With the emergence of AI-powered search, what can property owners and operators do to get their listings discovered? A recent webinar from Apartments.com shared five simple steps that can improve visibility in the age of AI.
Apartments.com, which launched the first AI-powered voice search in multifamily earlier this year, recently rolled out Apartments.com Ai, a new conversational search tool that renters can use to conduct their rental search. The AI search functionality is availability to every renter in every search.
These five best practices can help multifamily communities get easily found through AI-powered tools like Apartments.com Ai.
1. Make your listing clear and comprehensive
A complete, accurate listing gives AI tools the essential information they need to understand your community and recommend it to renters looking for what you have to offer.
Use clear, specific language and include details on what amenities your community offers, what schools and shopping opportunities are within the neighborhood, and what policies apply to residents with pets.
The more complete your listing, the more opportunities AI has to match your community with the renters most likely to lease from you.
2. Include unit-specific details
Renters aren’t just interested in your apartment community. They’re looking to move into a specific apartment, so make sure your listing highlights all the unique features of each available unit.
That includes spelling out unit-level availability, pricing and amenities. Other essential details include unit photos, unit floor plans and even virtual tours of each unit.
3. Display all-in pricing
As price transparency grows increasingly important for renters, all-in pricing is an indispensable factor in getting found in AI-powered search.
The overwhelming majority of renters — 81 percent, according to the latest Apartments.com renter survey conducted in May — prefer to see the total price listed inclusive of all fees. And 52 percent say they’ll stop considering a property if surprise fees bring the total price above what was originally advertised.
Given the importance of price to renters, cost considerations are a top query in AI search. To make sure your listings show up, opt to show the total price. This allows AI agents to offer renters apples-to-apples comparisons that include your community.
Transparent pricing can also improve lead quality. When renters know exactly how much a given apartment will cost on a monthly and one-time move-in basis, they’re more likely to submit serious inquiries about properties that fit their budget.
4. Make sure your listing has resident reviews
When renters are narrowing down their search, feedback from current and past residents can often be the deciding factor.
AI-powered tools like Apartments.com Ai can summarize resident feedback to give renters a more complete picture of life at your community.
Encourage your residents to leave reviews on your listing, and make sure to respond to existing reviews with thoughtful feedback. This shows prospective residents that you take feedback seriously.
5. Give renters easy ways to submit a lead
Once renters find your property, make it easy for them to take the next step.
To streamline the process, enable integrated tour scheduling and let renters apply directly from your listing.
These features can reduce friction for renters and improve your lead-to-lease conversion. On Apartments.com, leads from tour scheduling and direct applications convert at over three times the rate of standard Apartments.com leads.
Are you ready for the future of rental search?
AI-powered search is changing how renters discover properties like yours, but the basic principles of success remain the same: high-quality listings with complete, accurate information are more likely to attract serious prospects.
For more tips on optimizing your listing for AI search, check out the full webinar from Apartments.com.
