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...

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....

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...

The largest Multifamily Social Media Summit ever brought more brilliant suggestions to multifamily marketers on Thursday at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif. REACH by RentCafe is the social media, photo booth and platinum exhibit sponsor of the 10th anniversary event, which concludes today. Andrew Davis, acclaimed marketer, best-selling author and filmmaker, opened Day Two of the event with a humorous and engaging talk about how constraints – as small as technology challenges and as large as a worldwide pandemic  – ­­can breed creativity for any business. “I started to realize that this was really an unexpected experiment that we had been gifted,” Davis said of the unforgettable global events of the last two years. “It allowed us to ask: What happens when every business in the world is faced with the exact same disruptive forces?” The solution to extreme disruption, as presented by Davis, is to forget the adage “think outside the box” and instead go INSIDE a box that he calls “The Cube of Creativity.” Read on to learn how the Cube works and glean more takeaways from this trend-defining marketing event. The four sides of the Cube of Creativity Davis presented two dynamic case studies from non-housing businesses that faced extreme challenges during the pandemic. One was a flower delivery service that had to relocate its distribution channel to Ecuador because of California’s non-essential worker shutdown. Another was a sustainable farm that previously relied on in-person events for its livelihood. 1. Eliminate the unnecessary: Taking on dynamic new initiatives means that some existing work will have to drop off. “Ask yourself, what are we going to drop doing in order to pursue this brand new initiative,” Davis said. “Every time we take on something new, we have to kill...

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...

What makes a rental property website stand out from the crowd? Anyone trying to attract and convert renters online knows it’s a competitive market — one that’s only gotten hotter as property management businesses became increasingly tech savvy during the pandemic. If you’re looking for a few property marketing website tips and tricks, Neha Marathe is the right person to talk to. In her role as Creative Lead at REACH by RentCafe, our digital marketing agency, she’s helped multifamily businesses across the country transform their web presence by creating high-performance rental property sites that are visually appealing. One secret to success is continually evolving your website to meet the shifting expectations of your customers. Right now, it’s particularly important to pay attention to Gen Z, a group that’s poised to be the largest generation of renters ever. At the same time, you don’t want to alienate other prospects. Good rental property websites rely on updated designs with universal appeal. In this interview, Neha shares how to strike the right balance between trends and accessibility. How is designing websites for Gen Z different than designing for other generations? Neha: Designing websites for the next generation of customers is exciting. These renters have never known life without the internet, so they expect a great user experience. There are five things I keep in mind when marketing to Gen Z: personalization, speed, mobility, authenticity and partnership. Make it personal. While I am a millennial who still hesitates to share my location or give out any other information about myself, Gen Z’s are open to that. It does not mean that they are ready to compromise on their security, but they are more interested in a customized and personal experience.Make it fast. Younger renters are continually active online...

Do you know if your proptech will maintain its appeal to future generations of prospects? If not, no worries. We’ve done the research for you. We’re exploring proptech with staying power, tools for today that will continue to deliver results well into the Gen Z lifecycle. Cut costs with lasting proptech Proptech is a major investment in money and hours. The technology you choose should evolve with users’ changing needs to ensure that you get the best impact per dollar. Not all new solutions will stand the tests of time. Are you confident that your proptech lineup is ready for Gen Z? Read on for the essential solutions that your organization needs. REACH brings you the freshest data on Gen Z Gen Z is comprised of about 67 million people, the oldest of whom turn 25 this year. We learned more about the largest renter demographic ever through the REACH by RentCafe Gen Z Renter Study. This survey of more than 10,000 next gen renters gives insights into their habits and interests. The results confirmed what we’ve observed: Gen Z is an intelligent, tech-savvy generation that values efficiency and creativity. They value proptech that feeds their need for contactless transactions as well as quick and easy access to information and services. Tech for targeted and engaged marketing One average, Gen Z search terms are 4.9 words long, longer than all previous generations. They know that using detailed queries will bring them closer to what they really want rather than wading through pages of irrelevant results. Appeal to their specific searches with longtail keywords and campaigns crafted by search engine marketing professionals. Expert search engine optimization (SEO) strategies will help your content rank well and be discovered by prospects. When supplemented with pay-per-click (PPC) advertising,...

Is your property ready for Gen Z renters? Gen Z has different housing expectations than any generation before them. A new study reveals their unique interests and goals. Renting to Gen Z requires appealing to their mindset. This may lead to a significant shift in how we view floor plans, services and amenities. Gen Z is already old enough to rent?! It’s true. The generation that feels like it was born 10 years ago is now entering adulthood. Members of Generation Z were born between 1996-2012 which means the earliest members are among your current prospects. This generation of 67 million people is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse to reside in the U.S. That suggests that there is a broad pool of features and amenities to keep in mind when renting to Gen Z — but there are a few unifying threads among the masses.    Gen Z: a generation of leaders In the “Meet Gen Z” infographic created by REACH by RentCafe, it cited data from Dan Schawbel which revealed that 81% of Gen Z aspire to be leaders. Specifically, 41% plan to be entrepreneurs. These data points suggest that many of your future residents will have big pursuits and their home must reflect their goals. To use this information to your advantage, think of services and amenities that cater to the entrepreneurial mindset. How might you enhance your business center? Might you transform a common space into an on-premises coworking center?Could you enter a mutually beneficial contract with a nearby coworking space?Might you build community through a local group for leaders and entrepreneurs?What events could show that you understand who they are? What local leaders or entrepreneurs might you invite to speak at events for your residents?How will your...

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...

Say goodbye to Millennial Pink and hello to Gen Z Yellow! When it comes to Gen Z design preferences, this generation of renters has a style all their own. Check out the infographic and keep reading to learn how you can meet the visual expectations of your newest customers. Survey says REACH by RentCafe recently conducted a large-scale survey of Gen Z renters to gauge their sentiments about search, reviews, social media and design. The Gen Z design portion of the survey had 10,624 participants that answered four questions. Do you prefer bright and vibrant colors or soft and calm colors?73% prefer soft and calm colors27% prefer bright and vibrant colors Are you more attracted to lifestyle photos (of people and pets) or property photos (of buildings and outdoor spaces)?68% prefer property photos32% prefer lifestyle photos In design, do you prefer patterns and textures or clean, classic lines?70% prefer clean, classic lines30% prefer patterns and textures Which do you prefer: a website that loads quickly or a website with a lot of motion and animation?88% prefer a website that loads quickly12% prefer a website with a lot of motion and animation Other data Echoing the desire for calm colors and clean lines cited in the REACH survey, a Spotify trend survey conducted in 2019 found that 51% of Gen Z and millennial respondents think there is too much visual stimulation in the world today. Additionally, 64% believe online aesthetics have altered what their generation expects to see in the real world. What does this mean for property management brands? Your communities had better deliver on the experience promised by your website and other digital marketing channels. After all, the REACH survey found that Gen Z overwhelming preferred property photos to lifestyle photos, showing that...

After getting to know Gen Z, REACH by RentCafe investigated how these young renters search online and how they use ratings and reviews while doing so. Today, we’re sharing data related to one of the most notable and important aspects of this generation’s lifestyle: social media. All about social media, all the time Welcome to the world of social media, where Gen Zers are no strangers to the posts, snaps, influencers, advertisements, stories and hashtags that dominate these platforms. And how could these young renters not be well versed in the art of social media? They have grown up in the age of smartphones, tablets and computers. In fact, 95% of Gen Zers use a social media app or website at least once a week, while 33% claim they spend most of their time outside of work or school on social media. It’s important to grasp the prominent role social media plays in the lives of Gen Z so you can attract these young renters. After asking over 10,000 members of Gen Z to name their top 3 social media channels, REACH by RentCafe found that those most often chosen included Instagram (46%), Facebook (43%), YouTube (39%), TikTok (33%) and Snapchat (30%).Interestingly, this data informs marketers about what exactly Gen Zers are doing while on social media. Most of these platforms center around videos, meaning that Gen Z is spending a great deal of time seeking entertainment. In a survey, Gen Zers identified the three things they felt most connected with while using social media: entertainment, their friends and the world. Reaching Gen Z on social media So how can you attract Gen Zers using social media? We have a few tips to help you out: Use storiesDid you know that Instagram alone has...