Marketing is one of those things that is always evolving. Much like technology, marketing teams need to be consistently looking at future marketing trends, considering what might be applicable to their industry and budgeting for effective testing each and every year.

In the world of marketing, there are a lot of platforms and technologies that marketing experts have identified to be major players in 2019. This is a great article about impactful marketing trends to watch this year.

As far as multifamily goes, there are a few I think will prove to be impactful in our industry:  

Chatbots

As referenced in a couple of online articles, chatbots are going to play a major role in the process of nurturing a lead through the marketing funnel. We know our residents want information immediately, and they often do research on apartments at home, after work, late at night or even secretly in their cubicle. At any rate, a phone call or email is just too slow of a communication platform to give them the information they need when they are looking. Chatbots have the ability to answer quick and easy questions, free up the time of the leasing associates and put information in the hands of our prospective renters quickly and without little effort.

Content is Still King

There was a time when content really only served the purpose of an increase in SEO value. But times have changed. Content not only carries the SEO benefits of past but can help in lead conversion as well. The key is to make sure the content is targeted to a very specific audience. If you are a developer or third party manager, post blogs where your audience is most likely to be consuming content. Sites like Multifamily Insiders and LinkedIn are tailored to investors or owners. If you’re a predominantly student living community, make sure the content on your community blog or social media targets students and their parents.

Video Marketing

At one point, marketers thought that all marketing videos needed to be professionally produced, edited and have a very polished look and feel. We now know that the quality of the video doesn’t matter as much as the authenticity of the video. Empower your associates to post video walkthroughs of long-standing vacant units on a youtube channel or social media site. Go live on a community Facebook or Instagram at a resident event or team building activity. With a little training, our on-site teams can make a significant impact on the marketing of each community.

The thing about marketing is that it’s fun. When you dive into the analytics of different platforms and channels, a skilled marketer can build a strategy that utilizes creativity, technology and collaboration to generate leads and nurture them to the point of conversion.