The self-storage buyer’s journey has changed. Data shows that customers now consult more than 20 online sources before making a rental decision. To make your business more competitive and zero in on the best potential renters, you need to show up at every touchpoint along that journey. After all, the key to an effective marketing strategy is delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.
By understanding the following touchpoints, you can accurately tailor your messaging to the buyer’s needs, creating a hyper-personal digital experience. This leads to measurable and actionable results that drive the most qualified leads.
The Touchpoints
Search engine optimization (SEO). If you haven’t optimized your website for search engines, you could be missing out on qualified traffic. SEO helps you show up in organic searches. Start with foundational SEO, and keep your on- and off-page SEO elements current.
Digital advertising. This is one of the most effective methods for lead generation with a more immediate impact. Appearing at the top of search results with digital advertising helps increase brand awareness and greets people where they are online. You’ll also need display, remarketing and social advertising to move prospects along the path to leasing.
Mobile-first website. Google recommends companies design their websites to be “mobile-first,” as mobile devices now account for more than 50 percent of overall Web traffic. A mobile-first site focuses on page speed and a clean design that displays correctly on small, vertical screens. Your website should load fast and tell your brand story.
Google My Business (GMB) listing. GMB is the most important tool for managing how your company information displays in maps and searches. Having a GMB listing allows you to maintain accurate name, address, phone number and website links on Google, which is essential for attracting new leads. It’s also important to maintain other online business listings, or citations, as they account for 11 percent of local pack-ranking factors.
Reputation. More than 90 percent of people say online reviews affect their purchase decisions. If you want buyers to trust your company, you need to respond appropriate to positive and negative reviews. Search engines also use customer reviews in their ranking algorithms.
Social media. Being involved in relevant conversations on social networks, whether as a participant or quiet observer, provides insight to the buyer experience. Directly communicating with your audience builds trust, encourages engagement and can lead to more qualified leads. By taking the reins on your online reputation and social presence, you can control what’s being said to and about your brand.
Make an Impact
The self-storage buyer’s journey has changed, and you need to be present at each touchpoint along that journey to make an impact. With consumers viewing an abundance of content every day, they may only pay attention to hyper-personalized, timely and relevant information. Once you understand how and when your audience moves through the buying cycle, you’ll be able provide the digital experience they expect, leading to more leases.
Celena Canode is a marketing campaign manager at G5, a provider of digital marketing solutions to the self-storage industry. It’s a predictive marketing software-as-a-service company that uses artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to help marketers amplify their impact. Through its Intelligent Marketing Cloud, G5 delivers performance and scalability through predictive analytics, hyper-personalized customer experiences and continuous spend optimization. For more information, call 800.554.1965; visit www.getg5.com.
