Cortland
Challenge
When Cortland launched its new, all-encompassing website in 2019, it approached Tractorbeam to develop a robust SEO and paid media program for the brand and the 230+ Cortland properties.
Cortland delivers resident-centric, hospitality-driven apartment living experiences focused on specific markets. The key to building a successful digital marketing campaign unique to each property is to understand how to differentiate each property and have them work together cohesively.
Search Engine Optimization
With 230+ properties on the Cortland.com website, Tractorbeam developed and implemented a rolling, ongoing SEO program aimed at individualizing each community to perform well for local search.
Tractorbeam began by creating a Gantt chart of monthly optimizations, which not only allowed for recommendations to be created but implementations to be completed by a lean team.
We tiered groups of properties each month so that recommendations did not weigh down the client-team and allowed for quicker implementations.
SEO Results
Traffic Increase
By focusing on content optimizations, expanding content opportunities, implementing schema data, SERP competitor analysis, and technical optimizations, Cortland has experienced a dramatic rise in organic website traffic.
*Traffic increase results based on launch – February 2023
Lead Increase
We created unified analytics goal tracking across all properties to determine performance. We discovered that properties enrolled in the SEO program had an average of 12% more last-click leads than properties outside of the program.
In addition, the cost per lead (leads/SEO investment) for properties maintained at under $15/lead, is the lowest of all marketing endeavors.
Program Leads/Non-Program Leads
+12%
Cost per lead
>$15
Paid Marketing
Tractorbeam manages paid media execution for 230+ Cortland properties.
To build the Cortland paid program, we worked with the Cortland regional marketing managers to build property distinctions, which allows for every Cortland property to be uniquely represented in the search results.
We also work with the Cortland team to ensure ads follow the brand voice, specials start and end on time, and we are targeting the exact geo-locations.
In addition, our internal paid and SEO teams work together to ensure each paid property is enhancing the organic strategy. We share keyword research, optimization strategies, and success metrics to continually improve both paid and SEO.
Lead Increase
We have seen unprecedented growth in paid media from launch to date compared to the previous period. We have seen an increase of 41% in website traffic from paid search, higher website engagement, and higher time on site.
Most importantly, there has been a 114% increase in Schedule a Tour conversions attributed to the paid search accounts.
The most important benefit is that along with the 114% increase in paid Schedule a Tour conversions, organic Schedule a Tour conversions have increased by 40%.