When Should Third-Party Management Companies Outsource Digital Marketing?

While a self-storage third-party management company typically presents itself as a one-stop shop, the reality is that behind the scenes there may be some functions that are managed in-house and other functions that are outsourced.

A critically important function of third-party management is digital marketing, which is resource-intensive and complex. Let’s explore when and why a third-party management company should consider partnering up to outsource this essential service on behalf of their clients, which can enable access to specialized expertise without overextending resources.

Outsourced digital marketing can keep costs down with fixed fees and also provide a flexible solution that can scale. If your management company brings on 20 locations this month, can you roll out a few dozen campaigns on Google Ads while managing a re-brand, taking over customer service, and calling in contractors for repairs and improvements?

By leveraging an external digital marketing partner, a third-party management company can keep their focus on core business functions while enhancing the value they deliver to clients.

Access to Specialization
Effective campaigns require knowledge of SEO, PPC, social media strategies, content marketing, and data analytics—all highly specialized fields that require continuous skill development. A good agency invests significant time in understanding platform changes, updating best practices, and optimizing campaigns to drive measurable results.

Scalability and Flexibility
One of the primary advantages of outsourcing is scalability. As third-party management companies take on clients at unpredictable rates or need to expand services for existing facilities, they can scale up their digital marketing efforts without the hassle of hiring or retraining staff. Likewise, during slower periods, services can be scaled down. This flexibility allows management companies to remain agile and responsive to market needs without stretching internal resources.

Focus On Core Business Operations
Handling the day-to-day operations of multiple self-storage facilities requires significant attention to customer service, maintenance, and logistics. By outsourcing digital marketing management, companies can redirect their focus to operational efficiency within core operations confident that marketing efforts are in expert hands with a trusted partner.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
When customers search for a storage unit online, they encounter search results that reflect a war to compete behind the scenes. To be competitive requires a holistic approach to website optimization, building domain authority, developing content, managing business listings, and pursuing a steady stream of five-star customer reviews. Much of this is dictated by the property management system (PMS), be it under a client’s brand or consolidated under a third-party management company’s brand.

Local SEO And Listings Management
Actively managing a Google Business Profile along with dozens of sites and directories (AKA citations) is increasingly important when competing for local traffic online. Any local business (be it a dentist or restaurant or storage facility) should have a clean, well-managed footprint, which sends the right signals to Google. These services are most effective when actively managed with proactive client communication.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Running online ads allow self-storage facilities to gain nearly immediate visibility in search engine and map results for targeted keywords, with Google Ads being the most commonly used advertising platform. Campaigns can and should be precisely targeted by location and tailored to the unit types, services, and amenities that a facility offers. The complexity of advertising platforms can be overwhelming, where the level of expertise can make the difference in achieving positive return on investment (ROI). Outsourced PPC services manage the entire process, from keyword research and ad design to active campaign management.

Social Media Marketing
Having a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok may provide brand visibility that can help establish awareness and trust with a geographically targeted audience that might need storage at a particular moment in time. While social media lacks the immediacy of reaching an audience with search intent (think “storage unit near me”), it can contribute to a holistic marketing effort that reaches an audience via multiple touchpoints. By sharing updates, testimonials, and promotions, social media management may help drive traffic to the facility’s website.

Content Marketing And Blogging
Content can include blog posts, guides, and video that address common questions or concerns. It can also shore up a facility’s weaknesses in organic search, where content better positions a website to compete for searches related to competitive differentiators such as storage types, key features, and attributes. While content marketing is fairly easy to outsource, a third-party management company should pay particular attention to quality, focus, and the role of AI in generating content.

Email Marketing
Effective email marketing can include campaigns that keep customers informed about local events and promotions and serve as a tool for upselling services such as insurance. Transactional emails, typically a function of the PMS, include payment reminders and renewal notifications, which can improve the customer experience and reduce churn.

Analytics And Reporting
It’s essential to monitor data so that a client’s hard-earned marketing budget is allocated as efficiently as possible and to present it so that the client has a window into effort and performance, which builds trust. Outsourced digital marketing partners should offer actionable reporting that tracks important key performance indicators (KPIs) like website traffic, conversion rates, and engagement.

Quality Control
To ensure consistent quality, it’s important to set clear expectations with a digital marketing partner that can meet the high expectations established with the client directly. This should include a mutual understanding of communications, reporting, timelines, and accountability.

Data Security
Handling customer information and having account access requires thoughtful security measures to protect data privacy, ensure compliance, and put clients at ease.

Client Expectations
Transparent communication with clients, including regular updates and clear reporting, ensures that clients see the value of digital marketing efforts. A good digital marketing partner can help empower a third-party management company to best communicate value and results.

Partnering up can offer a cost-effective, scalable, and efficient way to provide a service that is essential to full-stack storage management. For management companies seeking to drive occupancy rates and maximize value for their clients, making the right decision on how to offer marketing services is a challenging question that may offer tremendous opportunity for growth.

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