![[aptchat] 10:20 small](https://i0.wp.com/aptchat.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/aptchat-1020-small.jpg)
Renters are increasingly turning to ILSs throughout their apartment search, as they offer a wealth of inventory and rich media. However, managing those listings can be tedious work, and we wondered if apartment marketers have seen a payoff.
Which brings us to the subject of our most recent #AptChat: ILS advertising.
Here are the highlights. (Hit the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Today we want to talk about ILS listings. What’s new? How are you managing listings? How are ILSs helping your marketing today?
- Q1: Are you doing more or less ILS advertising this year compared to last? What kind of results are you seeing from those ads?
- Have you seen that your data is presented accurately across the ILSs? Anyone doing a great job with this, or anyone struggling?
Today we want to talk about ILS listings. What’s new? How are you managing listings? How are ILSs helping your marketing today?
With the Pigeon update last year it changed local search and ILSs moved up on the SERP. ILS has the prime real estate now. #AptChat
— Mika McIntosh (@GoggleBoy) October 20, 2015
Q1: Are you doing more or less ILS advertising this year compared to last? What kind of results are you seeing from those ads?
A1: I think the apt hunt is really going “viral.” More referencing of word of mouth, https://t.co/OhzmWFtwqp, “The Legitimizer” … #AptChat — Khara (@leftnwrite08) October 20, 2015
@AptChat (cont) Others seem to want to be “part of the movement.” But the focus is legitimate advertising and contact. #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) October 20, 2015
@leftnwrite08 Does that “movement” make Craigslist less relevant? #AptChat — Apartment Chat (@AptChat) October 20, 2015
@AptChat Not at all! It just changes the “conversation.” We need to buy in to the fact that folks are looking for legitimate convos #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) October 20, 2015
@leftnwrite08 Good stuff. So what are some other key points that you see coming up in the “conversation?” #AptChat — Apartment Chat (@AptChat) October 20, 2015
@AptChat The expectation that you’ll be accountable for your rep. I had a recent prospect pull out a review he printed offline! #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) October 20, 2015
@GoggleBoy Thanks for jumping in! Any input from your crew? Are you seeing more clients pushing unit feeds to ILSs? #AptChat — Apartment Chat (@AptChat) October 20, 2015
@AptChat Not necessarily. We’re just trying to educate on what Google is looking for in their search algorithms. #AptChat
— Mika McIntosh (@GoggleBoy) October 20, 2015
@JonathanSaar (cont) Like keeping updated hours, phone numbers, and addresses on your site. #AptChat — Mika McIntosh (@GoggleBoy) October 20, 2015
@GoggleBoy understood. It’s all about those web conversions. Give them a reason to connect and make an appointment #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) October 20, 2015
@JonathanSaar Right! If everything is up-to-date it means you’re on top of things and people are more likely to make contact #AptChat — Mika McIntosh (@GoggleBoy) October 20, 2015
@GoggleBoy We see this in prospect behavior. They want to know you’re going to be easy to do business with. #AptChat
— Mike at 30 Lines (@30lines) October 20, 2015
Have you seen that your data is presented accurately across the ILSs? Anyone doing a great job with this, or anyone struggling?
@AptChat It’s always fun reaching out to a new site to try and get them to update inaccurate info … #notfun #AptChat — Khara (@leftnwrite08) October 20, 2015
With new sites popping up all the time, it becomes a struggle against just ignoring them. But, reputation management means ILS, too #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) October 20, 2015
As ILSs race to claim who has the most listings, what are you doing to ensure the accuracy of those listings? What are you doing to help set your listings apart?
Tell us in the comments below!