Engrain interactive maps: How they engage renters & drive conversions

During their apartment search, renters expect a smooth online experience. They want intuitive tools, responsive service and hassle-free leasing.

If you’re wondering how multifamily marketers and leasing teams can keep up, this is the article for you! We’re sharing one smart solution that engages renters and boosts conversions.

Say hello to Engrain interactive maps (SightMap), which aren’t your typical property maps. SightMap delivers more than the static site plans you’re likely familiar with, and we’ll show you how.

Let’s get into the way these maps work, standout features and why you should give them a try.

P.S. Thanks to our partnership with Engrain, REACH clients can add maps directly to new or existing RentCafe websites.

How does SightMap work?

SightMap refers to interactive property maps that help renters quickly explore communities. They’re designed to show buildings from top to bottom, including individual units.

Here’s a preview on an apartment website:

At its core, SightMap transforms your site into a dynamic leasing tool by showing maps, floor plans and unit views, all in one place.

Show renters what they want to see

Most renters have nonnegotiables in their apartment search. According to our Happy Place Survey of 5,000+ renters, 62% said price is their top nonnegotiable, and 38% pointed to apartment size and layout. 

In their online search, renters (ideally) want to filter by these nonnegotiables, along with other factors they care about.

SightMap makes this painless from start to finish. Renters can see every unit that meets their filters — in one spot — with the option to toggle between map, floor plan and unit views. (That same survey tells us nearly 50% of renters like to see unit-level media.)

This functionality helps renters lease faster. When search is limited to floor plans alone, they have to click through multiple pages just to find a unit that fits their criteria.

SightMap features for apartment websites

We said SightMap is a dynamic leasing tool, but in reality, it’s much more than that. It’s a content hub for the entire apartment search experience.

When embedded in your RentCafe website, SightMap delivers:

• Up-to-date pricing and availability, pulled directly from RentCafe data
• Custom filters and amenity callouts to surface the features that matter most
• Unit-level photos, floor plans and virtual tours to boost decision confidence
• Proximity insights like view, pool access, dog park or parking distance
• Floor plan details alongside maps, in a custom unit-match list
• Direct links to your online leasing flow for faster conversions
• Syndication of unit-level content to ILS platforms for expanded reach
• Full WCAG accessibility, mobile optimization and GA4-compatible analytics

With SightMap, your site not only looks great, but also drives real results.

Features beyond your website

The value of SightMap doesn’t stop there. As part of a wide-reaching partner network, your map can also connect to:

• ILS platforms like RentCafe.com, the only ILS with flexible advertising today
• Touring solutions for live, self-guided or AI-guided leasing experiences
• Business intelligence tools to visualize performance and occupancy data
• Facilities management systems for maintenance planning and operations

If you have multiple properties in a single market, SightMap can also power neighborhood maps, a multiproperty search experience that shows availability across your entire portfolio. These are a great addition to neighborhood marketing websites.

Renters can filter by:

• Pricing
• Move-in date
• Number of bedrooms

Users can filter across all participating communities without jumping between sites. SightMap gives renters, leasing teams and operators the same up-to-date view of the property, wherever they engage.

Here’s the proven impact

If you’re a regular blog visitor, you know we love data! Let’s look at Engrain’s market research to show SightMap’s real impact.

Properties using SightMap saw:

• 24% more site engagement after adding SightMap (7 properties, 45 days before vs. after)
• 2x more sessions/views on SightMap pages vs. floor plan pages (3 properties, 120-day avg)
• 88% more time spent on interactive map pages than floor plan pages (15 properties, 120-day avg)
• 225% increase in applicants after adding SightMap (11 properties, 90 days before vs. after)
• 104% increase in virtual/self-guided tours after adding SightMap (3 properties, 90 days before vs. after)

Bonus data: In controlled A/B testing by Bozzuto, SightMap outperformed traditional floor plans in terms of both views and time on page.

Google Analytics data confirmed a significant pageview increase on the SightMap page, compared to traditional floor plans on the property website.

Here’s a look at the numbers (found within a one-week span):

• SightMap received 336 pageviews from desktop/tablet users, compared to 92 pageviews of traditional floor plans
• SightMap received 459 pageviews from mobile users, compared to 135 pageviews of traditional floor plans

Ready to get started?

SightMap helps you engage and convert renters. Especially now, during a time when renters expect fast, convenient online features. 

Wondering how you can get started, or make the switch from your current map? It’s easy to add SightMap to new or existing RentCafe websites. We handle setup, integration and support, giving you a more streamlined launch and full transparency into performance. The entire process takes just about one month.

If that sounds interesting, reach out to your REACH rep for more details. If you aren’t an existing client, get in touch here.