The multi-family market is more competitive than ever. There are currently 44.1 million renters in the United States, making SEO not an option but mandatory. It drives the website’s visibility, traffic, and rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). And you’re going to want that SERP #1 spot. Whether it’s a new apartment community launch, or an existing apartment community that needs a glow-up, or a rebrand, they all need ongoing results. And SEO is highly integral to creating the proverbial path to multi-family marketing success for optimal rankings, website traffic, and, ultimately, maximum occupancy in your communities. Let’s rev up that SEO engine with some best practices and specific insight for the multi-family sector to reach.

Multi-family SEO is uniqueRenting an apartment is not a trendy or impulse purchase. No matter how the economy ebbs and flows, apartments are consistently needed and sought out. And smartphones have a lot to do with that search. We live in a society where people are never without their cell phones or smart devices. At P11, we never are. When consumers are searching for an apartment, the majority search online to do so, mostly on their cell phones. SEO has to be dialed in to reach today’s renters consistently in the ways they use media today. 74% of renters use mobile devices when searching for rentals (SOURCE: Zillow). Also, renters these days move every few years, making long-term leases fairly rare. Did you know 47% of renters also say they’re considering moving in the next year? Solid SEO creation and management from P11 will stay ahead of that.

Did you know Google looks for specific things from multi-family websites?As the preferred and leading search engine by 83% globally, Google has lots of sway. Here are some tips to make sure your communities

• HAVE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE INFORMATIONAll of the contact information on your community websites has to be accurate. Google frowns upon inaccurate or incomplete information and will kick you to the bottom of search results.

• A SYNERGY OF THOROUGH SEO & WEBSITE ARCHITECTUREEverything (title tags, keywords, image tags, internal link structure, inbound links, and more) needs to be handled together because they are contingent upon each other. Nothing can be taken for granted. That includes website structure and design.

• KEYWORDSAlso, the keywords must reflect how prospects are authentically using them. It’s vital that the content on the community’s website visually demonstrates the product, amenity experience, and location. The payoff has to be there, or Google will not play nice.

• BACKLISTINGIncluding high-quality inbound and external links in your content lets Google know you know how to choose reputable and impressive material, and it helps with ranking higher on Google.

• DIRECTORY LISTING INCLUSIONMaking sure you are included in directory listings for companies, organizations, and websites opens up more possibilities for increased online visibility, website traffic, and exposure.

THE CHECKLIST: Key elements to unlock more SEO doorsHere’s a brief checklist to ensure greater SEO effectiveness and prospect engagement. P11 is here to help your communities get noticed.

• MEANINGFUL CONTENTPeople actually do look at content, so it has to be meaningful. Fresh content needs to be continuously added to fulfill the promise of SEO and subsequent digital campaigns.

• PROPER KEYWORD DETERMINATIONMake the most of your budget and time with keywords that make sense for your communities and target markets.

• COMPLETE SEO INTEGRATIONImplement your SEO thoroughly and verify it’s everywhere it needs to be.

• TESTING, TESTING, AND MORE TESTINGQuality control and multi-device testing are a must. Make sure everything is accurate and buttoned up to face the world confidently.

• CONSISTENT FINE-TUNINGWhile flying cars have not been invented yet, we’ve got incredible tech at our fingertips to adjust SEO on the fly. SEO is not a one-and-done. Gather your analytics and make continuous and needed adjustments to your SEO immediately now.

How long does SEO take to start seeing results, and how should clients, property managers, and developers, think about it in terms of a timeline?SEO is an ongoing habit. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Typically, within 3-6 months, initial results will be shown. However, it takes within 6-12 months to get tangible and reliable SEO results in the form of increased web traffic and conversions. Strategy, patience, and analysis are your friends. The P11 team is very well-versed in the strategy, design, management, and reporting of digital ad campaigns across various channels to maximize your rankings and results.

SEO made easy at P11At P11, we are very results-driven, and our digital marketing practices drive proven growth. Real estate marketing is the only thing we have done all day, every day, for over 34 years. Trust us to create a cost-effective SEO plan or run a head-to-toe SEO audit to ensure high ROI to meet your multi-family business and financial goals and timelines. Get a new lease on your Multifamily website SEO life and digital marketing life with P11.