How a Leading Social Media Agency Is Shaping the Future of Real Estate Marketing

The red-hot real estate market in North America could lead you to believe developers and property management companies barely have to advertise to nab renters and residents.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The competition has never been fiercer for both buyers and sellers, and real estate clients want as much visibility as possible to get the word out and fill units, especially in the multifamily market. They want residents to move in for the long haul, generate recurring revenue, and build stronger communities.

If one marketing agency seems to have cracked the code for multifamily rental occupancy for their clients, it’s Envida. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Envida has helped real estate developers and property management companies across the United States maximize occupancy for apartment complexes and high-rise buildings for over 15 years. 

The agency’s strategic use of social media and data analytics has enabled clients to target specific demographics, drive engagement, and increase the visibility of their properties while significantly boosting lease-up rates.

If not for print media’s rapid decline, co-founders Candie Guay and Alana Millstein may have followed a much different career path. They started Envida as a small magazine project soon after graduating from college, relying on print ads as their main source of revenue—a dwindling source of cash that quickly imperiled their startup venture. 

However, Envida is living proof that success is as much about adaptation as it is about anticipation. In contrast to their competitors, Candie and Alana saw print’s decline as a huge opportunity, and their decision to switch from print advertising to a digital agency model in the late ‘00s couldn’t have been planned at a better time.

As Envida transitioned into the digital realm, a key figure emerged to spearhead this transformation: Lily Zimmel, a journalism and PR graduate from Arizona State University. Joining Envida as its first full-time employee shortly after the digital pivot, Lily was instrumental in shaping the agency's strategic direction and operational excellence.

They knew that print was going out of business, so they got smart and pivoted. They took a lot of their clients from the magazine to digital. They really were pioneers at the time.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

With Lily as agency director, Envida expanded its client base and deepened its engagements, offering more comprehensive and results-driven marketing solutions. Today, Envida is an award-winning firm with more than 50 employees serving over 300 clients, including some of the country's biggest real estate developers and property management companies.

Embracing a Digital Pivot and Building the Agency Model 

As the digital age gained momentum, the writing was on the wall for print publications: Readers shifted online, advertisers followed suit, and print circulation numbers dropped. 

This decline wasn't just a temporary slump but a clear sign of a paradigm shift in media consumption. The advent of smartphones, the rise of social media, and the increasing accessibility of high-speed internet changed how people accessed information, enjoyed entertainment, and shopped for products and services.

Recognizing social media's growing influence, Envida quickly integrated these platforms into its marketing strategies. The agency was among the early adopters who saw social media's potential to share content, engage with audiences, and advertise products.

Alana Millstein and Candie Guay are co-founders of the award-winning social media marketing agency Envida. (Credit: Envida)

A lot of people were not putting together social media with ads and creating an ecosystem. So Envida initially started all over the gamut—multifamily real estate, obviously, but also hospitality, plastic surgeons, etc.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

Developing campaigns that leveraged social media's viral nature and using tools like targeted Facebook ads, Instagram stories, and influencer collaborations were just a few of the tactics the agency deployed to create buzz and drive engagement. 

The agency also focused on content marketing, crafting dynamic digital content, including blog posts, videos, and interactive infographics. This content was more engaging and optimized for search engines, increasing visibility and driving traffic.

Real estate industry professionals flocked to take advantage of Envida’s new social media strategy, building visually engaging and highly effective marketing campaigns that became Envida’s bread and butter and attracted some of the biggest players in the industry, including real estate giants Greystar, Willow Bridge, Cushman Wakefield, and Pinnacle Living.

Things started niching with multifamily housing seven years in. From there, it’s taken off, and it’s become our expertise.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

Owning the Real Estate Niche With Hyperlocal Targeting

Lily and her team saw the multifamily real estate market as ripe for the targeted, nuanced marketing that social media platforms offer. They understood potential residents were looking for a convenient location and a community that resonated with their lifestyles and values.

Lily Zimmel (top, second from left) with her Envida teammates. (Credit: Envida)

The multifamily sector presented unique opportunities for Envida to use its growing digital and hyperlocal marketing expertise. Clients wanted a partner who would really understand and connect with local communities, and current and potential residents.

Envida harnessed this insight to develop social media marketing campaigns highlighting each property's unique aspects and surrounding neighborhood.

We take over their social media and create a presence for them online. Whether raising brand awareness or driving lead generation, we build an ecosystem between the social content and the ads. 

We're very big in custom and hyperlocal content, and we create content that offers the perspective of what it would be like living on-site at the property. So that helps to retain residents—they have a sense of what's going on, whether it's events happening on-site, a glimpse into newer restaurants opening in the area, or local events. It also helps prospective residents if they are considering moving into that property.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

In the heart of each neighborhood, the true spirit of a property and its community comes alive through the lens of local artisans and storytellers.

Envida goes beyond generic descriptions and stock images, bringing in teams of local contractors and social media creators deeply rooted in the area's unique culture.

These creators are the unsung heroes behind the scenes, crafting posts, weaving stories, and directing virtual tours that showcase more than just a space—they breathe life into it. Their work—posts, stories, and virtual tours—vividly captures the essence of each neighborhood, reflecting its authentic culture and vibrant community atmosphere, connecting potential residents to a place they can truly call home.

We have boots on the ground, no matter where a property is located. Depending on what social plan clients have with us, we'll have a set number of photo and video shoots to bank all that content needed. Otherwise, the on-site team can help supplement those. We're a resource for them, too—we want to make the most of it and give them the tools to send us the best content they can.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

The agency’s work speaks for itself, so much, in fact, that Envida’s reputation is the core driver in acquiring new clients, and the agency doesn’t have a sales team. All new clients come via referrals, driven by the results they’ve provided to their active client roster.

With that in mind, managing the agency’s reputation in the social media age tends to be fraught with pitfalls.

With influencers and user-generated content (UGC) becoming the norm on popular platforms like Instagram and TikTok, Envida saw first-hand what happens when processes aren’t in place to prevent issues that could lead to costly legal challenges.

Navigating the Legal Challenges of Influencers and User-Generated Content for Agencies

Envida strategically selects influencers who resonate with each property's target demographic. These influencers are chosen for their reach, connection to the local area, and alignment with the property’s brand values. 

Influencers are involved in various aspects of the marketing strategy, from attending and promoting events at the property to sharing their experiences of the amenities and local area on social media. These collaborations often include:

• Walkthroughs and Tours: Influencers conduct tours of the property, showcasing everything from the interiors of an apartment to communal amenities like gyms and lounges. These interactive sessions allow potential residents to ask questions and get immediate responses, adding transparency and trust.

• “Day-in-the-Life” Features: Influencers might spend a day at the property to experience and showcase its lifestyle, including local shops, restaurants, and parks. This helps potential residents envision their life in the location beyond just the physical space of the apartment.

• Event Coverage: Influencers help draw in the local community and create buzz around the property by participating in events on the property. Involving an influencer can significantly increase visibility and interest, whether it’s a grand opening or a community gathering.

To measure the effectiveness of influencer campaigns, Envida leverages AgencyAnalytics to track engagement metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and the traffic driven to the property’s website from influencer posts. They also monitor conversion rates to see how many of these engagements translate into tenant inquiries or visits.

However, while leveraging influencers and user-generated content has proven effective for Envida’s digital marketing strategies, it also introduced a range of legal complexities that must be carefully managed.

Copyright, usage rights, and contractual agreements ensure that these marketing tactics do not expose the agency or its clients to potential legal hazards.

As a social media marketing pioneer, Envida once faced a potential lawsuit with a content creator because processes weren’t in place to prevent legal issues from cropping up.

The age of the influencer is very scary. Figuring out and navigating those first few influencer campaigns—we probably should have covered ourselves better. User-generated content is a big one, too.

As we've grown and gained experience, we've gotten smarter at navigating and now have more of that legal foundation.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

Here are a few lessons other agency leaders can learn from Envida’s experience:

Lesson #1: Respect Copyright and Usage Rights

One of the primary concerns when working with influencers and UGC is navigating copyright laws, which protect original works of authorship, including photographs, videos, and written content. Envida ensures that all content used in their campaigns, whether sourced from influencers or created by users, is owned or properly licensed.

Lesson #2: Always Have Contracts and Clear Agreements

Contracts are vital when engaging with influencers to clearly define the scope of work, compensation, content usage rights, and the duration for which the content may be used. These agreements help prevent misunderstandings and protect the agency and the influencer from potential disputes.

Lesson #3: Understand the ABCs of UGC

Regarding UGC, the challenge is ensuring that the content does not violate copyright laws and that the individuals featured have consented to be depicted. Envida manages this by obtaining explicit permissions from content creators and subjects, often through clear disclaimers and consent forms posted on social media profiles.

This may not be the norm (for all agencies), but we actually have a process department. That is our absolute lifeline at Envida.

We still leverage user-generated content. We just have a process for what that looks like. To protect ourselves, we house all the approvals from those messages on Instagram.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

Building New Processes in the Age of TikTok and AI

Envida continues to lead in social media marketing innovations by adopting new platforms like TikTok and technologies like artificial intelligence. These new tools are vital for improving their marketing strategies and helping them maintain strong performance for clients in the multifamily real estate sector.

TikTok is particularly effective for creating engaging short-form video content that quickly increases property visibility.

We've recently started to dip our toes in TikTok to give a perspective of what it would really be like to live on-site at that property.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

Envida continues refining its processes to create the best content possible while legally protecting its clients and contractors—just as the agency does with any other social media, influencer, or UGC marketing strategy.

AI also brings about a whole new set of challenges and opportunities. Envida recently hired its first AI content specialist, who is building out a system where AI will answer questions through forms and chatbots and nurture leads as they come in.

Within multifamily, leads are a dime a dozen. If those leads are not followed up on or nurtured, their foot is in the door at another community. I know those on-site teams are very busy and may not have the bandwidth or time to nurture those leads as quickly.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida

AI lead nurturing will ensure potential clients receive timely and relevant information while maintaining a personal touch by delivering content tailored to individual preferences.

Much like how the agency pivoted from print to digital in the first decade of the millennium, integrating innovative platforms like TikTok and AI into its operations will help Envida remain a multifamily real estate marketing leader. 

Adapt or Be Left Behind as the Industry Shifts

Envida's leap from a print magazine to a trailblazer in digital marketing for multifamily real estate shows just how powerful adapting and innovating can be. 

The agency has mastered the art of using social media to pinpoint the right demographics, pull in potential residents, and get properties noticed. Their knack for embracing new technology and local flavor draws top real estate developers and cements their rep as industry leaders.

Envida’s journey is a clear lesson in staying sharp and ahead of the curve. The team’s eagerness to embrace cutting-edge tools and ideas hasn't just fueled their growth—it's set trends across the real estate marketing world.

With their ongoing innovations in AI and new social media tactics, Envida continues to raise the bar, inspiring others in the field to step up their game.

When we were small, we were very nimble just because there were a lot of moving pieces. As we grew, it was more about being streamlined internally to maintain being able to pivot as quickly as we can.

We just really want to be that innovator in the industry and a resource for everyone. Everyone can do this. We don't have the secret sauce.

Lily Zimmel, Agency Director, Envida