Let's play a game called, 'What's that apartment marketing source?"
It aggregates and displays listings of multiple apartment communities within a specified location, where renters can see side-by-side comparisons and get critical details such as name, address, phone number, website link, media content, reviews, and more in one easily accessible and widely used online platform.
Now, we know you're thinking the obvious.
But it's not an Internet Listing Service.
It's Google Maps!
Google Maps is often overlooked in apartment marketing strategies, yet it offers incredible value by providing comprehensive and accessible information about your community’s location.
In this blog, we'll focus on:
- Understanding the importance of Google Maps for renters.
- How to improve your apartment community's visibility in Google Maps
Understanding the Importance of Google Maps for Apartments
Before discussing ways to improve your apartment community's presence in location-based searches, let's consider why Google Maps is essential for multifamily marketers.
Renters care about a community's location.
73% of renters cite being willing to rent instead of buying a house in a neighborhood they like if they cannot afford it. This preference underscores the importance of highlighting key amenities or attractions in proximity to your community.
You can capture the attention of renters who want to live near their employer, the downtown scene, restaurants, shopping centers, or parks. (This process is easier when you know how to identify your apartment's ideal renter profile).
Google Maps helps renters learn about a community's location, nearby places, and whether both match the lifestyle and needs they desire.
Renters want quick and easy access to vital information about apartment communities in their desired location.
Because location matters, there's been a rise in discovery searches for apartments taking place within navigational apps like Google Maps. A discovery search is essentially trying to get the answer to the question, "What are my options here?"
The reasoning for this rise makes a lot of sense. Google Maps allows you to see all of the available apartment communities within your desired location and compare them instantly.
Prospective renters can quickly narrow their choices down to one or two communities and get all the relevant information they need, expediting their leasing process.
(We'll discuss further what you can do to improve your apartment community's GBP so that it stands out more clearly in Google Maps later.)
Renters crave authenticity from reviews.
Lastly, Google Maps is a reliable source for renters who want to hear what others say about your apartment community.
Gen Z, who are about to be the largest renter group in U.S. history, desires authenticity in apartment marketing messaging, meaning they'll go right to reviews when comparing communities.
Your community's star rating is highly visible in Google Maps. It cannot be unseen. Your community's reviews are accessible when people click your Google Business Profile listing in Maps. It's all there.
This means that more renters prioritize location in their search and your community's location and reputation compared to other communities in your market.
Knowing that renters care about your location, want quick access to information about nearby communities, and crave authenticity is necessary for understanding what approach apartment marketers need to take to enhance their Google Maps presence.
How To Improve Your Apartment Community's Visibility in Google Maps
1. Ensure the information on your apartment community's Google Business Profile is accurate.
When was the last time you even checked your community's GBP?
Outdated information or low-quality content can negatively impact your community's visibility in Google Maps since it pulls information from your GBP.
Optimize your apartment's Google Business Profile by frequently updating it about your units, amenities, specials, and other offerings. Also, make sure the main header displays the best photos of your community.
Then, check and see if the following information is accurate:
- Your community name, address, and phone number (or NAP) are the same—down to the tiny details such as 'St.' or 'Street' listed in your address—on both the website and GBP.
- The location pin of your apartment community is placed accurately in Google Maps. Google cannot be correct 100% of the time, and many newer apartment construction sites, for example, may not have road access yet, causing their map locations to be inaccurate or confusing.
- Your leasing office hours, website URL, and all other contact details, such as a 'Schedule a Tour' link, should be up-to-date.
- The community description is the same on your GBP as on your community website.
⚡ Want to make sure this process is easy? RentVision automatically integrates our partners' apartment community website with Google Business Profile so that all information displayed between the two is always the same.
2. Incorporate location-specific keywords for your apartments in your community's description.
Take the time to get an inventory of the places and features near your apartment community's location that match what your ideal renter persona is interested in. As alluded to earlier, they could be anything from popular restaurants to schools, landmarks, and even significant employers. Don't skip!
The next step is to put all of that research together and incorporate those location-specific keywords into the community description portions of your community website and GBP.
Here's an example we've written in the past of a community description featuring location-specific keywords for an imaginary apartment community located in our hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, whose ideal resident profile was younger millennials who work downtown and enjoy an active social life:
Rising atop downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, near the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus
and Nebraska State Capitol building, The Flats at Salt Creek offer a sociable living experience
at a premier location where work and play collide. You'll be just steps away from the thriving nightlife,
restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques of the historic Haymarket and Railyard Districts,
as well as major employers such as Hudl and Nelnet. Enjoy an unparalleled view of Memorial Stadium
and Pinnacle Bank Arena from the private rooftop lounge—the perfect place to enjoy a cold beverage
on game days. Or get your sweat on with our fully-equipped community gym on the main floor! The Flats at
Salt Creek is a pet-free community that offers beautifully designed one and two-bedroom floorplans.
Each unit is accessible by elevator and has modern kitchen and laundry appliances.
Most readers aren't familiar with Lincoln, but the question is: If you take out the specific details about the apartment's location from the copy above, does it change the perception of that community?
Of course, it does, and as more prospects decide to rent because of location and lifestyle, this presents an excellent opportunity to name neighborhood features in your messaging that also impact your visibility in your location-based searches in Google Maps.
3. Leverage Google Maps Advertising.
Lastly, you can leverage Google Maps Advertising to improve the visibility of your apartments on the platform.
To run ads in Google Maps, go to Google Ads, make sure you've linked your account with your community's Google Business Profile, and turn on location extensions.
These settings will enable you to reach renters searching for apartments in your location on Google Maps with an ad displaying your community's name, address, phone number, and website alongside a corresponding highlight of your location on the map. It will also show one of the photos it pulled from your GBP listing (making it more vital that you're putting the best images of your community on there).
⚡ Fill your units faster with Predictive Advertising by RentVision, which automatically optimizes spending across platforms—including Google Maps—and drives the right traffic to your communities when they need it the most.
Conclusion
Optimizing your Google Maps presence can significantly enhance your community's visibility to prospective renters.
By ensuring accurate and engaging GBP information, incorporating location-specific keywords, leveraging visual content, and using Google Maps Ads, you can attract more renters seeking the location and lifestyle your apartments offer.
A strong Google Maps strategy improves your online presence and provides potential residents with a seamless and informative experience.