What’s the world’s most valuable limited resource? It’s not oil, gold or diamonds, but it’s just as hard to find. We’re talking about people’s attention. Everyone wants it, but nobody has any to spare. In our latest blog about apartment marketing ideas, we’ll explain how you can use social media to capture the attention of your student housing market.
We’ve tested countless student housing ads, and one of the most noticeable insights that jumps out is the fact that imagery captures the attention of student audiences. Specifically, we’re talking about high-quality property images. When it comes to social and display campaigns, it pays to pay for professional images of your property. Videos are even better channels for apartment marketing ideas! Not only do attention-grabbing images and video lower your cost per click and cost per lead, but many of our clients see a jump in website clicks after using video ads.
Some such ads have generated penny clicks and leads as low as $0.50 cents. They’ve also provided a substantial boost to client relevancy scores.
We’re not trying to tell you to ditch static images, but they need to present the property in the best possible light. When you’re developing your apartment complex marketing ideas, think of every image as a potential first impression. High-quality images of furnished apartments capture more people’s attention than pictures of empty rooms.
Some of the top performing campaigns we’ve seen have used such attractive images to generate clicks. These attractive images often include luxurious amenities. We’ve seen impressive ad campaign numbers on ads with poolside pics, especially in our student market. The data tells us that pool shots, grill and patio pics and fitness center imagery performs better than images of interiors. If you are going to show the inside of an apartment, the numbers say to go with shots of the kitchen space and living rooms.
There are numbers that back these strategies, but these apartment marketing ideas also make sense in plain speak. Would you rather see a bedroom or living room decorated as you would do yours upon move-in, or an empty picture of a unit that hasn’t been brightened up or styled? It’s an easy choice.
Image optimization is another major factor with successful campaigns. Having optimized images boosts your ad performance, but you’ve got to know a few effective optimization strategies. Here are some tips:
Watch Your Text
You could see a significant drop in impressions in your Facebook ads if you add too much text to your images. Facebook has adjusted the 20% text-to-image rule, but it’s still very relevant to the performance of your ad. You can check your text-to-image ratio with this text tool.
Make your Message Clear
Be clear with your ad message and make sure your image shows what you’re offering in the text of your post. This helps ensure that the users who click your ad are actually interested in your offer, and it will help you lower the bounce rate on your landing page or website.
Stand Out
As we mentioned above, it’s important to choose images that catch your attention. The average social media user spends roughly 41 minutes a day on each platform, and an average of 3 seconds on each post as they scroll through the newsfeeds. Standing out is the key to getting them to stop scrolling, see your ad and give you their attention.
In conclusion, we have discovered that there is no one-size fits all approach to imagery. It’s important to test all the variables and see what works for your property. It takes time and effort, but the results will help you streamline your marketing efforts and spend your marketing dollars more effectively. If you think you might need some help with your marketing ideas for apartments, feel free to reach out to a THC team member for advice.
