Embracing Peach Fuzz

Color is a highly influential yet often overlooked element critical in marketing. Pantone’s color of the year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz, which brings a feeling of kindness, caring and collaboration. Peach Fuzz is poetic and romantic and reflects the past, yet it has been refashioned with a contemporary ambiance that brings beauty into the digital world. Color psychology explores how different colors affect human perception and decision-making in powerful ways that marketers can utilize. Let’s explore the various colors and the psychology behind them to help better target audience and influence marketing campaigns and branding. Blue and branding. The color blue promotes a sense of trust, calmness, security and reliability. Blue is always a safe choice for interviews and conveys professionalism. Blue is associated with the throat charka functioning with communication, creativity, expression and truth. Many companies rely heavily on different shades of blue in branding and websites to align with their images of dependability and professional authority. Yellow sparks happiness and energy. The bright and sunny color yellow commands attention by stimulating memory and encouraging communication. Associated with joy and optimism, yellow boosts positivity, sparks imagination and builds confidence. Yellow is associated with the solar plexus charka. It is located just above the navel on the body and functions for expression, accountability and personal power, aligning with the color yellow’s energy. Companies across industries enliven their brands with splashes of yellow to convey happiness, hope and positivity. Many fast-food brands like McDonald’s and Subway integrate yellow prominently in their advertising and restaurants to stimulate appetite and help create an upbeat, family-friendly dining experience. Add splashes of yellow for resident event campaigns to create that same positive and cheerful effect. Green and organic vibes. The natural color of green induces a strong association...

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...

Get Your Swag On Aug24

Get Your Swag On

Swag, a word coined in the 1940s by an advertising executive, is a way for a business to reinforce its brand among clients, prospects and employees. Swag encompasses a vast array of complimentary items ranging from pens, mugs and mouse pads to hats, water bottles, backpacks, specialized bags for carrying tech gear, exercise mats, calendars, magnets, coasters and much more.  “Companies give out swag because it helps them create positive associations with their brands, increase employee morale, provide incentives to generate more business and encourage repeat purchases,” says Nectar, a provider of software used for employee recognition, retention and engagement. “Branded merchandise makes clients and employees feel like part of a team,” adds Goody, a platform for personal and business gifts. Data collected by the promotional products industry reveals the power of swag. For example, 72% of consumers believe the quality of promotional items reflects a company’s reputation. Fifty-three percent of swag recipients use a promotional product at least once a week, 60%  will look up the brand online and 72% say the quality of a promotional item impacts their perception of the brand. Furthermore, 59% of employees who receive their company’s swag report a more favorable subsequent impression of their workplace. Tips for success Marketing platform P2P and online comparison platform top10.com offer tips for using promotional giveaways to your greatest advantage: * Make sure your items are durable, attractive, relevant to your business, employees and customers, and clearly branded. Carefully evaluate how the products and their branding will reflect your mission and identity. * Emphasize practical items like pens, mugs, USB drives, mobile phone covers. Not only are they regularly used, they may be shared beyond the original recipient and further expand your brand awareness. * Buy in bulk to gain economies...

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...

Attractive Properties for Gen Z May15

Attractive Properties for Gen Z

In a recent finding, millennials are now mostly homeowners, meaning most renters are now Generation Z. This generation is the most radical and ethnically diverse in the country. They are highly educated and highly tech-savvy. So stand out to this generation by keeping your properties attractive. We compiled a short list of tips to attract potential residents to your properties. But first, start with some amenities to make your property more attractive for Generation Z. High-Speed Internet: Gen Z spends more time on the internet than any other generation. What’s more, they are most accustomed to rapidly advancing technology and have high expectations regarding technology. Therefore, provide complimentary high-speed internet or include it in the rent price. Outdoor amenities: Adding outdoor amenities to your property will boost its value and provide that highly sought-after green space residents crave. Gen Z values community, and outdoor spaces are perfect for groups to gather and mingle. Consider setting up a courtyard or garden area with comfortable patio furniture and BBQ grills. Add some water fountains for some to come and have a Zen moment in the garden and not have to always use the indoor gym for yoga. Add a community dog park, too, so you don’t have to worry about the garden getting run down by pets. Coworking spaces: Since 2020, remote work has been the norm, and many Gen Z residents will work from home. As a result, coworking spaces are a highly desired amenity to this generation of residents. Since remote work is only expected to grow, a coworking space is a wise investment for the building. If able to add a business center to the property, this can be a great coworking space. Residents can reserve a meeting room for the day and have colleagues come in and work for the day. Adding a coffee bar with a few snacks would boost morale and synergy. Consider adding a cold brew keg of coffee which is now the coffee favorite of Gen Z. Also, be sure to have a few computers, printers, and copiers for residents to use. Make them available during business hours. Property technology: Over 50% of Gen Z says apartment technology is essential. Broken elevators, old kitchen appliances, and bad fluorescent lighting will not fly with this generation. Smart home amenities like smart locks and thermostats are tech-powered features Gen Z residents crave. To wow Gen Z residents and prospects, manage the building’s smart technology in one place. Integrate and invest in a unified mobile app solution. With electric cars becoming more popular, include a few parking spaces with electric vehicle charging stations. And for those residents with bicycles, consider having a smart lock station or area for bikes. Mailroom for today’s online economy: For Gen Z, online shopping is the norm. Everything they order, from groceries to clothing to furniture online, Gen Z seeks apartments that ensure secure and accessible deliveries. The best solution is to add a package management solution to the mail room. Delivery carriers can access this to drop off parcels, and residents can be notified with a code or QR code to scan and receive their packages. Install a video intercom system at the door so couriers can gain access to the room. Beyond investing in the right amenities for the building, appeal to Gen Z prospects by using social media to market properties, showcase online reviews, offer virtual and self-guided tours, and invest in design upgrades. When you invest in design upgrades, prospects will pay that higher rent. So upgrade units with spacious balconies, more enormous closets with shelves, better lighting, trendy fixtures, upgraded countertops and appliances, and replace carpet with hardwood flooring or wood-like laminate if budget allows it. If planning on building a new property, consider areas with businesses within walking distance of the location, such as a local farmers market or wine bar. Updating properties with technology...

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....

Towne Properties Aug08

Towne Properties

We’re excited to celebrate a recent win for Towne Properties, a Yardi and REACH by RentCafe client. In June, it was announced that two of Towne’s redesigned property websites received Hermes Creative Gold Awards in the Electronic Media / Social Media / Interactive Media category. Both websites were built on our RentCafe platform and supported by our REACH by RentCafe digital marketing agency. “Winning the Hermes Awards for our website redesigns honors the incredible work of our marketing team,” said Karen Zapkowski, marketing specialist at Towne Properties. “Having the right website technology from the start was critical. We’ve been able to build on that to create sites that reflect our brands and engage potential renters.” What is the Hermes Creative Awards? The Hermes Creative Awards is one of the oldest and largest creative competitions in the world. It’s sponsored by the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals. Each year, competition judges evaluate the creative industry’s bestpublications, branding collateral, websites and videos as well as advertising, marketing, and communication programs. Work is judged on creativity within whatever constraints apply to the brand and/or media. The competition is open to creatives of all sizes. Winners range in size from individuals to media conglomerates and fortune 500 companies. This year, there were more than 230,000 entries from over 125 countries. Which of Towne’s websites won Hermes awards? Both of Towne Properties’ award-winning websites won gold Hermes Awards for website redesign. The team at Towne started with RentCafe website themes, then added vibrant branding, copy and imagery to bring each property to life. Galbraith Point: No place like homegalbraithpointeapts.com The Galbraith Point website appeals to modern renters with vivid colors, interactive calls-to-action and integrated resident testimonials. A front desk widget in the lower right corner makes it easy to email, call or schedule a tour from every page. Hilltop Apartments: A fresh new lookhilltopapthomes.com This website for apartments in Cincinnati has large, gorgeous photos (there’s one for every amenity), hyperlocal copy, resident testimonials and engaging features, like a floor plan assistant and self-scheduled tours. Who can use RentCafe to build property websites? Property management companies of all sizes can use RentCafe to build corporate and property marketing websites. RentCafe websites are built for speed, performance and accessibility, making them popular with brands and customers. There are thousands of RentCafe websites online today. View the RentCafe websites brochure for Voyager clients.View the RentCafe websites brochure for Breeze clients. Need website help? Our REACH by RentCafe digital marketing agency can help you create the website of your dreams — and other neat stuff, too, like logos, floor plans, email templates and more. Check out some of the agency’s...

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...

5 Questions

Are you ready to drive results that matter? Property marketing spend can significantly impact NOI — in a positive way — but only if you know what questions to ask your marketing team. It used to be hard to see and understand property marketing results. Marketers had a hard enough time tracking which leads came from where, let alone which sources brought in leases. ILS and lead journey data was incomplete, and it could be hard to tell which budget items resulted in returns. If you were outside of marketing, perhaps working in operations or another adjacent department, understanding marketing spend could be even trickier. Fortunately, with better technology comes better data. Today, it’s easy to see exactly where a lead first became aware of your brand and at what point they converted. It’s also easy to see how much you’re spending per lead and lease. In fact, you can calculate how much you’re getting back for every $1 of advertising budget spent (keep reading to find out how). When you’re looking to guide your marketing team and help drive results that matter, here are five questions you should ask. 1. What is our current marketing mix, and is there data to support it? Marketers should know how the marketing budget is organized and why. Your corporate and regional marketing strategy should be based on historical conversion data and — if including a new technique or source — industry research and case study data. Marketing sources should include a balance of traditional ILS advertising and director-to-renter marketing. ILS marketing is critical for the awareness phase of the renter journey, but it doesn’t also get you the most qualified leads. Director-to-renter marketing, such as SEO and PPC advertising, sends renters directly to your websites where...

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...

Top Takeaways

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...