Every landlord’s priority is to ensure their rental business succeeds by either filling up empty rentals or maintaining the property to keep existing renters.
In this article, we’ll focus on the former and highlight how digital marketing strategies can help them find the perfect tenant.
After all, in 2024, it’s no surprise that most renters find their next apartment with the help of the internet. In other words, if you want your real estate business to thrive, you have to adopt the many SEO essentials and meet your customers where they are.
So join us as we explore how renters find vacant apartments and the best digital marketing strategies for rental properties.
How do Renters Find Vacant Apartments?
Online Rental Listings
According to renter search behavior, 72% of renters use the internet as their first point of contact when looking for a new home. That’s nearly three-quarters of the market, indicating that an online presence is more important than ever.
Results from Google search queries and on specific rental sites give potential tenants the opportunity to search from their devices before going to physical viewings.
That’s why Bay Property Management Group Richmond suggests preparing your rental before taking professional photos to give your listing the best chance to stand out from the crowd.
Real Estate Agents
Sometimes, tenants resort to real estate agents to help them find a place to call home. However, many agents now showcase their services online to attract more customers looking for someone to help them streamline the process.
Ads
Property owners can also reach prospective renters through traditional advertisements such as newspapers and billboards.
But yet again, digital ads are becoming increasingly popular because they’re often cheaper in comparison and can directly reach your target audience.
Digital Marketing Strategies for Rental Properties
Now that we’ve established most house searchers interact with one online service or the other to find an appropriate rental, we can explore the digital marketing strategies landlords can use:
Online Listings
As we highlighted in the previous section, several people rely on answers from the internet to find their next home, and you can use that to your advantage.
Get your rental on popular listing sites like Zillow, Trulia, and Apartments.com, which have a solid reputation in the public and garner lots of traffic. It would also be best to expand to local listing sites, which can help you niche down on your viewers.
For example, many universities have their own rental platform to help students find roommates and conducive living spaces. If your apartment is within the vicinity, getting on those listing sites can increase your chances of securing a highly qualified tenant.
Invest in Professional Photography
Never underestimate the power of a great photograph. Many listing sites will encourage landlords to include a written description of the apartment, and you can get some interest with an exciting copy. However, most renters prefer to see photos of their prospective homes.
As a result, it would be worthwhile to invest in professional photography to get the best angles and shots of your house. The better it looks, the more interest you’ll receive, speeding up the rental timeline.
Promote on Social Media
Besides online listings, renters now use social media to find an apartment. Many agents and landlords post pictures and reels of their vacancies on social media to attract people looking for accommodation.
You can also use the opportunity to engage with prospective tenants and redirect them to your website for further details or inquiries. In addition, with a consistent online presence, you can establish yourself as the go-to solution for housing.
In other words, even though most of your followers may not be looking to rent at the moment, repeatedly seeing your posts can help them recall your page when they are looking or when a friend needs a recommendation.
Create a Website
Showcase your properties more effectively by creating your website. Having your corner of the internet to show off your rentals allows you to include virtual tours, detailed property descriptions, and other interactive features social media platforms may not offer.
Besides, it also increases your chances of appearing in organic search engine results. The main goal of SEO is to drive more traffic to your website and maximize visibility, so be sure to incorporate that in your strategy.
Optimize with SEO
Across online listings, social media posts, and website content, you have to incorporate SEO optimization to increase your rental’s visibility.
Strategies like including keywords in your descriptions and copy can make it easier for tenants to discover you organically during their search.
For example, you can include terms such as “pet-friendly,” “furnished rental,” and “apartments in Richmond,” because these are features potential tenants would most likely use or look out for while searching.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect tenant with digital marketing strategies can help you carve a space in the rental market and fill your vacancies.
Most renters find their next home online through a listing site, real estate agent, or ads, so it’s essential to curate your online presence carefully.
So don’t shy away from online listings; prioritize professional photography to attract more potential renters. In addition, leverage social media to create an audience and take it further by creating your own website.
Finally, always use SEO to garner more traffic and improve your visibility. With these tips, you’ll significantly boost your chances of finding a highly-qualified tenant and keeping your rentals full.
