Multifamily SEO: All your SEO questions, answered!

You’re probably at least somewhat familiar with the current king of digital marketing: search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of organically improving a web page’s ranking on search results pages, and it’s especially important in today’s multifamily industry, which has changed dramatically in the past five years.

For a long time, the dominant multifamily marketing strategy has been internet listing services (ILSs). However, with the shift to younger, more tech-savvy generations like millennials and Gen Zers, direct-to-renter marketing strategies like SEO and PPC have become more important, especially in the current state of high occupancy.

Janeya Filzen, senior search marketing specialist at REACH, comments that “online marketing is the best bang for your buck,” pointing out that renters now rely on online searches to find and compare apartments.  

Marketing analytics repeatedly show multifamily SEO to be the best performing marketing source, with the lowest cost and highest return on ad spend. In fact, one study of 212 properties found that SEO brought in 382% more leases than ILSs. It also had an average cost per lease that was 84% lower than ILSs.

You’ve heard a hundred times that it’s important, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about what it takes to truly optimize a website for outstanding results and financial performance. Without further ado, let’s ask search marketing expert Gretchen Walker some of the most common multifamily SEO questions!

Can you really prove the value of SEO?

As Gretchen Walker, manager at REACH by RentCafe, says in this video, you can 100% prove the value of SEO.

We live in a world of advanced property marketing technology, and you can track the entire lead journey, from a curious searcher’s first click all the way through to them signing a lease.

With the right tools, you can also track performance metrics like return on ad spend (ROAS), cost per lease, bounce rate and how users are interacting with your web page.

Esther Bonardi, vice president of REACH by RentCafe, comments that “you can prove value right down to the amount of revenue you earn for every dollar spent on SEO, provided you have the right technology.” She follows up by adding that SEO “typically outperforms other sources by leaps and bounds!”

Why is ongoing SEO the best strategy?

Optimizing your website requires constant maintenance. You can’t just stop and start your multifamily SEO efforts. It takes time to build authority and trust with search engines as they continuously crawl and index your website.

It’s easier to pause other marketing strategies, like PPC and working with ILS vendors. But when it comes to SEO, you must first gain momentum, and then you need to keep that momentum going. That’s why maintaining SEO efforts is important even when you’re in a state of high occupancy.

Who knows what the industry will look like six months from now? Keep the ball rolling with ongoing SEO, and your future self will thank you!

Why should you work with an agency like REACH for your multifamily SEO?

While it is possible to do SEO in house, there are benefits to working with an agency. For starters, let’s circle back to the answer to question one above. Agencies like REACH will help you measure and prove multiple components of your SEO success, like lead tracking, user engagement and ROAS.

Additionally, agencies like REACH live and breathe SEO. This is all our experts do, all the time. We have access to a more comprehensive data set, allowing us to compare and contrast SEO updates to ultimately make the best suggestions for driving traffic to your website.

Furthermore, REACH SEO experts are dedicated to the constant success of your website, and they don’t have to worry about multitasking with other jobs. With a dedicated team working on your website, you’ll have more time to devote to other initiatives.

SEO data

Looking for some SEO data to back these assertions up? We’ve got you covered with a variety of case studies and client stories.

• Professional SEO vs. DIY SEO: Which one drives the most leases & revenue?
• Apartment marketing case study: SEO
• Client story: Towne Properties on REACH SEO & PPC

Next steps

If you’re still debating whether to do your SEO in-house or through an agency, check out this article for more information. Overall, having an expert at the helm of your SEO ship will ensure smoother sailing and greater success when it comes to one of the most important parts of your digital marketing strategy!

Interested to see what’s possible? View the REACH by RentCafe SEO brochure.

Want to see the rest of Gretchen’s interview and learn even more about SEO for property management? Watch her answer 5 more multifamily FAQs on demand.