Widely viewed as one of the best investments in commercial real estate, the self storage industry continues to grow – and that means more competition across the board. With street rates decreasing in nearly 75% of the top metros year-over-year according to the September 2019 Yardi Matrix National Self Storage Report, having a digital marketing strategy that aligns to your business goals is essential. Digital marketing is no longer a luxury reserved for the industry’s biggest names. You need it too, and G5 is here to help you get started. 

Digital Marketing: An Essential Part of Your Business Strategy

Digital marketing provides endless opportunities for self storage businesses to connect with customers in ways that go beyond print and physical marketing. Leverage data-driven website designs with online leasing, social media, digital advertising and search engines to broaden your reach and convert more leases. The analytics associated with digital marketing are also a game-changer as they offer the opportunity to monitor and track the success and ROI of your efforts. 

Digital Marketing Building Blocks

1. Have a Responsive, SEO-Optimized Website

Having a website designed for conversion is the foundation of your digital marketing strategy. You need it to showcase your brand, answer prospects’ questions, and offer online leasing. At G5, we like to think of your website as your property’s first leasing agent. Your website needs to work hard for you – displaying inventory and available storage units, showcasing amenities, and qualifying or disqualifying prospects without any interaction from your on-site team. 

Websites designed for performance turn visitors into renters. Your website needs to be responsive, meaning users have the same experience on any Internet-connected device from desktop to mobile. In order to get found in organic search results, your website should be optimized to attract local searchers. Search engine optimization (SEO) speaks your prospects’ language, optimized for precise keywords, location, and unique value. 

2. Digital Advertising for Self Storage

Having an SEO-optimized website though isn’t enough for most businesses to meet their occupancy goals. This is where digital advertising comes in. Digital advertising drives internet users searching for self storage to your website. It includes text ads placed on Google and Bing, displays ads, paid social ads, and remarketing ads that follow users after they leave your website. 

High-performing digital advertising strategies focus on specific audiences, moments, and life events in order to pre-qualify prospects before they arrive at your website. Digital advertising targeting can be used to find similar audiences that have converted on your website and target people nearby. Remarketing ads bring people back to your website after they leave without converting to reengage them.  

3. Get Social

We recently blogged about Why Self Storage Companies Should Be Using Facebook Business. Billions of people use Facebook, the world’s largest social network, to interact with friends, family, and brands. Your customers spend their time on Facebook and other social networks like Instagram and Twitter, which means you should have a presence there, too. 

Facebook Business provides a wealth of resources for self storage operators as well as a platform where you can communicate directly with customers and prospects. Access valuable insights through Facebook Analytics. Understanding how to grow your business is essential and Facebook Analytics provides cost-effective and efficient methods to help you make informed decisions. 

Take the time to optimize your Facebook page and then get started with Facebook Ads. This allows you to promote your storage units and services through social advertising. Use Facebook Ads to create highly targeted campaigns that allow you to reach specific demographics by interest, location, and life events. Digital marketing and targeted advertising help you reach the right prospects at the right time with the right message to drive highly qualified leads to your conversion-optimized website. 

Understanding the Value of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing provides self storage operators with a wealth of data about their customers, prospects, advertising campaigns, and website visitors. Real data helps you make smarter, more informed decisions about where to spend your marketing dollars. Digital marketing is essential to your business strategy as the self storage market has continued to grow and become more competitive. Get started with a responsive, SEO and conversion-optimized website that draws visitors from organic search, digital advertising, and social media. 

Download G5’s latest Self Storage Digital State of the Industry Report to stay on top of current trends.