Without a doubt, your properties should have a website. But having a website is no longer enough. The standard for multifamily websites is no different than any other industry. The better it is, the more success you will see in generating quality leads and leases.
From the perspective of your future renters, they are looking to make a very important choice about where they live and lay their head to sleep at night. Your website is an ample opportunity to sell them on choosing your property. It's crucial to give an overall excellent user experience (UX) so you can capitalize on the right leads and maximize your NOI in the long run.
But what does an excellent UX look like?
Fast Page Loading Speed
According to research, the average attention span in 2022 was 8 seconds, which oddly enough is shorter than the attention span of a goldfish. People don’t have the attention span that affords patience anymore. That means a slow-loading website will lead to friction and people leaving your website quickly.
For your property websites, it’s important that whoever designs or creates your website has optimized the site to load quickly. Typically, they do this by compressing images and minimizing unnecessary code but if you’re unsure about your current property’s loading speed, try typing it in with Google’s PageSpeed Insights. If it’s taking longer than 3 or 4 seconds, talk to your website developer about what might be causing this.
A faster website keeps visitors engaged and encourages them to stay longer. It is possible to win the fight against a website user’s attention span. You just have to keep in mind how little time you have to do so.
Responsive Design
A responsive website is one that adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. With the majority of users browsing on mobile devices, it's imperative that your multifamily property website offers a seamless mobile experience.
If your website isn't mobile-responsive, you’ll notice things like extremely small text or buttons being too small to click. This creates friction for website visitors as they can’t easily get the information they need. Remember that short attention span? It applies here, too. If they can’t read and navigate your website easily, they will leave quickly (and probably never come back.)
Easy Navigation
A well-structured website with intuitive navigation is key to providing an excellent user experience. Use clear and concise menus, and ensure that visitors can easily find essential information, such as property details, floor plans, amenities, and contact information. Simplify the user journey to facilitate conversions, whether that's booking a tour or submitting an application.
High-Quality Visuals
First impressions matter, and in the world of multifamily, visuals are everything. Visuals tend to naturally help visitors imagine what a living experience might be like at your property. Essentially, they paint a picture for them which means the choices you make about imagery have a lot of influence.
When a potential renter lands on your website, the visual should capture their attention and make them want to see more. High-quality visuals, such as photos, animations, and videos, not only attract potential renters but also convey the professionalism and quality of your multifamily properties.
To get these visuals, consider investing in professional photography and high-definition videos of your properties. Videos specifically have the most impact, as research shows that moving pictures increase conversion rates by up to 80%. If you’re in short supply of this, use stock images or videos that match or reflect your property’s brand throughout your website. Make sure visuals are prominently displayed throughout your site.
Virtual Tours and 3D Floor Plans
As prospective renters move from your home page to available units, high-quality visuals also apply here. Website visitors are looking to rent and they all have individual criteria they’re considering. This means displaying the closest reality possible to each of your available units is imperative, especially if you want to capture eager leads.
A decent user experience would give renters virtual tours of each available unit, letting them walk through the unit digitally so they can see what their apartment would look like before touring in person.
However, an excellent user experience would take it to the next level. Things like interactive floor plans and neighborhood maps will showcase everything: the property itself, the available units, and even the areas neighboring your property. You can see where each available unit is located on the property, what floor each one is on, and how that unit’s location might impact the experience.
For example, a renter is looking for a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. Your website shows your property has two of those units available. Your property is a high-rise apartment with 10 floors and uses elevators. Of those two available units fitting the renter’s criteria, one available unit is shown to be on the eighth floor at the end of the hall near the trash chute, according to the interactive floor plan. The other unit is shown to be on the third floor in the middle of the hallway, away from the elevator and trash chute.
This is incredibly useful information for a renter as they can make decisions about what kind of living experience matters most to them, aside from just having a one-bedroom apartment. The renter may look at this and think, “I don’t want to be close to a trash chute where there is lots of noise and potential smells nor do I want to be on such a high floor and far from the elevator.” Their interest has now migrated and latched onto the other unit.
Immersive experiences like interactive floor plans allow potential residents to explore the space from the comfort of their homes while they begin to understand what their future living experience may look like at your property. Because of the visuals, they are more likely to book a tour immediately or possibly even apply sight unseen.
Overall, a multifamily property website that prioritizes excellent user experience can significantly improve your conversion rates. By investing in responsive design, high-quality visuals, easy navigation, and interactive floor plans, you can create a user experience that not only attracts potential renters but quickly converts them into leases. An optimized website doesn't just serve as a digital brochure; it becomes a powerful tool for generating quality leads and leases while boosting the success of your multifamily properties in a competitive market.
