Many know by now the importance of a good property website. And, by “good,” I’m referring specifically to its conversion potential. After all, if your site isn’t offering you conversions, then what’s the point, right? As we tiptoe out of this pandemic, slowly but surely, many are revamping their sites to adapt to the changed behavioral shifts and preferences that many prospective renters adopted while sheltering in place for the long haul.
Whereas pre-pandemic, the primary function of your website was to essentially get your prospects into the door while your rockstar leasing team did the rest; now, your website must be equipped to do double-duty essentially. The pandemic has caused a catalytic shift in the way apartments are rented. Renters have become accustomed to fulfilling all aspects of the rental process online–tours, paperwork, questions, etc. So, if you haven’t upgraded your website to accommodate this substantial shift, you’re losing out on quality conversions. Here’s what you’ll need to consider to keep up with the times.
1. Visuals
While a few high-quality, professional photos of the property (“in a nutshell”) could suffice previously, now, many have upped the ante. To highlight the aurora and scope of one’s property features and amenities, many now offer interactive visuals of each service offering, floor plan, and feature–from the closets down to the flooring. Additionally, in lieu of standard in-person apartment tours, some are providing 3-D virtual and video tours that allow prospects the opportunity to discover all aspects of the property via a computer mouse. To stand out, you can offer the ability to schedule live tours on your website and ensure agents are available to answer questions in real-time. It’s also important to keep your visuals up to date to ensure they align with current service offerings and availability; otherwise, you risk doing more harm than good. Those who incorporate stand-out visuals that provide a full-spectrum experience of the property and accommodations for virtual tours are reportedly experiencing higher conversion rates.
2. Technology
In addition to captivating visuals, you’ll also want to ensure that your site’s technology can support the whole rental experience from an administrative standpoint. Moving forward, technology should be at the center of your website as well as amenities, administration, and maintenance procedures. Convenience reigns king in this industry. If your website doesn’t currently offer online scheduling, live chat features, or payments, you’re already behind the curve. The next phase of multifamily website technology consists of new features to promote engagement, like advanced chatbots, AI resident screening tools, personal expense calculators, room design software, and other proptech and smart home technology tools.
3. SEO strategy
An SEO strategy is not an added amenity to your site; instead, a necessity. It helps your prospects locate you online, has the potential to increase conversions, and just creates an overall better user experience. Your website should include a robust SEO strategy. Incorporating high-performing keywords in high-impact areas of your website, offering blog content, and enhancing your mobile experience are all excellent places to start. You’ll also want to ensure your Google My Listing is active and current with all fields completed. Many have also found great success with supplementing their on-page SEO efforts with a PPC campaign through a service like Google Ads. The platform provides a cost-effective means to improve ranking, increase site traffic, and secure high-quality leads.
Rentbot can help.
These days, renters want an integrated, streamlined, engaging rental experience. If your virtual front door isn’t equipped to handle the entire leasing process–from start to finish–we can help. Each Rentbot site offers mobile-friendly designs, built-in SEO, conversion-optimized layouts, and online integration features like rental payments, real-time availability, applications, and more. Each of our Rentbot clients has attracted more high-quality leads, converted their leads into leases, and retained and minimized vacancies. Let us help you elevate your website to today’s rental standards. We can also help you improve your website ranking and optimize your property ads through our Google Ads packages to get you in front of your leads. Here’s how to get started.
About the Author
Jonsette Calloway joined the Rentbot team in 2015. With a background in public relations, advertising, and copywriting, she has helped many clients achieve their marketing and communications goals within various fields, but she particularly enjoys working with the apartment industry.