Forbes recently released its list of top projected marketing trends to be on the lookout for in 2017. Several of the tactics mentioned in this article have the potential to change the face of apartment marketing as we know it. It is no secret that in this industry, owners and property managers alike must constantly find new, innovative ways to connect with prospective renters.
Next time you decide to revamp your marketing strategy, try to take advantage of a few of these new tactics:
Livestreaming
Video marketing has completely transformed over the past five years. With the advent of platforms like Snapchat, Twitter and Periscope, companies now have the ability to interact with users in a more personal, creative way. Through livestreams, viewers are able to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at a company, product or service right from the comforts of their living room. Some companies are now using this tool to receive real-time comments or questions so that they can respond almost instantly. Apartment communities can utilize this tool too to connect with residents in the form of video tours, community question and answer sessions, or meetings with leasing agents.
Mobile Video
In addition to livestreaming, mobile video is projected to increase in popularity this year as well. In fact, according to an Invodo study, this medium has grown so much that in 2015, mobile video views actually exceeded desktop views for the first time in history. So, what does this mean for you and your property? Try to create and post short videos on major platforms like Facebook and YouTube to catch your prospects’ attention and offer personalized glimpses inside of your community or you can choose highlight your property’s various amenities. No matter how you decide to use this tool, your prospects will likely appreciate the creative engagement.
Chatbots
What if I told you that you don’t have to personally respond to general leasing inquiries, and that a majority of them can be handled by your computer? That’s right! Welcome to the world of chatbots. This new chatbot technology is actually a computer messaging platform that conducts conversations and provide answers via text on artificial intelligence. The wonderful benefit of chatbots is that it is designed to mimic human conversation, so your prospects won’t even know they’re communicating with a computer. So, how can you benefit? For starters, you could load up a chatbot with answers to your most frequently asked rental questions, such as types of amenities, your pet policy, current availability, etc. and place on your website. That way, your prospects will have all the answers they’re seeking immediately without you breaking a sweat to meet that five-minute response time. By deploying these little beauties, you’ll uncover a new way to interact with your prospects while streamlining your entire customer response process.
Data Driven Marketing
What’s the point of spending your hard earned dollars on all of these new, exciting advertising channels if you don’t know how they’re performing, right? According to the Forbes report, data driven marketing will also grow substantially this year, which means advertisers will need to be able to analyze their marketing data and make decisions from this information. Not sure where to start? If you have a website, you can begin by installing Google Analytics to uncover your traffic sources, conversions, bounce rates and behavior flow. If you’re investing in social media platforms like Facebook, make sure you’re aware of key terms like conversion ratios and click-through rates. By having the right tools in place, you can then make more informed marketing decisions throughout the year.
Rentbot can help.
Your website is probably the most important element of your overall marketing strategy. So, before you begin to make all of these wonderful new additions to your portfolio, you’ll need to first ensure that your website is effective. Rentbot can help with that. Apartment websites are our specialty. Each Rentbot site is personally crafted with your unique property in mind. You’ll be right on trend with our mobile and responsive website design, search engine optimization and real time unit availability. And with added features like online rent payments and maintenance requests, you’ll also be one step above your competition.
No need to shy away from the trends. With Rentbot by your side, you can join them, all while signing more leases and securing better leads in the process! Let 2017 be your best year yet! Give Rentbot a try today—the first 30 days are free!
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.