Mobile marketing for apartments is more important than ever before.
With 44% of smartphone owners using their phone to look up real estate listings and other information about a place to live, it’s critical that a community’s website have CTAs that are clear and make sense to mobile users.
Additionally, Multi-Housing News recently spoke to three apartment industry experts —including 30 Lines President Mike Whaling— about how to engage prospects and residents using video, visuals and lots of “snackable” content.
To get a better sense of how other apartment marketers are using mobile technology to their advantage, we asked this week’s Apartment Chat participants about their efforts. Here are some of the highlights from this week’s conversation.
(Hit the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: When you hear mobile marketing, what comes to mind? What mobile marketing efforts are you working on today?
- Q2: What are the most important things to consider in your mobile-focused marketing? How is the context different/unique on the go?
- Q3: What are some best practices beyond responsive websites? Anything we need to keep in mind for mobile-targeted advertising?
- Q4: What kind of Facebook ads are working right now? (And tying it back, are you using Facebook ads on mobile?)
- Q5: How are you targeting your FB ads? Custom audiences? Retargeting website traffic? Working specific locations?
When you hear mobile marketing, what comes to mind? What mobile marketing efforts are you working on today?
— Mika McIntosh (@GoggleBoy) August 11, 2015
A1: your most important marketing initiative. That’s what comes to mind. 70%+ of our marketing efforts are mobile-focused. #aptchat — Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) August 11, 2015
A1: 1st thing: need to provide strong mobile UX on owned media (website/apps). #aptchat @AptChat
— Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) August 11, 2015
A1. AUDITING! We are taking the time to go through each email, website & every link to make sure the entire UX is mobile friendly #aptchat — Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) August 11, 2015
What are the most important things to consider in your mobile-focused marketing? How is the context different/unique on the go?
A2: brevity. Mobile users want info even faster than desktop. I think that is key. Convert to form or call quickly. #aptchat — Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) August 11, 2015
A2: Users now want interactive features similar to Google Maps etc.. They also want high res images. #aptchat
— Mika McIntosh (@GoggleBoy) August 11, 2015
@goggleboy has a good A2. I think having Google Maps on ur sites is imperative, high res pictures? imperative. call button? same #aptchat — Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) August 11, 2015
@AptChat re: attention. Relevance is key in mobile. If your product doesn’t fit with their search or current needs, you’re toast #aptchat
— Emily Prevost (@emilyprevost) August 11, 2015
@goggleboy Not just images of the community/property, but they want high quality images of the actual unit too #AptChat — Craig Chester (@MiamiUrbanist) August 11, 2015
@GoggleBoy @ryanleecox I would like to see a “text” button become a thing. Next generation (including me) hates calling!! #aptchat
— Danielle C. Noel (@daniellecnoel) August 11, 2015
What are some best practices beyond responsive websites? Anything we need to keep in mind for mobile-targeted advertising?
A3.Just make it easy to complete the transaction quickly-if there’s a form to fill out it better be short…or auto-populate! #aptchat — Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) August 11, 2015
A3: Trying to squeeze text onto images in mobile targeted ads. Can’t even see them on iPhone 6+. Can’t blanket approach… @AptChat #aptchat — Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) August 11, 2015
What kind of Facebook ads are working right now? (And tying it back, are you using Facebook ads on mobile?)
@AptChat all about the video FB ads, seeing crazy views (though question the accuracy). #aptchat — Emily Prevost (@emilyprevost) August 11, 2015
A4: FB ads are less expensive and converting better than all other paid ad for us & our customers. Love’em. #aptchat @AptChat — Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) August 11, 2015
How are you targeting your FB ads? Custom audiences? Retargeting website traffic? Working specific locations?
A5: All of the above. Custom audiences, retargeting, demographics. Also email/#’s from lead forms #aptchat@AptChat — Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) August 11, 2015
What else would you add to the discussion? Leave your thoughts for us in the comments.
Our next #AptChat will be Tuesday, August 18th at 12pm Eastern … we’ll see you then. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!