Why Multifamily Marketers Must Optimize Beyond Google

The search landscape has shifted dramatically, and Google no longer holds the monopoly it once did. 

While it still leads with 18.8% of the global search marketshare, platforms like Instagram, Baidu, Snapchat, and Amazon are gaining traction, each carving out its own space in how users search for and interact with content. 

Instagram has secured its position as the second-largest search platform, reflecting a clear trend: search behavior is diversifying.

For multifamily marketers, this shift means that SEO strategies can’t rely solely on Google anymore. With users increasingly turning to alternative platforms to discover properties, neighborhoods, and community experiences, the goal must be to optimize for multiple search engines and social platforms to stay relevant and visible. 

The future of SEO lies in embracing this fragmented search ecosystem and crafting strategies that work across platforms.

Why Google Isn’t the Only Search Game in Town

While Google continues to be a leader in search, its dominance is gradually shrinking as users explore platforms tailored to specific needs. For multifamily properties, this shift signals a need to diversify SEO strategies and rethink digital multifamily marketing efforts. Platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Amazon are becoming integral to how users search for information, make decisions, and engage with brands.

Instagram, for example, has evolved into a powerful search engine in its own right. Users frequently search for local businesses, community visuals, and reviews on the platform, making it an invaluable tool for multifamily marketers looking to enhance user experience. Between Instagram’s visual appeal and ability to optimize posts with long-tail keywords, marketers can connect with potential renters where they’re already searching.

Snapchat offers another avenue, especially for targeting younger demographics. Its visual-first approach aligns well with creating high-quality content that resonates with users deciding where to live. Incorporating keyword research into captions and leveraging geotargeted filters can boost visibility for multifamily properties in local searches.

Although primarily a marketplace, Amazon plays a surprising role in organic searches related to housing essentials and living spaces. Multifamily marketers can use this platform to create content that links back to their properties, like blog posts about decorating small apartments or tips for maximizing storage. This strategy increases organic traffic and strengthens the marketing plan by addressing users’ specific search queries.

Relying solely on Google rank means missing opportunities to connect with your target audience across platforms where they spend significant time. Diversifying your content creation efforts to optimize for multiple platforms ensures that your multifamily property ranks higher in organic searches and builds trust with potential renters.

Strategies to Optimize Beyond Google

If you only optimize your content for Google, you’ll likely miss out on many prospects. This is why we recommend the new SEO approach. 

What’s the “new” SEO? It’s “search everywhere optimization.” This means we must take more ownership to optimize beyond Google.

SEO is evolving and you need to adapt to help maintain overall traffic levels through new ways of thinking and modern practices. 

Even Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, said, “One of the ways to be successful with Google Search is to think beyond it.”

Here are some key strategies to help you succeed:

1. Optimize for Visual Search on Instagram

Instagram is a powerhouse for visual storytelling. The demand for quick, visually engaging content is reshaping how people search. Video content is shared twice as much as other formats, and 58% of Instagram users report feeling more connected to a brand after watching their Instagram stories. Social media platforms now serve as discovery tools, helping users find local businesses, community events, or even apartment listings.

Create content that highlights property amenities, neighborhood culture, and resident experiences. Use location-based hashtags, geotags, and Instagram Stories to enhance discoverability. High-quality, engaging visuals are more likely to appear in search results and resonate with users exploring apartment living.

2. Leverage Local SEO on Multiple Platforms

While Google Business Profile is crucial, expanding local SEO efforts to include platforms like Bing and Yelp can amplify your visibility. Ensure your property listings include accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details across all platforms.

3. Embrace Short-Form Videos for Snapchat

Snapchat’s focus on ephemeral content makes it a valuable tool for showcasing quick property tours, community events, or local attractions. Short-form video content optimized for Snapchat can help you connect with younger audiences searching for lifestyle-oriented apartment options.

4. Enhance E-Commerce Style Listings on Amazon

Amazon’s search functionality isn’t just for products. It’s increasingly used to explore service offerings and local listings. Multifamily properties can capitalize by creating product-style listings that detail apartment features, benefits, and even move-in packages.

5. Incorporate Schema Markup Across Platforms

Structured data remains a cornerstone of multifamily SEO, but its application must extend beyond Google. Use schema markup to enhance your property listings on Instagram, Amazon, and other platforms to ensure search engines and users can easily interpret your content.

6. Track Cross-Platform Search Behavior

Use analytics tools beyond Google Analytics to track engagement and search trends across platforms. Understanding how your audience interacts with each platform allows you to fine-tune your strategies and allocate resources effectively.

7. Spark Interest With TikTok SEO

TikTok is also a major player in reshaping search behavior. Users turn to TikTok for quick, authentic reviews, how-to guides, and viral trends that often create or reignite search demand on platforms like Google or Amazon. For example, products that gain traction on TikTok, like turmeric skincare or Lululemon’s belt bag, see surges in related search terms across other channels. Multifamily marketers can apply the same principle by creating TikTok videos showcasing property amenities or neighborhood highlights, sparking interest that leads to deeper searches elsewhere.

TikTok SEO involves more than just hashtags. Saying keywords in the audio, using text overlays, and adding keywords in captions and transcriptions all contribute to improved visibility. Embedding TikTok videos on your website can also increase engagement and complement traditional SEO strategies.

8. Attract High-Intent Audiences on Pinterest

With over 450 million active users monthly, Pinterest has become a vital visual search engine that multifamily marketers can leverage to increase brand awareness, drive organic traffic, and engage potential renters. Pinterest users are intentional searchers; this means they often use the platform to gather inspiration or make purchasing decisions, making it an ideal place to attract high-intent audiences.

Pinterest operates on a search-based algorithm, similar to Google. Research relevant keywords using tools like Pinterest Trends or keyword research tools. Focus on terms that resonate with potential renters, such as “luxury apartments,” “pet-friendly communities,” or “downtown living inspiration.” Incorporate target keywords naturally into pin titles and descriptions to improve search discoverability. Create video pins showcasing property tours, local attractions, or resident testimonials to capture attention and engage users.

The New Rules of Multifamily SEO

The rise of alternative search platforms doesn’t mean Google is obsolete, but it does mean multifamily marketers need a more nuanced strategy. Prioritize platforms based on your target audience’s preferences and behaviors. 

For example, if your demographic is Gen Z, focusing on Instagram and Snapchat might yield better results than traditional Google SEO. Conversely, Amazon’s utility-driven search features could be more effective if you’re targeting families or professionals.

Diversifying your SEO efforts ensures that your property remains discoverable across various search contexts, whether it’s a renter looking for reviews on Instagram or exploring nearby amenities on Snapchat.

Looking Ahead: A Multi-Platform Future

As search behavior continues to evolve, staying ahead requires a mindset shift. Think beyond Google to create a comprehensive presence across platforms. By optimizing for Instagram’s visual searches, Amazon’s utility-driven queries, and Snapchat’s ephemeral content, you’ll position your property to attract renters no matter where they search.

In a world where Google no longer owns search, the key to success lies in flexibility, creativity, and a willingness to meet your audience where they are — across every platform that matters.

The Experiment That Could Redefine Search

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is an ambitious experiment that aims to revolutionize how we interact with search engines. However, like any groundbreaking innovation, it’s far from a finished product. 

Just as self-driving cars require years of refinement, testing, and real-world adaptation, SGE needs time to mature, improve its technology, and assess its impact on users.

Yet, there’s a growing assumption that SGE — and generative AI platforms like ChatGPT or Bard — will completely disrupt search as we know it, replacing traditional methods and consolidating how we find information. 

But this binary thinking oversimplifies the evolution of technology. Just as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and X each carve out unique roles in the social media ecosystem, multiple platforms and models can coexist in the search landscape.

Every platform serves a specific purpose, and user behavior adapts based on the context. While SGE Google and AI-driven platforms bring exciting possibilities, they’re not one-size-fits-all solutions. Traditional search still holds value, offering depth and precision in ways AI hasn’t mastered yet. 

What is SGE?

Before diving into the misconceptions, let’s first clarify what SGE is all about.

SGE represents Google’s effort to enhance traditional search using AI. It aims to provide users with deeper, more intuitive search results for every query. The goal is to transform how people search, simplify complex inquiries, and deliver faster, more actionable insights.

According to Google, SGE enables users to:

• Ask more nuanced and descriptive questions that go beyond traditional keyword searches.
• Quickly grasp the essence of a topic with curated links to explore further details.
• Kickstart tasks like drafting content or generating images directly within the search interface.
• Seamlessly continue their search journey with conversational follow-ups and suggested next steps.

At its core, SGE isn’t just about answering questions — it’s about reimagining how we interact with information, making the process more dynamic, contextual, and efficient.

Why does Google SGE matter?

SGE represents the next evolution of search engines. Rather than displaying a list of blue links, SGE provides AI-generated responses to user queries, often summarizing key information from top-ranking content. This means that search engines like Google are moving toward offering users direct, concise answers without requiring them to click through multiple sites.

This shift changes the game for multifamily marketers. If your property’s website, blog, or content marketing strategy isn’t optimized to appear in SGE responses, you risk losing visibility and, ultimately, potential leads. Traditional SEO principles still apply, but they must be expanded to align with how AI curates and prioritizes content.

What’s the impact on multifamily marketing?

1. Shifting visibility from clicks to summaries

Google SGE reduces reliance on traditional organic clicks by summarizing content directly within the search engine results page (SERP). If your content isn’t surfaced in AI summaries, this could mean fewer direct website visits for multifamily properties.

However, the upside is that well-optimized content has the potential to be featured in these summaries, increasing your visibility to renters at a critical stage in their search journey. Being included in an SGE response could position your property as a trusted, go-to source.

2. Increased importance of informational content

Renters often use search engines to explore neighborhoods, compare amenities, or find advice on leasing. SGE prioritizes content that answers these queries comprehensively and accurately. Thus, producing high-quality, value-driven informational content is more critical than ever.

Blogs, FAQs, and resources tailored to renter pain points — such as “best neighborhoods for families” or “tips for leasing your first apartment” — can position your property as an authoritative source that SGE highlights.

3. AI-powered local search optimization

SGE leverages AI to improve local search accuracy. For multifamily properties, this means that appearing in SGE summaries for queries like “best apartments near downtown Austin” or “pet-friendly apartments in Miami” requires a renewed focus on local SEO tactics. Accurate Google Business Profiles, consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) data, and localized content are crucial in being featured.

AI Disclaimers and Compliance

As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, ensuring transparency and compliance has become a priority for businesses leveraging these tools. Integrating SGE into search engines like Google amplifies this need, as users demand clarity and authenticity in the content they interact with.

Why do you need AI disclaimers?

A Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey revealed that 94% of consumers believe all AI content should be disclosed, highlighting a growing concern about transparency. Furthermore, 46% of consumers are less likely to buy from a brand that posts AI-generated content without acknowledgment. This sentiment underscores the importance of building trust with your audience by clearly stating when content is created or assisted by AI.

Many publications, including Google itself, have begun adding disclaimers to articles produced entirely or in part by AI. These disclaimers inform readers and reinforce a brand’s commitment to transparency and ethical practices.

How can multifamily marketers comply?

Incorporating AI disclaimers into your content strategy ensures compliance with emerging best practices while fostering trust among renters:

• Transparency in Content: Include disclaimers on blog posts, emails, or FAQs indicating when AI tools were used in content creation.
• Blend Human Creativity with AI: Balance AI-generated outputs with human insights to maintain an authentic voice that resonates with your audience.
• Train Your Team: Equip your marketing team with guidelines on using AI ethically and disclosing its involvement appropriately.

Adapting Your Strategy for SGE Success

As clickthrough rates decline, ads become less common, and long-tail queries gain prominence, multifamily marketers must adapt to thrive. Here are actionable ways to ensure your strategy aligns with this new era:

1. Optimize for conversational queries

SGE responds to conversational, natural-language questions such as “What are the best luxury apartments in Chicago?” Your content needs to mirror this format. Create blog posts, FAQs, and landing pages that address these questions directly. Use tools like ChatGPT or Google’s “People Also Ask” data to uncover common renter questions and answer them comprehensively in your content.

2. Create long-form, comprehensive content

SGE favors detailed, authoritative content. If your site lacks in-depth resources about your property, community, or the renting process, now is the time to build them. Write detailed blog posts, such as “10 Things to Know Before Renting in Downtown Denver,” incorporating local insights, amenities, and tips to position your property as a trusted expert.

3. Emphasize structured data

Structured data helps search engines understand your content, improving its chances of being included in SGE summaries. Multifamily properties can use schema markup for local business details, reviews, pricing, and amenities. Implement schema for apartments to showcase your property’s unique selling points, such as floorplans, neighborhood details, and available units.

4. Prioritize high-quality local SEO

Local search is crucial for multifamily marketing, and SGE heightens the importance of accurate, localized information. Ensure your Google Business Profile is updated and reflects your property’s offerings. Include location-specific keywords in your meta descriptions, page titles, and content to ensure visibility in location-based queries.

5. Leverage multimedia content

SGE often integrates videos and images into its responses. Multifamily properties that create visually engaging content like property tours, community highlights, and testimonials are more likely to stand out. Create short, engaging videos optimized for YouTube and embed them on your site to increase the likelihood of appearing in search engine results pages.

6. Prioritize E-E-A-T

Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust (E-E-A-T) have always been crucial in SEO, but they are even more important in a generative AI world. SGE prioritizes content that exudes credibility and reliability. To excel:

• Showcase experience through user testimonials, case studies, and real-life success stories.
• Highlight expertise with well-researched blog posts and insights.
• Build authority by earning backlinks from reputable sources and optimizing local SEO.
• Reinforce trust through transparent AI disclaimers and high-quality, factual content.

7. Optimize for long-tail keywords

SGE’s focus on detailed, conversational queries makes long-tail keywords more important than ever. By diving deeper into niche topics, you can increase the likelihood of your content being included in SGE responses.

Instead of targeting general terms like “luxury apartments,” optimize for queries such as “luxury apartments near public transit in Denver” or “pet-friendly studio apartments in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.”

8. Anticipate lower clickthrough rates

With SGE providing detailed summaries directly on the SERP, users may click through less often. However, this doesn’t diminish the importance of your content — it simply shifts its role. High-quality, scannable content will likely be featured in SGE summaries, ensuring your brand remains visible even if clicks decline.

Pro Tip: To measure your content’s success beyond traditional clickthrough rates, focus on engagement metrics like time on page, bounce rate, and conversion rate.

9. Prepare for fewer ads

As Google integrates SGE, the volume of ads may decrease, making organic visibility even more competitive. To maintain a presence:

• Double down on SEO strategies that align with AI, such as content that answers user queries comprehensively.
• Invest in high-value ad placements that offer tangible ROI rather than spreading your budget across low-performing campaigns.

Adapting to What’s Next

The future isn’t about one technology replacing another — it’s about how these platforms evolve, specialize, and find their place in a constantly shifting digital ecosystem.

Time will tell how SGE reshapes search, how users adapt, and how businesses respond. But what’s clear is this: navigating this new terrain requires a thoughtful strategy, an open mind, and a willingness to adapt to what’s next.