Creating a few clear personas allows you to shape everything from your ad creative to your email subject lines more intentionally. Is your property best suited for remote-working millennials? Then, your messaging should highlight co-working lounges, fast Wi-Fi, and walkable access to coffee shops. Are you targeting empty-nesters? Emphasize quiet neighborhoods, low-maintenance living, and thoughtful amenities like elevators or ground-floor units.
Use existing data( i. e., leasing reports, CRM behavior, resident feedback, and even Google Analytics) to build accurate personas. And don’ t forget to re-evaluate them regularly. Multifamily marketing trends shift, and your audience might too.
SEGMENTING YOUR CHANNELS( YES, ALL OF THEM)
The beauty of digital marketing today is that nearly every platform allows you to segment. Whether running a social media marketing campaign or launching an email newsletter, you can tailor your messaging to align with specific interests, behaviors, or demographics.
• EMAIL MARKETING: Use tags to segment prospects based on their stage in the renter journey. Send move-in tips to newly signed leases, virtual tour reminders to hot leads, and neighborhood guides to longdistance prospects.
• PAID SOCIAL & GOOGLE Ads: Leverage lookalike audiences, retargeting, and geographic filters to narrow your reach. You can create multiple ad sets within one campaign, each optimized for a different renter persona.
• Organic Social Media: Your Instagram doesn’ t have to speak to everyone. Use Stories and Reels to appeal to younger audiences while utilizing carousel posts on Facebook or LinkedIn to connect with families and professionals.
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• Google Business Profile and SEO Strategies: Customize your local SEO approach by incorporating keywords that your target renters search. Optimize your branding and landing pages with content that speaks their language.
TAP INTO BEHAVIORAL DATA
One of the most underused tools in multifamily content marketing is behavioral data. Your website tells a story: What floorplans are people viewing? What blog post topics are they clicking on? What CTAs are they ignoring?
Track the behavior of your prospective renters and use that data to inform your strategy. If most traffic is coming from mobile, design it mobilefirst. If a particular blog post about pet-friendly policies is spiking traffic, consider using it as a lead magnet.
These insights allow you to create content that isn’ t just visually appealing but truly relevant— building trust and boosting conversion rates in the process.
LOCALIZE YOUR MESSAGE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR BRAND VOICE
Targeting hyper-specific demographics doesn’ t mean abandoning your overall multifamily brand identity. In fact, the most effective apartment marketing plans balance consistent branding with personalized content.
For instance, if you manage a portfolio of properties, create unique campaigns for each one based on its geographic location and resident profile, while maintaining a cohesive design language and tone across the board. This builds both trust and recognition.
Partnering with a multifamily branding agency can help you find that balance— ensuring your apartment brand experience resonates deeply, no matter who’ s reading it.
MARKETING
" Massmarketing not only dilutes your messaging, but it also leads to missed opportunities for connection. "
FOCUS ON CONNECTION, NOT JUST CONVERSION
Hyper-targeted multifamily marketing is not about selling to everyone, it’ s about deeply connecting with the right someone. And when done well, it leads to more than just increased traffic. It drives multifamily leads, improves resident satisfaction, and creates lasting relationships between renters and your brand.
Thoughtful segmentation and personalization are no longer optional; they’ re the key to standing out.
Whether you’ re launching a new community or refining your current multifamily marketing plan, one thing is clear: The future of apartment marketing isn’ t broader. It’ s smarter, more specific, and rooted in real human connection.
Ashley Tyndall is Chief Relationship Officer at Criterion. B
33 | TRENDS MAY 2025