These days, people are accessing your website through any number of ways, including desktop computers, tablets, mobile phones and more.  It’s not safe to assume they’re looking at a nice, large display of your website on a 15-inch laptop.  In fact, according to Read Write Web mobile internet usage has doubled every year since 2009.  Think about the differences in what a person can actually view on a screen when using any of those devices.  A web page viewed on that 15-inch laptop with several paragraphs of decorative-font text and large photos mixed in is going to be a struggle to read when squished down and viewed on a 3.5-inch phone screen.

So what are some ways to simplify and optimize a website to provide the most value on a mobile device? Read More

Here are three quick tips to help your email messages reach your subscribers’ inboxes, avoid spam complaints and maintain your status as a reputable sender:

1) Ensure you are sending relevant messages to subscribers who have expressly opted in to receive your emails. For example, if a prospective renter signs up to receive property listings, the last thing they’ll want to see is an advertisement in their inbox about the latest weight loss trick!  There are many people out there who want to receive promotional emails, provided that you give them exactly what they’ve asked for. Read More

This week the staff at Apartments.com paid a visit to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless to present them with a check for $15,000 to culminate “Raising Awareness.  Taking Action: A Campaign to Help End Homelessness.”  During the two-month campaign, kicking off in November to coincide with National Homeless Awareness Month, Apartments.com promised to donate $1 to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless for every Like we received on our Facebook page.  While we are so pleased to announce over 6,000 Facebook Likes were earned in response to this important initiative, the team at Apartments.com wanted to go above and beyond the number of Likes and present this well-deserving organization with a check for $15,000.

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It may have taken a while to get here, but winter is upon us.  If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate city, you don’t have to worry about snow removal.  But for the rest of us, winter means investing in a durable pair of boots, warm gloves and a shovel.

Although every city is different, most have an ordinance or code about keeping walkways clear during the winter.  As a property manager or owner, it’s important to stay informed on your city’s policies concerning who is responsible for snow removal, when it has to happen and to what extent.  It’s possible to be held liable if someone slips and falls on your property or a walkway that you are deemed responsible for clearing.  Your city should make this information public and easy to understand.  For instance, the Chicago Department of Transportation has a website, pamphlet and video explaining the importance of snow removal for residents and businesses.  The City of Denver lays out how they enforce their snow removal policies  and what their consequences are, while the City of Boston gives clear Do’s and Don’ts.  Visit your city’s website to read about ordinances specific to you. Read More

According to a recent study done by SatisFacts, move-out costs are estimated to average around $3,900.  When presented with figures like that, you have to think what can we do differently so our residents choose to renew their lease instead of leave.  You may be surprised to find that 54% of residents choose not to renew their lease based on controllable reasons such as poor customer service and lack of responsiveness.  You can find simple, inexpensive fixes to reconcile these issues and keep your residents coming back. 

Ashley Halligan of Software Advice, recently wrote an article about resident retention strategies, featuring an interview with Doug Miller, President of SatisFacts.  Ashley collected thoughts from property managers and retention research experts to present three strategies to increase resident retention.  She suggests starting with customer service, focusing on value, offering innovative perks and, in the end, keeping it simple.  You can read Ashley’s entire article here. Read More

As an Android enthusiast and a proud apartment dweller, I can assure you that my mobile phone never left my side while I was pounding the pavement during my last apartment search.  And, I’m not alone.  In a year or two, mobile phones are predicated to overtake PCs for accessing information online, which will certainly have an even greater impact on the way people shop for apartments.  Knowing that smartphone owners are brand loyalists (guilty!), Apartments.com launched an Android app to help provide renters—and smartphone lovers—with a variety of options to choose from during their apartment search.

A unique feature of the Apartments.com app is that it’s built according to Google’s guidelines, designed specifically for the Android phone to ensure users have the best experience.  While many companies simply port their iPhone app design over to the Android platform, we’ve tailored the rental search experience for them so that it feels like home.  With Android gaining momentum as one of the most preferred platforms across the country—representing 47% of the market share—Apartments.com is now broadening its reach to this growing segment of smartphone users looking for easy access to apartment information on the go.  Read More

Quick Tips are provided by MaryAnn Maksinski, Director of Trade Marketing.

Photos: To get the most out of your photos, help renters quickly form that all-important, emotional connection with your property.  Update the order of your photos each season to showcase the most inviting photo – start with a pool or garden photo in the warmer months and kitchen or cozy living room photo in the cooler months.  Remember to keep your photo library current after renovations and construction.  You want to build trust from the start with accurate photos of your property.

Make sure to check back for more quick tips!

This post was written by Amado Candelario, SEO Manager for Apartments.com.

Last week Google announced on their blog that they would be transforming their search experience into something rich with people and personal content.  Today, Google claims search is limited to public webpages that are created by people you’ve never met.  At the heart of this new ‘search,’ Google is looking to bring your social world closer to you than ever before:

“Search is pretty amazing at finding that one needle in a haystack of billions of webpages, images, videos, news and much more. But clearly, that isn’t enough. You should also be able to find your own stuff on the web, the people you know and things they’ve shared with you, as well as the people you don’t know but might want to… all from one search box.” – Amit Singhal, Google Fellow Read More

Is your apartment community active on Twitter?  With over 100 million users, odds are your residents are there and listening.  When you are tweeting, it’s important to keep a couple things in mind: share, ask, respond and reward. 

Your residents are following you to get more information, so make sure you are sharing a lot.  Include multimedia or links in your tweets whenever possible.  Ask your residents questions to get their feedback on everything from events to the maintenance team.  This will show you are listening and interested in what they have to say.  When your followers mention or direct message (DM) you, make sure to respond.  No one likes an inactive account.  And finally, reward your followers.  You can work with neighboring businesses to offer residents special discounts or even announce a secret pizza party being held at your community.  Your residents will appreciate the special treatment for being your follower and may even share their reward with their social media circles. Read More

If you haven’t heard of Pinterest yet, you will soon.  The popular new social site allows users to Pin items of interest onto virtual tack boards.  Links to cupcake recipes, interesting photography, Blackhawks players and wedding dresses have been inundating my feeds on both Facebook and Twitter, as people put together their boards.  The platform is still an invite only, VIP kind of site, but you can request an invitation anytime or receive one from a friend.  Here are the main things you need to know in order to speak Pinterest-ese.

Creating Boards Read More