After nearly a decade of partnering with Zillow and other platforms, Lori Franceschini, Vice President of Property Marketing for COAST Property Management, has experienced firsthand the evolution of online multifamily advertising and what it takes to stand out with renters.

For COAST — based in Everett, Washington, and with regional offices in four states — adapting to local markets and changing renter trends has been key to the success of their properties. “We’re not content to just rest where we’re at; we’re continuing to look at how we can be better,” Lori says. “We don’t sit around and look at it on an annual or quarterly basis — we’re in there daily, weekly, making changes.” 

But to keep seeing results from their advertising, they require a marketing partner that can also hone in on what COAST and their properties need to shine.

Zillow Rent Connect comes in a few sizes — Base, Enhanced, Premium and Premium Plus — and Lori found that the Zillow Rent Connect Premium Plus package worked out best for them by offering multiple ways to target, reach and connect with renters.

Prior to making the switch to Zillow Rent Connect, she used Zillow Boost™, which gives Zillow ads premium placement and targets local renters on social media. With Zillow Rent Connect Premium Plus, COAST still receives the benefits of targeted social placements, but without the guesswork of choosing the perfect level of advertising exposure across their portfolio.

“Moving to a Rent Connect package, didn’t change,” Lori says. ”What really changed was it actually became easier for me, because I didn’t have to track what properties have Boost, or wonder if they expired.” 

With the Premium Plus package, properties receive up to 1.5X more sponsored ad and social-media ad exposure than properties enrolled in the Premium package — making it ideal for lease-ups and other properties that need more exposure.

Even through the challenges of the past year, Lori has seen success through her advertising. “We had two lease-ups that we launched — one that reached 50% occupancy in two and a half months, and the second in three months.”

Evolving to keep up with the times

The past year had a dramatic impact on the rental landscape — especially with regards to how renters find and decide on their next community. 

“More people got comfortable looking at things from a distance, whether it’s through videos or online, so our online presence is going to be even more important than it was before,” Lori says. Just as her company strives to provide renters with a seamless, cutting-edge digital experience — including real-time video tours, a YouTube channel and keeping 141 property websites up to date — Lori needs a marketing partner who does the same. For her, that highlights another area where she sees value in partnering with Zillow Rentals: “I can depend on Zillow to evolve their platform.”

When it comes to bolstering their online presence to appeal to renters searching remotely, the Premium Plus package’s inclusion of even more professionally captured Zillow 3D Home® tours than the Premium package was another value add for Lori that helped her listings stand out.

“The 3D Home tours have been awesome,” Lori recalls, “especially now when we’re able to have someone come out to do them. It’s just kind of elevated… it’s more professional looking for us from a renter’s perspective.” 

Those tours include more than just the units — the photographer will capture common areas, amenities and even the entrance and outside of the building. 

Lori’s favorite part is the increased number of leads that come from the 3D Home tour icon on the Zillow listings map. “If you’ve got the 3D tours you’ve got that 3D tour pin on the map — I felt that once that pin was showing, our ads started improving.”

To see if Zillow Rent Connect Base, Enhanced, Premium or Premium Plus is right for your property management company, head to our website for more information.