Why Retargeting Alone Won’t Fill Your Leasing Funnel

Retargeting is the comfort zone of digital marketing.

It’s a great tool to reach and nurture renters who are already interested, but if your strategy stops there, you’re missing a massive audience of renters who haven’t found you yet. Retargeting is great at closing the loop, but it can’t fill your marketing funnel. 

A full-funnel strategy can. But first, let's explore why relying on retargeting alone is costing you opportunities (and budget).

Retargeting Only Reaches Renters Who’ve Already Found You

Retargeting reconnects you with renters who’ve interacted with your brand. Maybe they visited your website, watched a video, or clicked on an ad. But what about everyone else?

The renters who are just starting to dream about their next move or casually scrolling through social media without full intent to move just yet? Retargeting doesn’t reach them.

If you rely only on retargeting, your campaigns are fighting for the same small audience instead of expanding your reach.

Most renters notice apartment communities weeks or even months before they ever open Google. If your ads aren’t visible during that stage, you’re not in their mental shortlist when they start searching.

You Miss the Power of Storytelling

Retargeting is a nice nudge, but sequential storytelling is what makes renters remember you.

You can’t build a connection with a single “Apply Now” Facebook ad. Renters want to feel what living in your community might be like. You need to tell that story over many touchpoints across many channels like streaming TV, apps, websites, ILS, social media, and more.

Future residents want to see:

• Resident experiences that make your brand human and a glimpse at daily life

• Personality and lifestyle cues that align with their goals

• Real reviews, testimonials, and moments that matter (like quick maintenance response times)

That storytelling happens at the top and middle of the funnel, long before anyone’s ready to book a tour.

When you show up with authentic, memorable storytelling on platforms like social, you shape how renters perceive your brand before they’re fully ready to take action.

By the time they start searching, they’re not starting from scratch...they already know who you are.

Why Full-Funnel Works (and Retargeting Alone Doesn’t)

A full-funnel strategy connects all the dots between awareness and conversion, so no renter get's left behind.

It Expands Your Audience
Awareness campaigns bring in fresh prospects every day, so your retargeting pool doesn’t shrink over time.

It Builds Trust Over Time
Renters are more likely to click or convert if they’ve seen your brand multiple times across platforms. Our data shows that cross-channel strategies can increase engagement by 24%.

It Improves Ad Efficiency
Warming up audiences before retargeting reduces cost per lead. We’ve seen up to a 15% lower acquisition cost compared to bottom-of-funnel-only campaigns.

It Tells a Cohesive Story
Every ad works together to tell one consistent brand story across channels and time, meeting renters appropriately in their journey.

Retargeting is a must-have, but it’s not a full strategy. Without top- and middle-funnel campaigns, you’re only talking to renters who already know you and ignoring everyone else. A full-funnel approach keeps your property visible, relevant, and trustworthy from awareness to conversion.

When your campaigns work together, every dollar works harder. That’s where a full-funnel strategy truly shines.

If you’re ready to turn that strategy into action, it’s easier than you think.

Ready to Build a Full-Funnel Strategy That Converts?

Meet renters where they scroll with a Meta Multiplier plan powered by full-funnel paid social strategies. Pair your Meta campaigns with a geofencing strategy and deliver hyper-targeted mobile display and streaming TV ads for true cross-channel reach.

You’ll reach renters earlier, tell your story consistently, and convert interest into signed leases.

Book a demo here!