Metrics Every Property Marketer Should Know 1. Total Exposure What: A percentage that tells you how many total units are available for rent, including month-to-month and expiring leases.Why: Before you decide where to market, you need to decide how much marketing to do. If your exposure is low, it might be a good month to cut back. If it’s high, it’s probably time to ramp up spend. 2. Occupancy Trends What: A review of what percentage of units are occupied, examined on a month-by-month basis over a period of time.Why: Reviewing last year’s occupancy trends can give you a good idea of...