Traditionally, self storage facilities used newspaper and radio ads in their local community to drive new customers, but in today’s digital world it requires a strong online presence to attract new self storage customers.
The majority of adults age 28 - 54 turn to the internet when they are looking for something, whether it’s to make an online purchase to seek out information about a local business or service. You have to be willing to put your business in front of consumers on the platforms they are most active and use when looking for a self storage facility.
Imagine if you could have an online presence that allows you to attract interested prospects, have them rent self storage lockers and containers from your facility, and manage their account all online? Would that make running your business easier?
It can be done, and we are going to help you understand what it takes to rent your self storage units online and leverage the infinite amount of website traffic available to you.
By creating an online marketing strategy for your self storage facility you are positioning your business to succeed and experience growth, and it’s something that can be started even with a limited budget and time. Let’s look at five self storage online marketing tips to help you attract new customers.
1. Create a Mobile-Friendly Website with On-Site Account Registration & Management
Your self storage facility website needs to provide a simple user experience with a focus on account registration and management. Consumers have become heavily dependant on the internet and will favor businesses that allow them to sign up and manage their accounts online.
This applies to everything from online banking to car insurance – the days of having to physically walk into a business to set up an account are over so the sooner you can implement this convenience the better.
There are several options, from pre-made account management and booking software that can be customized to full-on custom web development built specifically for your business and the units you rent out. It all depends on the budget, how large your facility is, and how much customization is required.
Not only is this convenience factor preferred by the customer, but it also makes your job easier. The more streamlined the entire process – from the initial rental and agreement signing to monthly payments – the more time available to spearhead additional growth initiatives.
Making your website mobile-friendly is important, as a large percentage of searches originate from mobile devices. Furthermore, consumers are becoming accustomed to paying bills and managing online accounts from their mobile devices.
2. Optimize Your Self Storage Website for SEO
There is a lot of potential to attract organic search traffic from Google by ranking for keywords and search terms related to common reasons why consumers need to rent self storage units. These terms are often low competition, especially when they are location-based, and typically rank with solid on-page optimization alone.
So, beyond standard keywords like “self storage units in [location],” you will want to use your blog to target more refined keywords related to the ‘why’ behind needing a storage unit. Some examples:
- “temporary storage in [location]”
- “short term storage in [location]”
- “furniture storage in [location]”
- “estate storage in [location]”
These keywords will have smaller monthly search volumes than more broad terms, but they are very specific and the people searching these terms are looking for a solution. Your blog content needs to be informative and if the consumers are confident in your solution, and you offer an easy until registration process, these keywords will convert extremely high.
In addition to your blog, create location pages on your website, each one targeting a service area – towns and cities close by that is home to potential customers. For example, a self storage facility in Dallas would want to create an “Irving TX self storage” page, as consumers living in Irving will naturally search for options in Irving and not Dallas, even though a facility in Dallas that met their needs would be something they would be interested in.
These location pages should be interlinked with your main service page, as it’s a healthy self storage SEO practice and will help pass authority to all of your service area pages.
3. Create and Maintain an Active Social Media Presence
Renting a self storage unit is typically done when someone is moving or needs to relocate belongings while in-between moves or while traveling. There is usually a little urgency and they would like to find a solution sooner than later.
Consumers will always naturally price shop, and that along with things like customer reviews and information found when Googling the self storage business name is what their final decision is based on. The actual amount of in-depth due diligence performed is minimal.
When a consumer finds your business on Google and types in your name, let’s just assume it’s “XYZ Self Storage” you want them to get a sense that your business is trustworthy. Your website should be the first result and then your social media profiles following right behind.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc. – they all have very high authority and allow you to claim more first-page real estate in the results for the name of your business. Register your business name as the username on all of your social profiles and complete your bio, including a description, your business address, and website URL.
Keep your profiles active in the event someone clicks over to them, but this is an online marketing strategy for self storage companies to help with branding more so than attracting customers through organic social media posting.
4. Run a Facebook Ads Remarketing Campaign
As mentioned, you have a small window of time to convert a prospect after they initially discover your self storage website. Not everyone will register an account or call your business after that first visit.
If they do leave, you want to get back in front of them with an irresistible offer ASAP, before they rent a unit from a competitor. Facebook advertising allows you to use their pixel to ‘tag’ your website visitors and remarket to them. This ensures your ads are only being shown to those who have previously been to your website.
With the majority of U.S. adults active on Facebook daily, it’s a great way to get back in front of prospective customers immediately after they leave your website. Using a special discount or offering a month of storage free is a great way to pull them back to your website and convert them.
Many self storage Facebook ad campaigns target blindly, and this results in wasted advertising budgets because the majority of consumers that come in contact with the ad are not interested in nor need self storage units.
5. Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
Your Google My Business page is what needs to be optimized for the best exposure opportunities within the Maps results. These are the prominent search results when Google detects local intent.
For example, when someone in proximity to your business searches “self storage rentals near me” you will be shown as an option in the Maps results. Where you are displayed is determined by several factors, including but not limited to:
- The address on your GMB profile and its proximity to the IP address of the computer performing the search or the mobile device’s location.
- Your GMB description. Be sure to include your location and keywords relevant to that location.
- Your Google reviews: total number, average rating, frequency receiving, and when the last review was left are all considerations.
Be sure to build out a full profile. If Google allows you to fill out a section of information do so thoroughly. If they ask for it assume it’s something that its algorithm will take into consideration.
Final Thoughts
Marketing your self storage facility online using the above-mentioned tips will help you attract qualified prospects who are actively looking to rent a storage unit, and if you make the process seamless through your website it will help convert more customers instantly.
If you would like to learn more about the online marketing services our agency provides to self storage facilities or have any questions about the tips mentioned above, contact us to schedule a time to speak.
Our team specializes in marketing self storage businesses online and will be more than happy to help explain the entire process while at the same time looking at your current online presence and website.
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