How to create a student property marketing strategy

As peak booking season for student accommodation approaches, property managers need a focused, strategic approach to effectively market their properties and fill beds for the upcoming academic year. A well-planned property marketing strategy can significantly boost visibility, engage prospective tenants, and ultimately increase bookings.

In this guide, we’ll outline actionable steps to create a student property marketing strategy tailored to maximise interest and occupancy in your properties.

3 steps to inform your student property marketing strategy

1. Identify your tenant profile

Understanding your target tenant’s profile is key to creating a marketing strategy that speaks directly to their needs. Student demographics vary widely, and factors like location, budget, and desired amenities often influence their housing choices. Consider these aspects when developing tenant personas:

• Demographics: Identify common demographics among your potential tenants. Are they domestic or international students? Undergraduates or postgraduates? Each group will have unique needs, from budgetary constraints to location preferences.
• Search Preferences and Budget: Students often prioritise proximity to campus, transportation access, and price. Researching local student budgets can help you set competitive pricing and highlight the most appealing features in your marketing materials.
• Tailored Messaging: Craft marketing messages that resonate with your specific tenant profile. For example, international students may appreciate content that explains the local area or provides tips on adjusting to life in a new country, while domestic students may be more interested in social aspects of living close to campus.

2. Conduct local market research

A deep understanding of the local market allows you to position your properties competitively and attract interest from the right tenants. Conducting local research can also reveal where your competitors stand, helping you refine your marketing tactics.

• Assess Competitors: Take note of occupancy rates, amenities, and pricing structures at similar properties in your area. By understanding what competitors offer, you can identify opportunities to differentiate your property or adjust pricing to remain competitive.
• Booking Velocity: Determine how quickly properties are booking up in your area, especially those with similar amenities. This insight will help you gauge demand and adjust your marketing approach accordingly.

3. Understand student accommodation seasonality

Student property bookings are highly seasonal. Knowing when to ramp up your marketing efforts based on demand can help you stay ahead.

• Peak Booking Times: Booking cycles vary for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and houses in multiple occupation (HMO). PBSA tends to see interest from late winter to spring, while HMOs are often secured between October and December for the following academic year. Planning campaigns around these peak periods will increase your chances of filling your beds.

Pillars of your property marketing strategy

To boost visibility and engagement, your marketing strategy should focus on three main channels: SEO, email, and social media.

SEO

An optimised online presence is essential to attract and convert leads. Listing your properties on platforms, like, StuRents—recognised as the UK’s leading student accommodation platform with over 3.5 million annual views and more than 750,000 rooms listed—gives your properties a hyper-relevant space among high-intent searchers.

• Online Listings: Ensure your listings are clear, engaging, and detailed to maximise visibility. Include high-quality photos, 360-degree videos, and descriptions that emphasise each property’s unique features. For more guidance, see our blog on optimising online listings.
• SEO Optimisation: Use relevant keywords, like “student accommodation” and “near campus housing,” throughout your property descriptions. The right keywords help search engines display your listings to students searching for housing options that meet their criteria.

Email

Email campaigns can be an effective way to reach prospective tenants directly, especially those who’ve already shown interest.

• Targeted Property Emails: With StuRents’ Pro or Business Marketing package, your properties can appear in daily remarketing emails targeted to prospective tenants. These emails highlight properties matching student search preferences, so your properties are shown to the most relevant leads.

Social media

Gen Z students are highly active on social media, making it a powerful tool to boost visibility and engagement for your properties.

• Optimise Your Social Media Presence: Sharing property photos, videos, and local information across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok can attract a following and drive traffic to your listings. Highlight aspects like proximity to campus, safety features, and popular amenities to capture student attention.

Explore marketing channels to maximise visibility

To reach the widest possible audience, diversify your marketing channels. With StuRents’ Channel Manager, you can upload your listings to StuRents once and then distribute them across multiple property portals, including your own website and over 40 international websites. This significantly extends your reach and minimises administrative effort, helping you get in front of more prospective tenants with less manual work.

Support your student property marketing strategy with StuRents

Ready to elevate your student property marketing? Listing on StuRents offers unmatched access to the UK’s largest student accommodation audience, simplifying your listing, booking, and occupancy processes.

Explore StuRents Marketing packages today to discover how listing with us could support your student property marketing strategy, streamline operations, and help you secure more bookings for the upcoming academic year.