Moving is already a stressful and emotional time–throw in inflation, a hot housing market, and a looming recession, and it can be downright overwhelming for both renters and leasing agents. But this is the reality many have faced over the last year, and apartment marketers and property managers have been tasked with engaging and enticing renters while keeping up with evolving renter behavior (and rising rental rates across the US).
To better understand how renters are making decisions about where to live, we conducted a survey of over 2,300 adults ages 25-64 who searched for an online rental property in the past 12 months—not including affordable or student housing.
Based on this data, we’re sharing the top apartment marketing ideas and strategies you can use to get more renters and sign more leases.
14 data-backed apartment marketing ideas
Use these ideas based on data from our study to inform your apartment marketing strategy.
1. Invest in local SEO to show up on search engines
You want your apartment community or rental to show up on top search engines like Google when people are searching for rentals in your area. To do that, you need a local SEO strategy.
Our study found that 84% of respondents used a search engine during apartment research, and nearly 80% of respondents visited three or more online sites before deciding which communities to visit in person.
This means that the more opportunities you have to rank in search results for queries related to your community, the more chances you have of getting prospective renters to learn about you and visit you in person.
Make sure your web design and SEO are working together, that your web content is optimized for the right keywords, and that you’re creating relevant and timely content to rank higher on Google.
Related: Find the best keywords to include using our guide to local keyword research.
2. List your apartment community or rental on real estate websites
Real estate listing sites were a popular resource for prospective renters when looking for a new place to live. One of the benefits of these sites, too, is that they often rank in search results—giving you another place to capture leads for your apartment marketing.
Our study found that Zillow and Apartments.com were two of the most popular resources renters check or visit from Google when looking for a place to live.
Make sure your apartment community or rental is listed on these top sites so you can get in front of prospective renters as they research their next place to live.
3. Make sure your property is (accurately!) listed on top business listing sites
Local business listings give you another opportunity to rank on search engines for searches related to your area and can help prospective renters find you.
For example, if someone searches “apartments in Fort Worth” on Google, they’ll see Google Business Profile listing results for these apartment communities:
Setting up or claiming a Google Business Profile and a Bing Business listing is easy and will ensure your apartment community is showing up when and where it counts.
Business listings also come into play when it’s time for a person to visit your apartment community for a tour—you want to make sure all your information is accurate and updated so you aren’t losing potential renters due to incorrect information (like the wrong address, hours of operation, or phone number) on your listings.
4. Use social media as part of your apartment marketing
Social media continues to grow as a key source renters turn to for reviews, listings, and the ability to interact with a community prior to moving. In fact, over half of those we surveyed said they follow and/or research apartment communities on social media.
Use your social media presence to keep your current residents engaged while giving prospective residents an idea of what to expect as part of your apartment marketing.
You can share upcoming events, highlight (positive) resident feedback, and even run Facebook contests or Instagram giveaways to expand your reach and get in front of a new audience.
Check out our best social media marketing ideas for real estate to get some ideas for what to post to attract new prospects and keep current residents coming back to your sites.
Related: Learn more about how local social media marketing can give your community a boost in our Marketing Lab course.
5. Run social media ads
Once you have a solid organic social media presence in place, you can (and should!) add on some social media ads. Nearly 70% of renters feel social media advertising is effective in creating interest in a community.
And our data shows that apartments and rentals see a low average cost per lead from Facebook advertising at just over $46.
Running social media ads can help you reach an active and engaged audience and drive them to learn more about your rental properties.
Get our Facebook Ads tips for the real estate industry here.
6. Manage your apartment community’s online reputation
Reviews are extremely important for successful apartment marketing. Our study found that 58% of respondents would pay higher rent for a community with better online reviews from previous renters.
Plus, renters trust reviews. Reviews, either from review sites or social media, are two of the three most trusted sources for apartment information.
If you aren’t investing in reputation management as a top apartment marketing idea, now is the time. Make sure you’re responding to reviews, getting new reviews, and using the information from your reviews to make improvements to your processes and your community.
7. Focus on what matters most to renters
One of the most important apartment marketing ideas we can offer is to focus your messaging and campaigns around what matters most to renters. While access to a pool or fitness center is a great value add to renters, two-thirds of respondents consider community amenities less important than both affordability and location.
The rate of inflation and increase in rent across the country means more people are seeking affordable options for their next lease. In addition to affordability being the top priority for the renters we surveyed, renters are seeking stability. Nearly 70% of renters said they would consider a longer-term lease at a fixed price. If your property offers longer-term leases, this is a great opportunity to highlight it in your apartment marketing.
When it comes to your location, our study found that, compared to last year, more people are willing to live 10+ miles from work, and 78% are willing to move out of their city or state for cheaper options. This presents an opportunity for your apartment community to highlight the benefits of your location, including being near dining and shopping options, close to family and friends, or near public transportation.
For your apartment amenities, our study found that an in-unit washer and dryer was the top amenity renters searched for, followed by pet friendliness, a balcony or patio, and included utilities.
By focusing on what matters to renters over what’s simply a nice-to-have, you can attract more people to your apartment community and show them what makes you stand out.
8. Market available units well in advance
Most apartments have a 90-day move-out period, meaning you can’t guarantee availability until closer to the beginning of a lease. This can be an issue for renters who begin their apartment search early.
Our study found that nearly 60% of respondents began their search at least six months before the lease was to begin. This means that it would benefit your apartment marketing strategy to have some data on the types of units available—including features, location, and more—in advance to help renters plan as they narrow down their options for in-person visits.
If this data isn’t possible to get, it’s important to gather updated pictures of your different floorplans and potential upcoming units so you can present an accurate picture to those beginning their search early.
You may also consider including a “notify me!” button on your website for specific floorplans so prospective renters can be alerted when the floorplan they’re interested in comes available—it might even sway them to move in early!
9. Run resident referral programs
According to our study, referrals from a friend or family member are the most trusted source of information for renters. In fact, nearly 90% of renters trust recommendations from family or friends!
Many apartment marketing strategies include resident referral programs, but if this isn’t something you’re offering, now’s the time to start.
Determine what would entice your residents to refer friends or family to your location. Many apartments offer a rent concession, a special gadget like a Google Home, or a gift card.
Ask some of your current residents what would encourage them to refer your community before launching your program, and follow our steps for asking for referrals here.
Once you have your resident referral in place, make sure to promote it on social media and through email marketing so you can increase your chances of seeing those referrals roll in!
Related: Download our free guide for email templates and examples to ask for referrals–and more!
10. Create an experience for your apartment tours
While the online experience you offer prospective renters is important, 74% still note that an in-person visit is their preferred research method. If you can wow them during their apartment tour, you have a better chance of getting them to sign a lease with you.
Who wouldn’t want to take a tour in this cool golf cart?
Creating a streamlined process for apartment tours, including scheduling times and gathering information about the types of units your prospective renters want to see, can help you keep potential renters happy during their visit.
You can also look for ways to make your property stand out more, like by offering beer and wine as part of your tour, holding a monthly raffle for tour visitors, and updating your community clubhouse area to give a great first impression to your prospective renters.
11. Invest in apartment tour videos or virtual tour software
While the majority of renters have returned to in-person visits, many still prefer the ease of virtual tours. That’s why updated professional videos and photos of apartments and communities remain essential to improve occupancy rates. In fact, there was a marked increase in the percentage of people who preferred to watch a virtual tour or watch a YouTube video of the apartment from 2020 to 2021.
By investing in high-quality, updated tour videos (or virtual tour capabilities!) of your community, amenities, and different floorplans, you can encourage more people to visit you in person because they’ll feel confident you have what they’re looking for.
You can also incorporate video marketing into your strategy by regularly sharing videos from your community or residents, Q&A-style interviews with your leasing agents about amenities, and more to really give prospective renters an idea of what to expect when they live at your property.
12. Run PPC ads as part of your apartment marketing
Search advertising was the most effective apartment marketing tactic–after apartment or home listings, according to our study. And PPC advertising is still extremely effective for apartment marketing.
Our data also shows that PPC advertising is cost-effective for apartments and rentals with an average cost per lead of just over $35 with a high average click-through rate of 7.45%.
By running real estate PPC campaigns for your rentals and apartment community, you can get in front of active searchers, increase awareness of your property, and see a fairly low cost per lead that translates to signed leases.
Related: Find brand awareness strategies to get in front of more prospective renters.
13. Offer moving (or renewal) incentives
In a competitive market, it’s important to do whatever you can to stand out with your apartment marketing. Offering moving or renewal incentives can help you with this. In fact, 79% of respondents said reduced monthly rent or incentives such as the first month free or free parking drastically improved their chances of signing a lease.
Consider offering a rent concession, putting together an attractive package for new renters, or bundling some extra amenities renters might enjoy to increase the chances they’ll choose your property.
While many apartments offer one-month free rent or other concessions, we’ve seen other communities allow new renters to choose from one of three packages to outfit their new home with smart locks, a smart thermostat, or a puppy cam. Think about what would entice new or existing renters and help you stand out.
14. Don’t slow down your apartment marketing
This year, more people are planning to remain in their existing apartment community but are willing to be swayed by the right price and amenities, so now is not the time to slow down your apartment marketing! Use these apartment marketing ideas to complement your existing strategy and make sure to measure your marketing to determine what’s working best to drive results for your community.
Apartment marketing in 2022-2023
Apartment marketing will continue to evolve as renter behavior evolves. By staying on top of the latest available data and using these data-backed apartment marketing tips, you can bring renters in and get leases signed.
Here are the top apartment marketing ideas:
- Invest in local SEO to show up on search engines
- List your apartment community or rental on real estate websites
- Get on local listings
- Use social media marketing
- Run social media ads
- Manage your apartment community’s online reputation
- Focus on what matters most to renters
- Market available units well in advance
- Run resident referral programs
- Create an experience for your apartment tours
- Invest in apartment tour videos or virtual tour software
- Run PPC ads
- Offer moving (or renewal) incentives
- Don’t slow down your apartment marketing
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