Having an online website that customers can find is crucial to the success of any business nowadays. By maintaining an effective, well-designed site, you can improve your property’s visibility, enhance your credibility, promote engagement among your prospects and renters, and we can’t forget the most important–lease more units. Investing in a good site design is more than just a luxury; rather, a necessity. In fact, a recent Adobe survey found that when pressed for time, 59 percent of global consumers crave beautiful design over simplicity.
So, what does a well-designed website actually look like?
1. Solid navigation
Good, quality website design begins with simple navigation. The navigational elements on your site should be easily identifiable and usable. It is important that tabs or menu items are minimal so as not to confuse your website users. Your navigation should help users determine where they are currently on the site, how to return to the homepage or go back to the previous page they left, and how to venture to other sections. The easier it is for users to interact with your site, the longer they’ll remain on your pages and the more opportunity you’ll have to convert them.
2. Identity/design
A well designed site holds a much greater function than to simply increase page views. An effective website is the ultimate representation of your brand and should be presented as such. This means, if your site is disorganized or your essential brand elements (like the logo) are lacking, then your prospects will be more inclined to write you off as not having met their needs. Create headings that are easy to scan, ensure your visuals are organized and appropriately spaced so as not to clutter your pages to achieve the greatest success.
Also, while we may be tempted to sway towards the bells and whistles when deciding on a site layout, simpler may be best. You will ultimately have to master the balance between creativity and simplicity, while keeping your end user in mind.
3. Clear and engaging content
Apart from the visuals and navigational ease associated with a well-designed website, if your content is lacking, then your conversions will too. A few key points to keep in mind when developing content for a well-designed site is to write with your target prospect and brand promise in mind. On a base level, your site should answer these questions in a clear and concise manner, while also informing your target about the important details of your property. Important details like pricing, square footage, lease term and amenities are all important pieces of content to list first.
Additionally, your call-to-action should be clear and present throughout your site. The most effective call-to-actions contain between three to five words and tend to express a sense of urgency, like “Tour Now,” or “Apply Now.” Remember, too much content can clutter your site pages and ultimately negatively impact your conversion potential.
4. SEO
SEO is another important element of a well-designed website. Designing your site with SEO in mind can go a long way in helping you reach top Google status. This can entail utilizing things like meta tags, title tags, headings to have a responsive, mobile-friendly design. You should also incorporate keywords within your content that are relevant to your property. If you have invested in Google Ads, these same keywords should be incorporated onto your pages, where applicable. This will help ensure your site reaches your prospects. By optimizing these simple design features, you can improve your search ranking and ultimately improve the quality of your website.
5. Great visuals
In today’s digital age, we all love and can appreciate a good photo–so don’t shy away from them now! Incorporating stunning, high quality imagery and video are a great enhancement to your site, and are essential in the multifamily industry. Your prospects want a realistic view of life at your property, and what better way to meet their needs than with a great photo or video tour. To ensure your photos will capture your users’ attention and entice them to sign on the dotted line, it will likely be helpful to hire a professional.
Rentbot can help.
At Rentbot, we remain committed to building and supporting property management websites specifically for small and mid-sized properties. We design turnkey websites for your multifamily properties that attract, convert, and retain tenants. Our effective website designs include built-in SEO, online rent payments and maintenance requests, real-time availability, and personal support. And, we stand by the effectiveness and functionality of our websites so much so that we guarantee measurable results for your property, or we’ll give you your money back. Get started on your free website trial today!
About the Author
[Jonsette Calloway joined the Rentbot team in 2015. With a background in public relations, advertising and copywriting, she has helped a multitude of clients achieve their marketing and communications goals within various fields, but she particularly enjoys working with the apartment industry.