We all know the major players in a multifamily marketing plan: branding, print media, website, social media, digital ads... and organic search.
Multifamily Property Marketers: if you are overlooking organic search optimization (SEO) in your marketing plan, you are leaving relevant, quality leads on the field.
The benefits of optimizing your website to appear in organic search results may feel less concrete than those of digital ads or print media, but it boils down to just being different - and we know that focusing on strategies that provide different benefits, or diversifying marketing channels, can have a hugely positive impact on your ROI.
The Nature of Organic Search Results
Organic search results are the links on a search engine results page that appear because of their relevance to the search query (the words typed into the search bar). This is in contrast to paid results, which are given to the highest bidder; organic results are ranked based on factors like keyword relevance, content quality, site structure, user engagement, and backlinks.
Qualities of Organic Search Results:
Algorithm-Driven: The placement of organic search results is determined by complex algorithms that analyze various factors, such as keyword usage, website authority, user experience (UX), and content freshness, in an effort to serve users the most relevant and helpful results possible.
Credibility and Trust: Users tend to trust organic results more than paid ads, expecting them to be more honest and reliable since no money changes hands. This trust can translate into higher click-through rates (CTR) and better engagement.
Dynamic and Evolving: Organic search rankings can change frequently based on updates to the search engine's algorithm, changes in user behavior, and the continuous addition of new content online.
Content-Relevant: Organic results are highly relevant to the searcher's intent, which makes them effective for driving targeted traffic. These results aim to match the user's query with the most pertinent information available.
Long-Term Impact: Unlike paid search ads, which stop delivering traffic once the budget is exhausted, organic search results can continue to drive traffic over the long term without additional costs, provided the content remains relevant and well-maintained.
Competitive: Achieving a high ranking in organic search is competitive, especially in markets with many players, like multifamily marketing. Success requires a strategic approach to SEO, including content creation, technical optimization, and link-building efforts.
All of this means that leads captured organically are of a higher quality and more relevant than those gained through paid or other types of advertising.
A relevant lead in the multifamily business is a prospective tenant who...
Matches the target demographic for the property (age, life stage, lifestyle, geographic location, income level, etc.)
Wants a community like yours (specific amenities, apartment size, location, etc.)
Is actively looking to enter into a rental agreement
When your community can capture high-quality, relevant, and many times, already-warm leads, there is a much higher chance of those leads turning into paying customers, quickly.
How Organic Search Drives Relevant Leads
Targeted Traffic Through keyword optimization on your apartment website, you can help search engines show your available homes to people who are looking for communities like yours! If you have pickleball courts or are a short commute from a popular workplace in your city, you can make sure that your site comes up when people search for those specific things.
User Intent and Search Behavior
When potential tenants use search engines, they often enter specific queries that reflect their immediate needs, such as "2-bedroom apartments near downtown" or "pet-friendly apartments with gym." Organic search results are designed to match these queries with the most relevant content, making it more likely that the search results will directly address the tenant's needs.
Additionally, users who search organically are typically further along in their decision-making process and are actively seeking solutions rather than passively browsing. This means they are more likely to engage with properties that meet their specific criteria.
Content Relevance and Authority
As you get to know your target demographic, you can build the pages on your site using their language, answering their specific questions, and addressing their specific pain points.
The more specific you are with your target demographic and their needs, the more relevant your website becomes to your ideal clients. In answering their questions, you educate them in the decision they are about to make and assert yourself as the authority that will help them find the perfect place to live. All of this adds up to warm and high-quality leads!
The Long-Term Benefits of SEO-Driven Lead Generation
Sustained Traffic Growth
While there is upkeep involved, well-optimized content is an engine that runs on kinetic energy and momentum. Once the search engine algorithm sees you as a trusted source, it will continue to serve your website to users. When those users show that your site is what they are looking for (by visiting your site, reading pages, taking actions like contacting you or filling out an application), that just boosts your site in the algorithm, telling the search engine that it was right to show your site in results - and the cycle continues.
Higher Conversion Rates
Because organic search results are so targeted and lead to relevant leads (as discussed above), it stands to reason that organic search traffic results in higher conversion rates, which then leads to huge jumps in ROI. Take this Realty Management Case Study, for example - The 145% increase in traffic resulted in 46 new doors over 12 months. (46 doors * $4,000 Average Lifetime Value = $184,000 revenue)
Cost Efficiency
When you are pouring money into paid advertising, it's a one-and-done thing. You put your money in, you (hopefully) get a lead out. But it ends there. As we discussed earlier, organic search optimization keeps paying dividends throughout the content's life. There is time and money to be spent, but it is an investment rather than a straight-out payment.
How to Get Started with Optimizing your Multifamily Website for Organic Search Results
When looking to get started with SEO, there are two options: pour a lot of time and energy into learning the ins and outs (we have a starter guide spelling out the basics of SEO), or outsource it to SEO experts. If you want to know what it would look like to have J&J Creative set your multifamily website up for search engine success, contact us today for a complimentary consultation! We specialize in providing multifamily companies with a framework to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their websites and digital marketing strategies as well as the opportunities and threats present in the multifamily industry.