At the beginning of their search for their next apartment, the possibilities are endless for prospective renters. As apartment marketers, we assume that once a prospect initially discovers one of our communities fits their needs, they'll be on the fast track to becoming a lead and signing a lease.
But that hardly matches reality.
It's unfair to expect renters to convert to a lead and sign a lease immediately when they have yet to compare your apartments to others. They take their time, researching and evaluating multiple marketing sources (often multiple times) before making a decision.
That's why remarketing campaigns are essential in multifamily digital advertising. Here's how they work, and why they should be a part of your marketing strategy.
What are remarketing ads for apartments?
Remarketing ads for apartments highlight your communities, floorplans, amenities, and other features again to renters who've already expressed interest. In competitive, drawn-out apartment searches, that consistent exposure reminds renters of your community, keeping them top of mind while they evaluate other options. The ultimate goal is that once renters are ready to make a decision, a remarketing ad draws them back to your community website, where they convert to a lead and sign a lease.
How do remarketing ads work for apartment communities?
Anytime a renter engages with your community website or social profiles, a pixel built-in to the code sends a signal to digital ad platforms like Google and Meta.
Google immediately triggers remarketing campaigns that display the community's digital ads to the renter as they browse YouTube and millions of websites within Google's Display Network.
Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram use that pixel data to build a custom audience—a list of users who have already visited your website or engaged with your profile—and serve ads to them as they scroll through their feeds.
Soon after visiting a community website, a renter could see an Instagram reel ad highlighting a virtual tour of that community's studio floorplan. A display ad showing the community's exteriors comes across their Facebook News Feed. While reading a news article online a few days later, a banner ad showcasing the community's pool appears. Then they see a 15-second bumper ad highlighting the community's amenities while watching a video on YouTube shortly after that.
These are examples of remarketing ads working to re-engage the renter, remind them of the community, and drive them back to the website.
Why do remarketing ads matter for apartment marketers?
1. Remarketing ads help prospects during their apartment search.
Your prospective residents are making a serious, financially-implicating, life-altering decision to rent.
They cannot confidently lease from your community without first searching for and reviewing all of the available apartments that fit their ideal location, floorplan arrangement, amenities, and rent costs.
So, after they discover your apartments on social media and visit your community's website, remarketing to them is considerate of their search process and overall online browsing experience—not invasive.
You're targeting them with digital ads that remind them that your apartments fit what they're looking for as they narrow their choices.
When people are in the midst of their apartment search and see one of your community's display or video ads while scrolling their favorite social media app, they view it as relevant and helpful.
2. Remarketing ads align with the timing and intent of the typical apartment search.
Say you're in the market for new running shoes. You have an indefinite time to select which pair is best for you. Your shoes have hit their limit, or you want something more comfortable for longer runs.
In either case, while you know you want new running shoes, your buyer's intent is lower simply because you don't have to take immediate action.
But when a prospective resident is in the midst of their apartment search, their buyer's intent is high.
When a buyer's intent is high, you must ensure your community stays in front of interested prospects multiple times during their search so they return to you when they've decided. Remarketing campaigns give your apartments that competitive advantage.
3. Remarketing ads have a powerful psychological effect on prospective residents.
Potential residents build a sense of familiarity each time they see your community’s logo, colors, branding, and property appearance in an advertisement. After about five impressions, they’ll remember your apartment.
And when they see images or videos of your apartments repeatedly, they begin to trust them more—this is known as the “mere exposure effect.”
Remarketing campaigns provide additional exposure to potential residents and help them feel confident that your apartments suit them. That alone makes them worth it!
Conclusion
Remarketing campaigns are a powerful digital advertising tactic for multifamily marketers. They keep your apartments in mind during a short, competitive search process, giving them more exposure to users who have already interacted with your brand or website. The more you can expose your communities in front of an audience that's already familiar with them, the better the chances they'll reengage, schedule a tour, apply, and lease.
