Apartment marketers know that fast, professional, relevant follow-up is key to closing a deal. Enter remarketing.
This new-ish tactic (also known as retargeting) helps you stay in front of warm prospects as they surf Facebook, Google and other sites around the web.
During our latest #AptChat, we talked about remarketing at length— how it works, how you can use it to win more business, and which sites and ad networks are performing well. These are the highlights. (Click on the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: First, who can explain remarketing? How would you describe it, and how can it be used to advertise apartments?
- Q2: What sites & ad networks are you using for remarketing to website visitors? Which ones are performing well for you?
- Q3: What kind of messages work best for remarketing? How do you bring someone back to your site after they’ve left?
- Q4: What kinds of costs are you seeing for remarketing? How does it compare to other online ad options?
- Q5: What are some things to keep in mind when remarketing? Are there any pitfalls or lessons learned?
First, who can explain remarketing? How would you describe it, and how can it be used to advertise apartments?
Better known as web-stalking..Google sees everything 🙂 #aptchat https://t.co/VrHdmDXPte
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) May 24, 2016
A1: Jackie @Respage here. Remarketing campaigns allow you to show ads to people who have visited your site in the past. #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) May 24, 2016
These campaigns are great for apt marketing since potential tenants will compare communities before making a leasing decision #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat touching your customer again…and again…and again 🙂 after they have engaged with you in some way
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
A1: Displaying ads on sites your leads visit after they have already visited your own website #AptChat #OutofSightOutOfMind
— RokitNow (@RokitNowInc) May 24, 2016
A1: Marketing to your customer in another way or via another channel after they’ve already seen you somewhere else. #AptChat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) May 24, 2016
@Marketing_Mommy first time I seen this happen while browsing it scared the flip out of me. Pulled the blinds and everything #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat I’d say a friendly “nudge” after a prospect’s initial web interest. Serves as a reminder while surfing other sites
— Corcoran Management (@CorcoranMgmt) May 24, 2016
What sites & ad networks are you using for remarketing to website visitors? Which ones are performing well for you?
A2: We’ve used our pinterest boards to enhance customer knowledge, Twitter to touch base, etc. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
A2: We are seeing the best Remarketing results for apartment communities via Google AdWords & Facebook Ads. #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) May 24, 2016
@AptChat yes we focus on display remarketing on google #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat Have used FB in the past and just started with Reach Local for 2 sites that just launched
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
A2: We are using FB and Google Adwords for retargeting. (late to the party but still here) #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) May 24, 2016
@30lines I’d count video follow ups, alerts to community events, and links to pinterest/3D tours as email remarketing. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
@leftnwrite08 How do you separate follow up or creative follow up from remarking? #AptChat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) May 24, 2016
@Marketing_Mommy I don’t know I’d separate much. It’s all about frequent reminders of why you’re the best choice. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
@Marketing_Mommy (Cont) …Finding new ways to deliver the same message. It’s all about meaningful marketing contacts. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
What kind of messages work best for remarketing? How do you bring someone back to your site after they’ve left?
A3: The more specific the remarketing ads the better they work. Near down what page they were on and hit them with a relevant ad. #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) May 24, 2016
@ashleylynnolson I LOVE how good Nordstrom is at this…all the items I looked at in a carousel ad! #aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) May 24, 2016
@ashleylynnolson Makes sense for the amount of touch points a consumer needs to make a decision #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) May 24, 2016
@JonathanSaar right and you never know where they are in the renter cycle. It pays to be relevant. #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) May 24, 2016
@AptChat we are on a few sites. Not enough data to see how effective they are in comparison yet tho. #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat The dreaded special… if running one. New imagery. Anything “new”
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat I tend to try to do short term specials (a week or 2 at a time) in general so not necessarily different but new
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
A3: Whatever they’re personal hot spots were. If they love cooking, link to a related blog post. Share upcoming events. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
A3 as a consumer I like the simplicity of the reminder. We get distracted easily so a web reminder helps implant product #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) May 24, 2016
What kinds of costs are you seeing for remarketing? How does it compare to other online ad options?
@AptChat #AptChat Current budget for 2 lease ups $500-$750. Too early for results
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
@SatisFactsLia Love that idea! (And that price…) #AptChat
— Apartment Chat (@AptChat) May 24, 2016
@AptChat some residents showed off their apts in the video-great for those looking for same floorplan #aptchat
— Lia Nichole Smith (@SatisFactsLia) May 24, 2016
A4: This is why I love email remarketing. Lots of great, meaningful content … $0 cost. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
@leftnwrite08 Agree it’s a great tool, but I get a lot of follow up emails from communities that are a bit, well – ummm…scary. 😉 #AptChat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) May 24, 2016
@Marketing_Mommy @leftnwrite08 I see follow up emails that seriously border on illiterate. #aptchat
— Heather Blume (@artchickhb) May 24, 2016
@artchickhb @leftnwrite08 Right?! We are so much better than that! Outsource if you need 2 but know what your teams are sending out #AptChat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) May 24, 2016
@Marketing_Mommy @leftnwrite08 and stop sending out 8 paragraphs of marketing prose. No one is reading it! #aptchat
— Heather Blume (@artchickhb) May 24, 2016
@artchickhb @Marketing_Mommy @leftnwrite08 What? you mean no one cares about sparkling pools and lush garden views anymore? #aptchat
— Lia Nichole Smith (@SatisFactsLia) May 24, 2016
@SatisFactsLia @Marketing_Mommy @leftnwrite08 “opulent surroundings” means nothing. Answer my ?s directly and don’t waste my time #aptchat
— Heather Blume (@artchickhb) May 24, 2016
@artchickhb @SatisFactsLia @leftnwrite08 Asked a site 3 ?’s last week. Got a canned response with not one question answered. #Fail #AptChat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) May 24, 2016
@Marketing_Mommy @SatisFactsLia @leftnwrite08 sales people fail to answer questions over 50 % of the time #aptchat
— Heather Blume (@artchickhb) May 24, 2016
What are some things to keep in mind when remarketing? Are there any pitfalls or lessons learned?
A5: ROI – largely depends on how much time you can devote to refining your strategies. Always optimize. #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat In addition to using bigger re-marketing platforms also use products within more specific like FB
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat Within FB itself, load your prospect database (or part of) & re-market directly w/in FB inexpensive
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
This is an easy one, but also easy to overlook. We’re doing this directly from ILS leads, too. #AptChat https://t.co/dTqi6Aj100
— 30 Lines (@30lines) May 24, 2016
@30lines Saw good click through rates with little money spent last year #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) May 24, 2016
A5: Don’t just invest in remarketing be sure to go after new traffic too. You will waste $ if you are there EVERY second. #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) May 24, 2016
A5: Don’t stop the wheel. Break the wheel. If what you’re doing isn’t working, find your new message. #aptchat #unleashyourinnertargaryen
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) May 24, 2016
For Google Remarketing, use a wide range of ad sizes, minimum of 3 so as not to miss opportunities #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) May 24, 2016
During our next #AptChat —on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 12 pm Eastern— we’ll be discussing the newest of the new in social media. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!
