We live in a world where we have more and more instant access to friends, services and public figures. When you and thousands of others can tune in to hear what a brand or personality is talking about right this very minute, you know that technology’s impact on our daily lives is evolving at a breakneck speed. And just when you think you’ve figured out your marketing strategy, along comes a new tool or channel to try.

To stay competitive and stand out to tech-savvy renters in 2019, you need to up your digital marketing game. Here are eight digital efforts we recommend investing in over the coming year to market your property, get noticed and reach more renters.

1. Get on Instagram Stories

No doubt your properties are already on Instagram, so why not expand to Instagram Stories? Over 400 million people a day use the platform, making it twice as popular as Snapchat. Like Snapchat, Instagram Stories are instant and temporary. You create the story with photos and video that stay live for 24 hours. You can also embed links directly in your story, giving you the opportunity to capture leads directly from within the application.

Use Instagram Stories for timely things, such as a unit that’s currently available or a seasonal subject. Have fun and experiment with this format. Facebook, which owns Instagram, says 60 percent of Instagram Stories videos are viewed with the sound on, presenting a great opportunity for you to take followers on a tour through that amazing unit that just opened up.  

2. Message them

According to the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018, 71 percent of renters looking for a new place expect to hear back about an inquiry within 24 hours. But instant messaging isn’t just for responding to one potential renter: You can drive effective campaigns through messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, which touts 1.3 billion users a month.  

AdWeek claims the future of marketing lies in Messenger, citing data that shows people are 3.5 times more likely to open a Messenger message than a marketing email. The two-way channel of messaging compounds that open rate because renters can respond to you and move further down funnel.

3. Get personal

Understanding where prospective renters are in the funnel is a good first step toward personalization. That’s because the more you know about your renter, the more timely and relevant your marketing can be.

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds the promise of personalization at scale. What you can do immediately is use your customer relationship management (CRM) software as a personalization tool. Usually, CRMs can help you set up the appropriate messaging streams for the level of engagement you’ve had with a contact. For example, new contacts might get a few initial messages touting your community and its amenities spread out over a couple of weeks then move on to a more measured and informative series of communications.

4.  Save time with chatbots

Human beings are social animals. But chatbots now provide customer service to people who prefer text over phone conversations with increasing levels of satisfaction. Chatbots are AI-based systems that answer questions they are programmed to know so your team can use their time more efficiently.

There are now chatbot systems specifically built for the multifamily industry. This is the year to consider adopting this tech to possibly reduce response times and generate leads.   

5. Optimize your website for conversion

After all the focus on social media and email marketing over the past few years, attention is now turning further down the funnel. Looking at your website’s conversion paths and making sure each step is clear can mean the difference between filling your vacancies and spending another month scrambling to find renters.

Take the time to navigate your site as if you were a potential renter. Be objective about the experience, and note places where things could be clearer. Get familiar with Google Analytics if you aren’t already, and make a habit of checking the stats on a regular basis. Look for the pages that get the most and the least amount of traffic, and identify the pages people enter and exit from.  

6. Enlist the help of micro-influencers

While it’s probably not worth your time and money to seek an endorsement from the likes of Beyonce, there are likely popular local musicians, chefs or alt-weekly writers whose nods can get you some great exposure.

The value of these micro-influencers is that they usually have way more followers than you and better engagement rates. More than that, customers expect you to tout your properties and can become numb to it. But if they see an influencer has taken a selfie in front of or made a post about your community, it will have more of an impact because it's unexpected.

Micro-influencers are real people you can reach out to on Instagram or email. Ask if they want to host an event at one of your properties or partner up on a promotion. And while a micro-influencer won’t cost as much as Beyonce, they will likely charge you a fee, something you’ll need to do weigh against the return you could potentially get.

7. Curate your content

Yes, still. Content and content marketing continue to be major forces in digital advertising. Most importantly, content is what builds relationships with potential renters.

But you don’t have to go crazy creating custom content for every channel you own. Take an inventory of what you have and refresh select posts to make them more relevant. Remember that great video from last spring? Repost it on your website, promote it through your email programs and share it to your Facebook page. Also write about and link to content from other sources that you feel reflects your brand. Just be sure you include a link or other attribution. In fact, Zillow produces content designed to attract and engage renters, and we invite you to share it.

8. Go vertical with video

Professional photographers still cringe, but the shift from desktop to mobile devices means consumers are accustomed to seeing vertical video. The format is more informal and therefore more personal. This does not mean you need to abandon horizontal video — it remains the standard for digital advertising. So, you need to do both.  

The good news is that making videos is getting easier, especially with high-quality smartphone cameras and their editing capabilities. The trend is toward shorter content on all platforms, and the key is to keep your message clear and your story helpful.

What does digital marketing look like at your community? Your residents and potential renters spend more time online than ever before, especially on mobile devices — and you need to take advantage of these digital tools to reach and engage with them. Most are fairly easy to implement, and all of them will make a big impact on your digital marketing efforts.