What’s Tanking Your Lease-Up Performance? 7 Fixes You Can Make Today

Stop guessing. Start optimizing. These quick wins can save your lease-up.

Lease-ups are high-stakes, high-pressure, and every week matters. When performance stalls, it can feel like throwing more budget into a black hole. But often it’s not about spending more, it’s about spending smarter.

Whether you’re mid-cycle or about to launch, here are 7 common problems that tank lease-up performance, and what you can do today to fix them.

1. Your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Strategy Isn’t Focused Enough

You’re investing in Google Ads and seeing clicks roll in, but when it comes to actual tours or signed leases… Crickets. That’s a major red flag that your campaigns are casting too wide of a net.

Lease-ups are all about speed and precision. With limited time to hit occupancy targets, every click needs to count. Broad keywords like “apartments near me” or “best places to live” might drive a high volume of traffic, but that traffic is often unqualified or not ready to convert. Worse, they can burn through your budget before serious renters even find your listing.

It’s time to get laser-focused. Start by refining your keyword strategy around high-intent, geo-specific terms that reflect where your prospects are in the funnel. Instead of broad match terms, build your campaigns with phrases like:

• “New 1-bedroom apartments in [Neighborhood]”
  
• “Pet-friendly apartments near [Landmark]”
  
• “Now leasing in [City] with move-in specials”
  

These are the types of searches people make when they’re close to signing, not just daydreaming.

👉 Pro Tip: Use sitelinks and structured snippets in your ad copy to make your listing richer and more click-worthy. You can highlight:

• Price ranges or lease specials (“From $1,650/mo – 1 Month Free!”)
  
• Community perks (“Resort-Style Pool · EV Charging · Pet Spa”)
  
• Callouts for urgency (“Now Pre-Leasing · Limited Units Left”)
  

Not only do these extensions increase your real estate on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), they also guide more qualified users straight to the pages they care about most.

💡 Bonus tip: Layer on ZIP code and radius-based geo-fencing to ensure your ads are reaching renters in-market and in the right location. 

For example, targeting a 3-mile radius around nearby employers or universities can deliver far better ROI than a general city-wide campaign.

Still not converting? Audit your landing pages. If your ads are sending traffic to a homepage instead of a floorplan or availability page, you’re likely losing people before they take the next step.

2. Your Google Business Profile Is Underutilized

You created your Google Business Profile (GBP) when the property opened (great start!), but then left it to collect digital dust. Now it’s outdated, inconsistent, or just plain invisible to prospective renters.

Your Google Business Profile is one of your most powerful (and free!) local SEO tools. It’s often the first thing people see when they search for your property, or even just “apartments near me.” But Google is increasingly rewarding active, up-to-date profiles and punishing ones that sit idle.

Let it go stale, and your ranking can plummet. Worse, you could end up suspended or unverified altogether, especially in the current wave of GBP suspensions. When that happens, your listing disappears from Maps and local search, killing visibility right when you need it most.

Treat your GBP like a living marketing channel, not a one-and-done directory listing.

• Post weekly updates. Highlight resident events, leasing specials, community updates, or amenity photos.
  
• Update your hours. Especially around holidays or move-in weekends, nothing frustrates prospects more than showing up to a closed leasing office.
  
• Rotate your images. Make sure they’re current, seasonal, and reflective of what renters will actually see. Outdated or poorly lit photos can instantly undercut your first impression.
  
• Double-check your NAP. (Name, Address, Phone). Even tiny inconsistencies across your online listings can hurt your local SEO and increase the risk of suspension.
  

👉 Pro Tip: Managing multiple GBPs across a portfolio? Automating this can save you serious time. Digible’s Fiona GBP AI Posts tool makes it easy to push out timely, relevant content across all your communities, keeping your listings fresh, search-optimized, and compliant without the manual lift.

❗️Bonus insight: Google has been suspending or unverifying GBPs at a much higher rate in 2024 and 2025, often with no clear explanation. This trend makes weekly updates more important than ever. Active profiles are less likely to be flagged, and faster to recover if they are.

A well-managed GBP is more than a box to check, it’s a lead driver, a trust signal, and a local search superpower. If you’re trying to fill units fast, don’t leave it idle.

3. You’re Not Retargeting Leads (or You’re Doing It Wrong)

A renter checks out your floorplans, pokes around your amenities page, maybe even glances at pricing, and then… vanishes. Sound familiar?

That’s where retargeting comes in. But simply showing ads again isn’t enough. If your retargeting strategy looks the same for every visitor, you’re missing the opportunity to guide them through the leasing journey with messaging that matches their mindset.

Retargeting is your second (and sometimes third or fourth) chance to convert a renter. It works because prospects don’t usually convert on the first visit, especially in a high-stakes decision like leasing an apartment.

But relevance is everything. Retargeting with a generic “Schedule a Tour” ad after someone just bounced from your homepage won’t move the needle. On the other hand, reminding a hot lead who viewed pricing or availability that only a few units are left? That creates urgency and leases.

Smart retargeting = segmentation + customized messaging.

Here’s How to Start Retargeting

• Segment your audiences based on site behavior:
  
  • Homepage bouncers = awareness level
    
  • Floorplan or pricing page viewers = consideration stage
    
  • Tour form starters = high intent
    
• Match the message to the moment:
  
  • Window shoppers → “Tour This Weekend and Get a Gift Card”
    
  • High-intent renters → “Only 2 Units Left! Move-in Ready 2BR”
    
  • Past residents or bounced traffic → “Welcome Back! Come See What’s New”
    
• Use urgency and incentives strategically, but sparingly, and avoid sounding spammy or desperate.
  

👉 Pro Tip: Don’t limit yourself to static banner ads. Video and carousel formats consistently outperform in retargeting campaigns, especially on platforms like Meta, where visual storytelling drives more engagement. 

Show off your pool, highlight your floorplans, or create a quick resident testimonial. Even a 15-second iPhone tour can make a huge impact when it’s placed in front of the right audience at the right time.

❗️Bonus Idea: Set frequency caps. No one wants to see your ad 27 times in one week. Too much exposure creates ad fatigue (and a little brand resentment).

Effective retargeting isn’t just about bringing people back, it’s about saying the right thing when they return. If your lease-up performance is stalling, a segmented, behavior-based retargeting funnel could be the difference between “just browsing” and “just signed.”

4. Your Landing Pages Are Leaking Leads

You’ve got traffic flowing in from PPC, social, and ILS listings, but conversions? Not so much. If your lease-up landing page isn’t optimized to capture interest immediately, you’re basically pouring your marketing dollars into a sieve.

Your landing page is your digital leasing office. It’s where curiosity turns into action, or doesn’t. In the fast-paced world of lease-ups, every click counts. If prospects hit your page and feel confused, underwhelmed, or overwhelmed, they’ll bounce and probably head to a competitor.

Audit your lease-up landing page with a critical eye. Ask yourself: Is this page designed for renters, or for marketers?

Here are Small Improvements to Make On Your Websites That Have Big Results

➡️ Make your CTA clear, prominent, and action-oriented

Swap vague language like “Learn More” for “Schedule a Tour” or “Check Availability.” Make sure there’s a form or call-to-action above the fold (especially on mobile).

➡️ Keep your floorplan info current

Outdated pricing, unavailable units, or generic descriptions kill credibility. Include real-time availability if possible, or at least make it clear what’s still open.

➡️ Use trust-builders

Social proof is powerful. Add:

• A quote from a happy resident
  
• A brief Google review snippet
  
• Photos from a recent resident event
  
• Any awards your property has received

➡️ Offer a compelling incentive

A strong lease-up offer can tip the scale. Try something like:

• “Apply by May 31st and receive a $500 Visa gift card”
  
• “Limited-Time: 1 Month Free on Select Floorplans”

Be sure to match the promo with the page visitor’s intent; don’t lead with discounts if you’re talking to a luxury audience who values exclusivity over deals.

➡️ Optimize for mobile

Most apartment searches happen on mobile. That means:

• Use large tap targets, i.e. clear CTAs
  
• Keep text legible
  
• Add a click-to-call button (especially important for prospects in the decision phase)
  

➡️ Don’t ignore speed

A slow-loading page is a deal-breaker. According to Google, pages that take more than 3 seconds to load lose about 53% of mobile users. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to audit your performance and trim the fat.

👉 Pro Tip: Treat your landing page like a digital leasing agent. It should be helpful, persuasive, and frictionless. Every section should earn its place and move the renter closer to a decision.

If you’re running strong campaigns but your site isn’t converting, your landing page is likely the weakest link. Fixing it doesn’t require a full website overhaul, just thoughtful tweaks based on user behavior.

5. You’re Ignoring Local SEO

When prospects Google “apartments in [City]” or “1-bedroom near [Neighborhood],”and your property isn’t showing up, that means fewer organic clicks, fewer qualified leads, and more money spent on paid traffic to fill the gap.

Local SEO is one of the most cost-effective ways to drive high-intent traffic. Unlike paid search, it doesn’t stop working when your ad budget runs dry. And in the lease-up phase, where speed and efficiency matter, appearing organically in search gives you a powerful edge.

Here’s the kicker: ILS sites and aggregators like Apartments.com often dominate these searches not because they’re better options, but because they’ve mastered local SEO. If your property website isn’t optimized, you’re giving them the first click (and your leads) on a silver platter.

The Fix: Improve Local Organic Search

It’s time to give your local SEO the attention it deserves.

➡️ Nail Your Metadata

Your title tags and meta descriptions are the first things users see in search. Make them count.

Example:

• Title Tag: “The Paloma | Luxury 1 & 2-Bedroom Apartments in Denver’s RiNo District”
• Meta Description: “Now leasing brand-new apartments near downtown Denver. Pet-friendly, modern amenities, and move-in specials available, schedule your tour today!”

➡️ Add Geo-Specific Content

Google loves context, and so do your renters.

Create location-rich content like:

• Neighborhood guides (“Top 5 Coffee Shops Near The Paloma”)
  
• Transit access tips (“Commute from RiNo to Downtown in Under 15 Minutes”)
  
• Local event roundups (“Things to Do This Summer Near Your New Apartment”)

This not only helps with SEO but builds an emotional connection with prospects.

➡️ Claim & Optimize Listings

Ensure your property is accurately listed on:

• Google Business Profile
  
• Apple Maps
  
• Yelp
  
• Bing Places

Fill out every field, including hours, categories, phone number, photos, and especially your primary business category. And make sure your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) are consistent everywhere.

➡️ Don’t Sleep on Google Business Profile

Weekly posts, updated photos, and responses to reviews help keep your listing active and favored by Google’s algorithm. (Pro tip: Use Fiona GBP AI Posts to automate this across your entire portfolio.)

➡️ Use Schema Markup

Schema is the behind-the-scenes code that helps Google understand what’s on your site. Implementing Local Business schema allows Google to pull in enhanced info like operating hours, amenities, and location, boosting your visibility in search and map results.

👉 Pro Tip: Think of local SEO as your 24/7 leasing assistant. It doesn’t take breaks, doesn’t eat your budget, and doesn’t ghost your leads. The stronger your local presence, the fewer dollars you’ll need to spend elsewhere to hit your lease-up goals.

6. You’re Not Measuring Channel Effectiveness by Lease

You’re tracking leads, but not asking the real question: How many of those leads are actually turning into leases?

It’s a common trap. ILSs and other channels love to brag about lead volume, but high lead counts don’t always mean high performance. If those leads aren’t converting, you’re essentially paying for noise.

Not all traffic is created equal.

That shiny ILS may be sending dozens of “leads,” but if most of those prospects are unqualified, duplicated, or ghosting your leasing team, your cost-per-lease is ballooning while your leasing velocity stalls.

In a lease-up, time is money. Every dollar you spend needs to push prospects further down the funnel, not pile up in your CRM.

The Fix: Shift From Volume to Value

To get a true picture of what’s working, you need to measure cost-per-lease by channel, not just cost-per-lead.

Here’s how to start:

➡️ Step 1: Pull Source-Level Data from Your CRM

Dig into each channel, ILS, paid search, paid social, organic, referrals, etc., and track:

• Total leads
• Number of tours
• Number of leases
• Cost per lease

If your CRM doesn’t support this view, Digible’s Fiona platform does. It connects media spend with lead source and lease outcome, property by property, channel by channel.

➡️ Step 2: Spot the Outliers

Identify:

• High-cost channels with low lease conversion
  
• Low-cost channels with strong ROI
  
• Channels with high duplication rates (you may be paying for the same prospect more than once)

This helps you cut waste and double down where the returns are real.

➡️ Step 3: Reallocate Budget Strategically

Once you know what’s driving leases, not just clicks, you can reinvest budget into higher-performing tactics like:

• Paid search for high-intent renters
  
• Social + display to warm up prospects
  
• Retargeting to re-engage bouncers
  
• SEO + GBP for long-term visibility and trust

👉 Pro Tip: If a channel is bringing in duplicate leads or underwhelming conversions, trim the fat. Even shifting 10–15% of your ILS budget into more targeted paid media can make a significant impact on cost-per-lease and marketing efficiency.

Lead volume feels good, but lease volume pays the bills. If you’re not measuring the true performance of each marketing channel, you could be burning budget that would be better spent elsewhere.

7. You’re Not Using Enough Creative Variation

Your ads are stale, and your prospects have seen the same pool photo and “Now Leasing!” headline one too many times.

Even the best-performing ad creative has a shelf life. When the same images and messages keep showing up across Facebook, Instagram, Google Display, and other platforms, your audience starts tuning out. 

This phenomenon, known as ad fatigue, can silently tank your campaign performance, leading to lower engagement, fewer clicks, and ultimately, fewer leases.

Lease-ups are a sprint, not a marathon. You have limited time to make a big impact, and your audience is constantly scrolling past brands that fail to stand out.

Relying on a single ad set for weeks on end kills momentum. Plus, each prospect is drawn to different things. Some care about in-unit washer/dryers. Others want that rooftop dog park. Your creative strategy should reflect that.

The Fix: Prioritize Creative Rotation & Personalization

To keep your campaigns fresh and effective:

➡️ Rotate Creatives Every 2–3 Weeks

Swap out:

• Headlines: Test urgency-driven CTAs (“1 Month Free Ends Soon!”) vs. feature-focused hooks (“Tour Our Brand-New Clubhouse”).
  
• Images: Highlight different amenities, resident experiences, or seasonal scenes. Think: pool photos in May, cozy lounges in October.
  
• Copy: Emphasize promotions, floor plans, or neighborhood perks. Don’t say the same thing 10 different ways; say 10 different things.
  

➡️ Segment Your Messaging

Target different creative to different audiences:

• First-time website visitors? Hit them with a brand intro or lifestyle reel.
  
• Repeat visitors who checked the pricing page? Serve up urgency, “Only 2 Units Left in Floorplan B!”

➡️ Match Your Creative to Funnel Stage

• Top-of-funnel: Broad lifestyle visuals, community vibe, brand awareness
  
• Mid-funnel: Amenity highlights, virtual tours, testimonials
  
• Bottom-of-funnel: Floorplan details, pricing, move-in dates, limited-time offers

👉 Pro Tip: Use video walkthroughs, Reels-style social clips, or UGC (user-generated content) for an authentic feel that builds trust and outperforms static images. People love seeing real spaces and real experiences, especially in a decision as personal as choosing a home.

Not sure where to start? Ask your current residents to share a video tour or post-event footage (with permission) and repurpose that into short, engaging clips.

In today’s fast-scrolling digital landscape, creative is your currency. If you’re not refreshing your ads often, you’re losing the attention (and leases) of renters who’ve already seen what you’re offering.

Don’t Let Underperformance Snowball

Lease-ups are unforgiving. One slow month can ripple through the whole campaign. The good news? These are all fixes you can make right now, with the tools you already have.

And if you’re tired of playing digital detective, Digible is here to help. Our team of strategists, analysts, and media experts work together to identify the gaps, optimize spend, and turn stuck lease-ups into success stories.

Need an expert second opinion? Book a free call with us today.