Think Outside the Box Nov29

Think Outside the Box...

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...

Retain Residents Aug01

Retain Residents

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...

AI Alt Text Generator Jun27

AI Alt Text Generator

Great news for RentCafe websites on the RentCaffeine platform! We’ve added an AI alt text generator that makes uploading new photos faster and easier. This tool creates alternative text — more commonly known as alt text — automatically for you. Alt text is copy that describes images using words, making your website more accessible to people who have a hard time viewing or understanding pictures. That’s right, as promised by countless articles, artificial intelligence is here to help you! (As a bonus, we promise that this version of AI has no aspiration to take over the world.) Keep reading to learn what it is, why it’s important and how to use it. Then check out some client feedback about our new AI tool for RentCafe websites. AI tool for alt text Our AI tool for alt text automatically writes image descriptions for you, so you don’t have to. It will create high-quality image descriptions of new photos you add to your media library. It will also generate descriptions for existing photos that are missing alt text, helping you quickly fill accessibility gaps. Why it’s important Alt text is alternative text that that describes the appearance or function of an image online. It’s important to people and search engines alike. Alt text is read aloud by screen readers used by visually impaired users. If an image fails to load on your site for any reason, the alt text will be displayed so people know what’s supposed to be there. Alt text is also crawled and indexed by search engines to better understand the content of your page. Unfortunately, it’s often overlooked or skipped in the process of uploading photos. Entering alt text can be time consuming when you’re working with more than a handful of images. Manually entering alt text also adds potential for typos and other human errors. Mislabeled images are just as bad as unlabeled images. Our AI alt text generator fixes this, making the process of adding alt text to your images easy and instant. “I’m proud that RentCafe continues to build accessible websites. We want to ensure our websites are inclusive, and the AI alt text generator will help our clients with that,” said Nomo Nagaoka, project manager for RentCafe. “Although alt text is simple to manually set up, it is often missed — either it gets forgotten or people run out of time. But now we’ve solved for this. Any time an image is uploaded, through our AI solution, we’re generating recommended alt text. It’s easy to review and edit as necessary. No images will be without alt text moving forward, and our clients will spend less time trying to manually write out descriptions of the images.” (It’s only fair to share that when Nomo first previewed this technology to our audience at OutREACH Live in Palm Springs, the attendees actually started applauding mid-presentation.) How to use it As stated earlier, you can add auto-generated alt text to images that you upload to your media library, as well as existing images that are missing alt text. The automated alt text generator was enabled for all clients in the March release, so log in and check it out if you haven’t made website updates lately.   You can review and accept AI-generated alt text from the media library, Site Editor or your SEO Dashboard. When alt text has been auto-generated, a message appears below the image alt textfield that says, “This is auto-generated alt text.” It’s a best practice to quickly assess the auto-generated text to make sure it works for the image being described. Review your alt text and either confirm or modify it before saving your changes. If you save changes, the modified alt text gets saved and the “This is auto-generated alt text” message will be removed. Does it help with SEO? Kind of. By default, having some alt text is better than having none at all. Search engines like...

Towne Properties

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...

Multifamily Marketing Meets AI Feb08

Multifamily Marketing Meets AI

The multifamily industry has many options when it comes to solutions that claim to deliver optimal results for both clients and renters. But which ones actually do? According to Multi-Housing News, the answer lies in automation and artificial intelligence. Chatbots powered by natural language and AI that extend beyond predetermined conversations, for example, offer communities the chance to create meaningful online engagements, all while increasing conversions and advancing innovation. But not all prospects want to engage with a chatbot — at least not at first. You need to be aware of how leads find your website, and understand that real engagement — the kind that converts — might be infrequent. So when it comes to using AI-based systems for multifamily marketing, aim for quality over quantity. Check out an excerpt: “The visitor has to hit the website first, and they have to elect to engage,” Paul Yount, industry principal at Yardi, explained to Multi-Housing News. “There’s a fairly large segment of the population that doesn’t want to engage with a chatbot; they know it’s a machine, and they think that it won’t be helpful.” Overall, the quality and reliability of leads matters infinitely more than the number of engagements, something facilitated by an acute use of automation. RentCafe Chat IQ is an AI-powered bot that features active, engaging responses, such as automated email responses and phone calls. “You really have to go beyond the chat for both business and operation efficiency and make sure that you’re getting consumers from all those different channels,” Paul Yount detailed. “The volume of chat is notably lower than email and web leads…much lower than phone calls, emails and potentially [text-based] leads. Consequently, such engagements significantly enhance lead quality and potential.” Two things change the game for good when it comes to converting prospects and keeping residents happy with a chatbot: natural language processing and omnichannel features. Let’s dive in on what makes each so important. Natural Language Processing A chatbot that can overcome casual language, spelling errors and grammar mistakes can simulate a more humanlike conversation. Natural language chatbots open opportunities of flexible conversation, enabling customers to ask questions pertaining to policies, schedule tours and ask much more in their own way, compared to chatbots that limit customers with predetermined questions. This enables your chatbot to deliver personalized customer service, meeting your customers where they’re at, every time, no matter when they reach you. Omnichannel Features More often than not, leads slip through the cracks because their initial inquiries were ignored. According to Yount, “Nobody says, ‘If only we had more leads!’ You don’t have a lead quantity problem; you have a lead quality and qualifying problem, one where the leasing team simply can’t handle all the inbound communication.” But keeping a tight grip on inbound communication is possible. How? With a smart bot that can field questions across multiple channels. A bot that can automate responses to emails, texts, chats and calls frees up your staff and increases the possibilities of gaining quality leads. Next Steps Interested in the future of multifamily chatbots? Read the rest of the article to find out more about how automation and AI-driven chatbots can help you convert prospects, take care of residents and save staff...

Optimize Your Profile Jan30

Optimize Your Profile

You’ve probably heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” Think of your Google Business Profile (GBP) as your business’ digital first impression; it’s critical to put your best foot forward to attract the most traffic to your apartment community. In fact, did you know that 50% of GBP interactions lead to a website visit? Your GBP is a description of your business that appears above or to the side of the organic results in Google search, and it includes key information about your business such as your name, number, hours of operation and more. The goal of your GBP is to display an overview of the business Google thinks a user is searching for, and it actually plays a key role in your SEO strategy. Let’s dig into why your GBP is so important and how to make yours the best it can be. Why is your Google Business Profile important? Google is the leading search engine in the U.S., commanding a 92% market share. With this in mind, it’s important to be visible where the bulk of users are searching. Your GBP helps you stand out from the crowd and boosts property visibility. An accurate and up-to-date profile allows you to appear above organic search results, showcasing your business and all it offers in a clear and affective way. Your GBP is a great opportunity to take up critical real estate on the SERPs. A complete GBP also greatly increases your odds of appearing in the Google Local Map Pack. This set of featured results lists businesses in the searcher’s local area. If you’re included, it will definitely drive traffic to your website. Building an optimized Google Business Profile for apartments Since 64% of users find business contact information on GBP, it’s more important than ever to have a fully completed and error-free profile. It is one of the best ways to market your business online, and best of all, setting up your GBP is free! To get started, claim your business if Google has already set one up. To do this, search for your business on Google and click “Claim this business” if a GBP populates on the Search Engine Results Page. If it doesn’t exist yet you also have the opportunity to create a new one. Next, you should select the business category that applies to your business. For example, you can select “Apartment complex.” After this, you should add your business information. This includes name, address, phone number and URL. To top it off, don’t forget to add in your hours of operation and a brief description of your business. Finally, make sure to verify your business location by phone, text, email or via postcard sent to your physical address. GBP best practices Setting up your GBP is a good start, but you can’t just set it and forget it. Here are some best practices to follow to make sure you’re making the most of what a Google Business Profile for apartments can offer: Consistently check and update It’s important to check your GBP as often as possible. When talking about GBPs, Gretchen Walker, manager at REACH by RentCafe,comments, “It’s important to keep it up to date. Google allows users to come in and suggest changes to those profiles, and … just because it’s correct today doesn’t mean it’s going to be correct tomorrow.” If your name, address, phone number and URL are not consistent with other listings that feature your website, it can hurt your optimization. Respond to your reviews Managing your online reputation is an important part of your digital marketing strategy. Responding to reviews on your GBP is a great way to engage with clients while boosting your SEO. For more information on how to best respond to reviews, check out this article. Boost engagement by adding photos and videos Business profiles that add...

Generational Trends Oct20

Generational Trends

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...

Multifamily SEO Sep19

Multifamily SEO

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....

2022 Design Trends Jul26

2022 Design Trends

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...

Gen Z Jul20

Gen Z

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...

Apartment Reviews Jul08

Apartment Reviews

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...

11 Big Ideas

More than 800 people joined the Apartment Innovation and Marketing Conference in Huntington Beach last week for four days of learning, networking and fun. The REACH by RentCafe digital marketing agency was in attendance as marketing leaders and multifamily experts from across the country took the stage to share both strategies and results. Here are some quotable moments from this incredible event to help you get inspired for your next campaign. Connect with the speakers by clicking on their names. Making marketing matter “What does it mean to be in marketing? Your job is to make a brand cool and don’t get it sued.” Nick Tran, former global head of marketing at TikTok “Be authentic. Trends aren’t one-size-fits-all. Do what works for your brand and each community.” Sarah Wieman, PRG Real Estate “In marketing, we don’t want to be order-takers. We want to be decision-makers. Stop treating yourself as support. Bring data to the table so you can come in with value.” Kelley Shannon, Bozzuto “For marketing to work in a silo, you might as well just go stand against the wall and bang your head. Getting more traffic isn’t the highest and best use of your marketing dollars. Educate your team about the value marketing brings to the table and how it impacts ROI.” Gigi Giannoni, Gables Residential “SEO should be a foundational element for you. Why would you put money in places with diminishing returns when you could make a winning long-term play?” Melissa Cartagena, Greystar Give renters what they want “We’re focused on our brand and the lifestyle, but we know from looking at our analytics, lifestyle images aren’t necessarily what sells. Lifestyle helps bring your story to life, but we need core property content and images to sell units.” Tim Hermeling, Cortland “Only 2% of residents say property management overcommunicates. And 45% of residents think their rent will stay the same or go down. Are you setting realistic expectations?” J. Turner Batdorf, J. Turner Research “A full 90% of renters are either interested in or won’t rent without soundproof walls. This feature ranks only slightly below air conditioning and in-unit laundry, and yet is advertised by very few properties.” Sarah Yaussi Pienik, NMHC Social media content is queen “We have not traditionally trusted our leasing teams with social media. But in reality, they’re the closest to your customers. Give them the power to create content. They can become the ultimate creators for you.” Kristi Fickert, Realync “You can reach so many more potential renters on Pinterest. Did you know 72% of users use Pinterest to decide what to buy offline?” Brooke Atsalis, The Management Group “I didn’t have any expectations when we tried TikTok, I just didn’t want to offend anyone. We’re in lease-up; we need velocity. We’ve gotten 74 leads. A very interested lead slid into our DMs. I’ve been pleasantly surprised.” Kira Brown, Wood Partners #REACHpeace The REACH team was also able to donate an additional $1,250 to Direct Relief International to provide aid in Ukraine because of engagement at the event. Thank you to all who participated. We look forward to seeing everyone next year at AIM...

Sarah Wieman

Property marketing has always been an art, but these days, there’s more science involved than ever before. Sure, you need art to tell the story of your community and inspire prospective renters to take the next step. But you need science to prove that your campaigns are working or, if they’re not working, help redirect your strategy. That’s where marketing data and analytics come in. Sarah Wieman, senior manager of branding and marketing at PRG Real Estate, is no stranger to this concept. Taking advantage of the increasing accessibility to marketing data, she compiled her own case study to see which strategies and sources bring in the most renters. What she found has had a significant impact on PRG’s marketing mix — and will continue to do so as new data becomes available. Here, Sarah shares her discoveries in her own words. Why is marketing data so important to you? Sarah: I was told in grad school that the hardest thing about being a marketer is proving your worth. People like to joke that marketing just asks for and spends budget, but it’s important to me to show that my team’s strategies are working. That we’re actually bringing money in. Can you share an example of a time you used data to prove results? Sarah: In response to the pandemic, PRG Real Estate took the initiative to reevaluate how we market our properties and where we spend our ad dollars. We branded our properties and refocused our budget. After we did that, I decided to do a case study for our executives and also for our regional directors and managers to prove that the adaptations to our strategy are working and paying off in terms of ROI. It was an exercise to secure their trust. What did the case study find? Sarah: I looked at applications-by-source and cost-per-lease for five of our top sources: Google Ads, website SEO and three different ILSs. Looking at applications-by-source in 2020, we received the most from Google Ads. A total of 2,080 applications in fact. And we also onboarded with our new SEO provider which happens to be REACH by RentCafe. Our sites began to pick up more traffic as we optimized them more effectively, and they became our second top source, bringing in a total of 1,952 applications last year. With the ILSs, there was one that stood out with a higher number, 677 applications, but they represented the smaller chunk overall. The, when I reviewed the data for the first half of 2021, I found that model was still holding true. PRG Real Estate applications-by-source in 2020 Google Ads: 2,080SEO: 1,952ILS 1: 677ILS 2: 511ILS 3: 286 What did your cost-per-lease data reveal? Sarah: I made the decision to look at leases instead of leads because that’s where the actual money comes in. In 2020, average cost-per-lease across our portfolio was $265.91. Again, looking at our top five sources, we found that Google Ads had the lowest cost-per-lease, followed by website SEO and then the ILSs. We realize that the PPC rates we’ve experienced are amazing. I’m happy to report that our 2021 data showed much the same thing. Google Ads cost-per-lease has gone up slightly and SEO cost-per-lease has decreased as site optimization continues to improve our reach, but PPC is still our top source for leads that convert. PRG Real Estate cost-per-lease by source in 2020 Google Ads: $32.77SEO: $65.96ILS 1: $524.29ILS 2: $1,362.37ILS 3: $349 What was the big takeaway for you? Sarah: When I started this case study — and I’m going to continue to do them — I wanted to create a holistic view that unites all my vendor and partner data. For us, the biggest takeaway was that, at our portfolio, PPC yields the most approved applications, and it has the lowest price tag. One of my properties has a $15 PPC cost-per-lease. SEO is...

A Beautiful Mind

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...

In-House or Agency? Mar07

In-House or Agency?

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...

Loyalty + Retention Dec13

Loyalty + Retention

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...

DIY SEO Nov03

DIY SEO

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...

Meet REACH by RentCafe Aug31

Meet REACH by RentCafe

Yardi announced today the launch of REACH by RentCafe®, a comprehensive digital marketing agency for multifamily property management. The agency helps clients reach more renters, improve marketing success and reduce unproductive spend through expert creative, search marketing and strategy analysis. REACH offers corporate and property website development as well as custom design assets ranging from logos to email templates. Search marketing services include SEO, PPC, social media management and reputation management. Marketing analytics provide instant campaign and website performance data. “At REACH, marketing performance is our passion. From creating winning websites to delivering an unmissable search strategy, our digital marketing agency helps brands achieve their marketing potential,” said Esther Bonardi, vice president of marketing and REACH at Yardi. Several of these offerings were previously available to clients using RentCafe Reach for search marketing. In response to the success of that program and ongoing demand, Yardi made the decision to rebrand and expand to provide a full-service marketing agency experience for its customers. “We’re excited to offer white-glove service to property management businesses that want to stand out in today’s competitive online marketplace,” said Catriona Orosco, director of REACH. “Enjoy premium, personalized attention from our team of creative designers, search marketing professionals and digital marketing consultants. As your marketing agency, we partner with you in ongoing conversations about your strategy — including campaign analysis and performance auditing — to drive the strongest results for your portfolio.” The agency is both a Google Premier Partner and Yext Certified Partner. REACH digital marketing services are available independently or packaged for a comprehensive approach. Ready to bring your marketing vision to life? Visit reachbyrentcafe.com to get started. About REACH by RentCafe Reach your audience, goals and potential with a full-service digital marketing agency for property management businesses. REACH by RentCafe® certified experts are ready to help you create a winning web presence that drives conversions with complete transparency. Our services include website development, SEO, PPC, social media, reputation management and more. See what’s...

Gen Z Aug16

Gen Z

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...

Gen Z Jul21

Gen Z

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...

Leading the Market Jul15

Leading the Market

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...

Marketing Metrics Jul06

Marketing Metrics

“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...

Online Marketing that Works May18

Online Marketing that Works

Do you want to excel in marketing and optimize your multifamily property performance? Of course, you do. With a little (free) help from the experts, reaching both goals is simpler than you may think. Multi-Housing News Marketing Resources Multi-Housing News (MHN) is a digital magazine that provides leaders in the multifamily housing industry with the most current news, information and analysis. Its content helps decision makers run their businesses more efficiently and profitably. The ongoing ascent of online marketing highlights a need for insightful, practical and timely marketing content. This spring, we proudly introduce Multifamily Marketing Resources, a user-friendly repository of content to help get the right eyes on your property. Explore articles, videos, reports and more to help you get the most out of your marketing spend. What online marketing tips and tricks can you learn on MHN? MHN publishes daily, which means that you get the freshest insights to help you stay ahead of the marketing game. Get an array of timely tips and hacks to make marketing easier. Below is just a sneak peek at what you can find. Is your website working for you? Your website is no longer just a first impression. It may be your only chance to stand out from the competition. Prospects use websites and their online tours to narrow down potential properties. “There has been a fundamental shift from the website as a marketing channel to the website as part of the tour,” said Esther Bonardi, vice president of corporate & multifamily marketing at RentCafe and Yardi. “Today, leasing activity starts earlier and it starts on the website. I don’t think this is a passing fad just related to the pandemic,” Bonardi added. “I think these behaviors will stick, especially as we see new Gen Z renters coming into the renter marketplace. Their shopping behaviors were shaped right now at this moment in time. But even for the rest of us, I think the pandemic has gone on long enough that it has reshaped customer behavior.” Read Attracting and Converting Potential Renters with Your Website to learn how you can transform your website into a more powerful marketing tool. Create email subject lines that won’t be ignored Every email that you send is battling against dozens of competitors in your prospects’ inbox. The time and creativity that you put into your email won’t fulfill their potential if the email goes unread and deleted. To improve your open and click through rates, there are five main things to consider. These three are a great place to start: Prompt people’s curiosity: Make them want to click to see what’s inside the email. Is it an offer? A new resident service or amenity?Make sure the email is formatted well: Create subject lines that are 60 characters or fewer with the important words near the front of the subject line.Avoid clickbait-y phrases: Be compelling and transparent. Don’t say they’ve won something if they haven’t or create a false sense of urgency. Read Email Subject Lines That Work in Apartment Marketing for additional ways to get your emails opened, read and engaging readers. More marketing goodness to explore on MHN The field of online marketing constant evolves. Best practices, new techniques and trends can be a lot for small teams to manage. Fortunately, the team at MHN makes it easy for you to stay abreast of the latest in multifamily marketing. Get marketing goodness sent directly to your inbox. Simply subscribe to the monthly digital...

Google Ad Updates May11

Google Ad Updates

Surprise! Google is changing its match types again. This is the fifth time that Google has changed match types. And as we all know, algorithms are constantly evolving as well. We’re here to help you out with a quick overview of what’s changed, how it might help, and who benefits most. So long and goodbye beloved match type! The Google Ads that we all know and love have four match types. From least to most restrictive they are broad, modified broad, phrase and exact. In 2010, Google introduced modified broad. It accounted for misspellings, different tenses, and keywords presented in different order. It bridged the gap between the array of relevant queries that searchers submitted and who marketers intended to reach. In 2014, broad match improved so that the structure of the keyword mattered less. Searchers would submit queries with or without necessary hyphens and spaces. “3 bedroom garden style apartments in Philly” and “3 bedroom garden-style apartments in Philadelphia” would behave the same. Marketers were in love. Broad match became one of the most popular and successful match types alongside phrase. It offered flexibility, versatility and ease of use. Now we’re saying goodbye. What’s changed as of Feb 2021? Modified broad match type is being eliminated in July 2021. You won’t be able to add any keywords to this match type. Phrase match is incorporating behaviors of modified broad. In doing so, Google aims to simplify keyword usages and make it easier to find more relevant customers. Moving forward, both match types will have the same matching behaviors to the same traffic. This change isn’t entirely surprising. A lot of specialists have noticed that the lines between the two match types have been blurring for about a year now. What we wonder, though, is how Google will take into account when keyword order is necessary. Someone searching for “units converted from factory to lofts in Minneapolis” will not be equally as interested in “units converted from lofts to a factory.” That would make for confusing and uncomfortable living conditions. Google reports that this will be taken into account, but not much detail is given. Why is Google changing its match types and what are the advantages? Per Google, The Rule of Close Variance and other factors make it so that there is no need to have two distinct types. The algorithm has gotten smarter and “learned” to decipher what advertisers and searchers intend when using modified broad and phrase match types. You may feel that’s a lot of trust to put into artificial intelligence. It is. But less hands-on engagement with match types can free up marketers to other creative tasks that are not so easily automated. There is also greater potential for traffic. More traffic could be good. The PPC community has mixed feelings about these changes. That’s okay. Is the PPC advertising community pleased to see the merging of the match types? Feedback varies. In an interview on the topic, PPC expert Mark Irvine states that each change to keyword match types brings “a lot of unpredictability to advertisers” and “may not lead to more [desirable] traffic.” Advertisers will have to re-work their strategies without the guarantee that they’re gaining efficacy in marketing. The boost in volume without greater specificity means that there is a small risk of getting more irrelevant traffic. This could also mean increased spend without increased conversions. Irvine notes that only accounts that get more traffic from phrase match keywords should expect an increase in their ad impressions, clicks, costs and conversions. Conversely, ads from modified broad match keywords and other match types will see a decrease in engagement or no change. Marketing expert Brett McHale adds that the recent change “blurs the lines between match types” and strongarms advertising into relying on Google’s recommendations. “The change to phrase match and phasing out of modified broad match appears to me to be...

Gen Z Renters May05

Gen Z Renters

The oldest members of Gen Z are turning 24 this year. They were just seven years old when Facebook launched and 13 when Instagram came along. They have never known a time without the internet. And they’re poised to be the largest generation of renters ever. Just when we’ve adapted to Millennial renters, this new generation enters the market with its own set of renter preferences. But how different are they, really? A rentcafe.com survey of 2,500 renters revealed what Gen Z renters are looking for in their next apartment. First, see the results from that survey in an infographic that you can share. Then, get some tips for attracting and retaining Gen Z residents. Finally, watch a video interview with a Gen Z renter who shares her take on today’s online experience. Infographic: Gen Z renter preferences Gen Z is a generation of digital natives who value technology above most traditional amenities. They search for apartments on Google, check out reviews first and consider high-speed internet to be more important than onsite parking! While Gen Z renters may just be entering the market, their preferences indicate future multifamily trends. For example, this generation is 2x more interested than previous generations in smart home features like locks and thermostats. So for now, smart home features are nice to have. But in the future, will they be considered a must-have to demand the best rent rates? 3 tips for marketing apartments to Gen Z renters The results of this survey were also discussed during the keynote address of the Apartment Innovation and Marketing (AIM) Conference’s virtual Reconnect event. In the presentation, Drew Davis, award-winning marketer and author, and Esther Bonardi, vice president of marketing at Yardi, shared strategies to attract and retain the newest generation...