More than ever, renters are searching for their next apartment home online. This means that your website needs to be optimized and ready to capture the interest and information of website visitors. While half the battle is simply optimizing your website to be found online, it is important to remember that optimization should go beyond basic SEO. It should include optimization for user experience.
Read on to discover the anatomy of an apartment home website that is optimized for both SEO and UEO.
Keywords
The word optimization usually goes hand and hand with the idea of keywords. Before you can truly optimize your apartment home’s landing page, it is important to have a specific keyword you are optimizing for. It will probably be some variation of “apartments for rent in [city]” by do your own keyword research to come up with the right keyword phrase for your website.
Be sure to use the keyword phrase you choose naturally throughout the page. This includes incorporating it into the page’s title, meta description, image alt tags, headers, and throughout the actual page content. While you don’t want to stuff the page, it should be the main keyword in order to drive the right traffic.
Basic Information
Clearly display basic information above the fold on your apartment location’s landing page. This includes at least the name, address, and phone number of the specific location. These three key pieces of information (known as NAP) are important for local optimization and provide website visitors with essential information from the beginning. This allows them to call you directly or look up the exact location of your property to ensure it is in a place that works for their lifestyle.
If you’re looking to go the extra mile you may want to include your email, office hours, and any social media accounts specifically for that location. This provides your visitors with all of the tools they need to communicate with you however they wish.
Floor Plans & Pricing
Renters want to quickly be able to view your floor plans and the corresponding price range of rent to determine if they can qualify for your apartments. Even if there is flexibility in your apartment home’s rent, providing some general numbers can give your prospective tenant an idea of what to expect and can encourage them to contact you directly to learn more about what your location has to offer.
For an added bonus, provide the option for a prospective tenant to be notified when a specific floor plan becomes available. This can provide you with a pipeline of potential residents when you have an opening.
Photos
Clear, professional photos can make a huge difference in the overall appeal of your apartment homes. Good pictures can be the deciding factor when a potential resident chooses which properties to take the time to tour. Visual content is also a great way to drive more traffic to your website when optimized properly.
Be sure to include not only pictures of the kitchen, living room, and other interior features of the apartment, but also images of the exterior of the apartment home. This might include amenities like a swimming pool, fitness center, park, or trail that would make the property more appealing.
Ratings & Reviews
The power of online reviews cannot be denied. And for those properties who have managed to garner and maintain stellar ratings and reviews, highlighting these can be a powerful testimony for the quality of your apartments and your customer service.
Incorporate a link to allow your visitor’s to view all of your reviews. This is a great way to build trust with your potential residents, but while most likely only work if you have a majority of positive reviews. If your reviews are lacking, you may need to take some time to read through them and apply some of the feedback to how you treat your current residents. While you may not be able to change the neighborhood or annoying neighbors, you can change things that have to do with the quality of service or how your team reacts to certain situations.
And make an effort to reach out to past reviewers to correct the situation or learn specifically what could have been done better.
Amenities
What makes your apartment home different from all the rest? What do you find potential residents typically ask about? Include all the details on your amenities page. This includes updated fixtures in the kitchen, a beautiful community pool, or a business center for resident use. This is a great area to make it clear what specifically sets your apartment home apart from the competition.
Neighborhood & Map
Finally, don’t be afraid to talk up your neighborhood! Location is a key factor for many renters. Be sure to mention nearby highways, shopping, dining, and other landmarks and perks of living in that specific area. An added touch is a built in map that allows your website visitors to view commutes and other travel times to key locations.
Taking the time to fully optimize your apartment home website for both search engine’s and user’s can not only drive more traffic to your website but capture more lead’s and generate more interest in your property. Catering towards the online consumer can prove a valuable practice for your multi-family business.