Why Your Retargeting Sucks (And What to Do About It)

If you're not retargeting your multifamily marketing campaigns, you're leaving unsigned leases on the table.

Retargeting reminds visitors about your community by showing relevant ads while visiting other websites or social media channels.

97% of website users never return to a website. Yet retargeting could increase engagement by as much as 400%.

The good news is your ad platform helps automates the process, but there is a downside.

If you're not setting up your campaign correctly to maximize conversions, it’s bound to fall flat and lead to lackluster results.

Here's why your retargeting campaigns aren’t working and what to do to give it new life.

You're Giving Up Too Soon

Are you turning off your campaign or declaring that retargeting doesn't work for your community?

Truth 💣: Depending on your competition and the rental seasonality, you generally need ten touchpoints or more to generate a single conversion from a retargeting campaign.

Your ad platform also needs time to collect and analyze data to optimize your campaign and make improvements. Pulling the plug leaves little time to learn from the conversions you're earning.

But the point isn't to keep doing what you're doing until it magically works. If you don't see any improvement, you need to keep working through the rest of this list to re-energize your campaign.

You Included Previous Converters

You want your retargeting campaign to reach interested residents instead of people who have already converted as a lead or other KPI you set up.

Failing to exclude those previous conversions also creates a skewed view of your data. You can no longer tell how well your retargeting campaign is working to attract those new leads.

Tip 💡: There are a few exceptions to the rule. You can show your ads to existing leads who took the first step but haven't signed a lease yet.

Just make sure those ads are designed to entice leads to take the next step.

You're Not Excluding Current Residents

Are your current residents on your marketing list?

You're wasting valuable time and resources while getting an inaccurate view of how well your retargeting campaign is actually working.

The solution is simple: Create a resident's audience that includes visitors to your resident login page, and add it to your current campaign as a negative.

But don’t forget about those current residents altogether. Offer them a flat fee for every referral who signs a lease and moves in, ultimately empowering them as part of your marketing strategy.

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You're Targeting People Who Visited Your Site Too Long Ago

Apartment searches only last so long. The goal with retargeting is to maximize your visibility to prospects who are actively searching and most likely to reach out to you.

If you’re targeting users who visited a year ago, you’re likely wasting your budget that could’ve been spent on more relevant users.

Tip 💡: They may need multiple touch points and reminders over the next two to three months as they get closer to the end date of their current lease.

Do you have a Top of Funnel vs. Bottom of Funnel problem? Here's how to know which one you need to focus on.

You're Not Separating Audiences by Intent

Search intent can go a long way in your retargeting campaign.

When prospective residents look at your FAQs page, they intend to learn more about your community.

But if they're headed straight to your amenities page, they want to know about your pool, laundry, or on-site fitness area.

Also called intent data, this information can help reshape your retargeting strategy and your other marketing campaigns.

For example, if you notice people convert after looking at rent specials, you can create ads that guide prospective residents to that page and through the next steps.

You Didn't Stop to Re-Assess

It's true your data needs time to marinate and for your ad platform to see trends and figure out your ideal audience.

But at some point, you need to ask yourself why they didn't convert the first time. It might be that the timing was off, and they need more time to move through the funnel.

Or it could be that they're all bouncing off a specific landing page or not following up after signing up for more info.

Look for clues where conversions are dropping off and interest is waning.

Start by to A/B testing your:

👉 Ads, including graphics and copy

👉 Landing page

👉 Systems and processes for following up with potential residents who convert to leads but never sign a lease

The more you analyze every aspect of your ads and retargeting campaign, the more insights you'll gather about what's working and what's not.

You Keep Sending People Back to the Same Page

Where are prospective residents going when you retarget and add to them?

It's a mistake to send someone back to the same exact page they saw the first time.  If they leave without converting and come back, show them something new!

A specialized landing page is a great strategy that highlights your best amenities, rent specials, and the most common FAQs.

Tip 💡: Just don't overcomplicate the process. Throwing everything you can think of into one landing page quickly leads to information overload and losing them before they convert.

Your Offer is Falling Flat

Your retargeting campaign and data may work great, but your offer doesn't motivate action.

Showing your retargeted audience your current rental prices won't do much unless you offer a rent special and sparkling resident reviews.

Tip 💡: Give your audience a reason to take action, whether waived application fees or a free month of rent to sweeten the deal.

Beyond what you're offering, make sure it's easy to take action. You don't need to provide every communication method available, but only leaving a number will turn off people who are busy or hate picking up the phone.

Consider adding a:

👉 Phone number

👉 Email

👉 Sign-up form

to empower people to take immediate action and spur the conversion you're looking for.

When your offer is enticing, it’s easy to take action, and your retargeting campaign is working seamlessly, you should see a spike in conversions and signed leases.

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