This wasn’t just another webinar—it was a high-impact marketing masterclass.

In a data-driven session, Derek Johnson (REACH by RentCafe), Esther Bonardi (RentCafe Marketing), and our very own Tom Chomiak ( LCP Media) examined performance insights from 1,400 multifamily properties across the country.

Derek Johnson analyzed 239,611 tours to see which digital marketing source drives the most apartment tours and leases. Over the course of a full year, the study looked at everything from SEO (organic search), PPC (paid search), Internet Listing Services (ILSs), to paid and organic social media. If a property used a digital marketing channel, it was part of the study.

They revealed which marketing channels perform best, how virtual tours impact leasing, and what the future looks like with AI-powered enhancements.

What the Data Says About Channels That Convert

Derek started by ranking core marketing sources—SEO, PPC, ILS, and social—based on lead quality and conversion.

SEO Is the Top Performer

This one caught everyone’s attention—including ours.

We’re often asked, “Is social media really worth it?” And while it doesn’t drive the highest traffic volume, the quality of that traffic is where things get interesting.

We found that 50% of all social media prospects booked a tour, across both paid and organic social media.

Yes, HALF!

That’s an incredibly high conversion signal, especially considering social media isn’t typically considered a primary lead driver. It may not flood your CRM with leads, but the ones it does deliver? They’re showing up.

For marketers wondering if social media is worth the effort, this data makes the case loud and clear: Social media should be part of your marketing strategy, mainly when you’re focused on connecting with high-intent renters in a visual-first environment.

Virtual Tours: The Difference Maker

Virtual tours aren’t just helpful—they’re driving decisions.

When the session shifted from traffic sources to how renters engage, one thing became clear: virtual tours shape leasing outcomes. The data shows renters aren’t passively browsing—they’re actively using tours to envision their future home.

How Renters Interact with Tours

• Communities averaged 152 virtual tour sessions per month

• Renters spent an average of 2 minutes per user session

• On full property tours, renters explored about 12 different areas

That’s already strong engagement, but it gets even more telling at the unit-level:

• Unit-level tours have fewer scenes overall, but renters still viewed an average of 10 scenes per session

• That means they’re fully touring the apartment, start to finish—clearly picturing how they’d live in the space

What Renters Want to See

The most-viewed scenes across all property tours:

1. Lobby (typically where tours begin)

2. 1 bed / 1 bath units

3. 2 bed / 2 bath units

So while amenities matter, the focus is unmistakable: Renters want to see the unit they might call home.

34% of all property scenes viewed were model units. And a RentCafe.com renter study backs that up. Around 83% of renters said the floor plan is one of the most important factors influencing their decision when searching for an apartment.

As for amenities? The most viewed were:

1. Fitness center

2. Swimming pool

3. Clubhouse

Unit-Level Tours Outperform Everything Else

When it comes to engagement, unit-level tours are the clear favorite:

• Renters viewed 2x more unique unit-level tours than property tours

• On average, each unit-level tour saw 25 unique visitors per month

That’s 25 people virtually walking through a specific unit. It’s a clear signal of intent and a meaningful step in identifying their next home.

“Let’s put that in perspective,” said Esther Bonardi.
“If 25 people toured a specific unit in person in one month, that unit will most likely lease.” 

That’s exactly what unit-level virtual tours are doing—creating that same momentum, digitally.

The Conversion Impact: With vs. Without Tours

LCP Media ran a side-by-side case study comparing two similar lease-up properties—one using unit-level virtual tours and one without.

The results?

• 40% more leads

• 72% more leases

• 38% higher lead-to-lease conversion rate

When renters have easy, on-demand access to the exact unit they’re interested in, they convert faster and more confidently.

The Revenue Impact: Greystar Case Study

It’s not just about engagement or conversion—it’s about revenue.

In a separate case study, Greystar found that properties with virtual tours:

• Achieved higher effective rents

• Leased units 5 days faster on average

Faster leasing and stronger pricing mean real bottom-line impact, especially in competitive and lease-up markets.

What’s Next? AI Enhancements for Self-Captured Tours

To make high-quality content even more scalable, LCP Media will be rolling out TourBuilder® Enhance IQ, a new AI-powered image enhancement feature for unit-level virtual tours—currently in beta for TourBuilder Go.

This intelligent pipeline automatically improves visual quality, transforming lower-quality self-shot tours into media that looks professionally captured, edited, and ready for distribution.

“We’re not just applying a general filter across the entire image,” said Tom Chomiak.
“Our AI pipeline is smart enough to identify and only fix problem areas.”

The result is clean, crisp, true-to-life content—without reshoots or manual editing.

Why it matters: These enhancements make it easier to produce consistent, high-quality unit tours at scale, even when using consumer-grade equipment. It’s a game changer for teams that want to maintain a professional visual standard while moving fast.

So, What Did We Learn?

From SEO and PPC to ILS and social, the data made one thing clear: Virtual tours are the common thread behind stronger engagement, higher conversions, and faster leasing. Unit-level tours drive intent, and floor plan visuals influence decisions. With new tools like TourBuilder Enhance IQ, creating high-quality, scalable content will be easier than ever. No matter how renters find you, great media moves them forward.

It’s never been easier to meet renter expectations with media that converts.

With TourBuilder from LCP Media, your team gets scalable, unit-level content that doesn’t just look good—it performs.

Want to learn more?
Visit LCPMedia.com to see how we’re helping multifamily teams win more leases with smarter, stronger media.