Zillow Group is shining a spotlight on the best and brightest multifamily marketers across the country. These apartment industry pros have used Zillow Group Rentals to enhance their marketing efforts, and now they’re sharing their marketing best practices with us.

Multifamily Marketing Spotlight

Berger Rental Communities started in 1973 with two brothers managing a 42-unit apartment community in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Now the company manages over 7,000 apartments across a diverse portfolio of 33 communities in three states.  

That growth happened in part because of Berger’s intense customer focus based on a robust data and analytics strategy. Berger’s director of marketing, Brian Miller, oversees all online endeavors, from company branding to digital advertising and lead flow management. And when a prospect makes the jump from digital to face-to-face interaction, Bill Nye, vice president of operations, ensures a consistent experience that exceeds expectations.

We spoke with Brian and Bill to learn more about why they invest in Zillow Group advertising.

How do you prioritize how your marketing dollars are spent? 

Bill: We let the data tell us what needs to be a priority. We rely on that instead of relying on “it’s always worked that way in the past.”

How have Zillow Group Rentals’ products been performing for you?

Brian: Across our entire portfolio, Zillow leases produced the highest average rent of all our marketing sources — about $68 more per month than any other internet listing service (ILS). The average Zillow lead moved in an average of nine days quicker than any other ILS as well.

This is very important to know because at the end of the year when we make our budget decisions, it can’t just be, “Well, this source had a dozen leases and this one had a baker’s dozen.”  We need to decide which one to pick because we have to cut budget somewhere. We can actually do the math.

Do you know why Zillow Group Rentals’ products have been working for you?

Brian: I have a theory. When I go to Zillow, I could be a home buyer or I could be a renter. But, if I shop for a home to purchase and find I’m not ready or I just want to wait, then I can look at homes to rent instead.

How do you ensure that the interest a renter had in your communities online translates to a good in-person experience?  

Bill: It’s like a fast-food commercial. A fast-food company works so hard to promote its food. It looks fantastic in the ads. But then you go in, and it’s not appetizing. As a customer, you feel fleeced. At Berger, we promote a certain level of experience. When a prospect shows up at one of our communities, the face-to-face interaction has to match our online presence.