Most Self Storage Marketing Advice Is Outdated. And It’s Costing You Move-Ins

Let’s get straight to it: the storage industry is sitting on a mountain of outdated marketing advice.

We’re here to change that. Because the truth is, the old-school rules of self-storage advertising don’t just underperform - they actively hold operators back.

So before you write another blog post or spend hours on social media, let’s get bananas busting some self storage marketing myths.

“Just Set It and Forget It”

This one is a classic. We hear it all the time from operators who’ve been burned by cookie-cutter campaigns: “We set up our Google Ads budget last quarter, and they’re still running.”

Running where? Into a wall?

Digital ads are not a crock pot. You can’t “set it and forget it” and expect steady move-ins. The market changes. Competitors change. Demand changes. So why would your budget stay the same?

That’s why Adverank looks at occupancy and performance data daily. One location’s units might be filling fast - time to scale back spend. Another might be lagging - time to push harder. And we do it all with one-click recommendations that let you adapt in real time.

Updating keywords and ad text? Just be sure your budgets aren’t being wasted on low intent terms or by competitor brands.

Hot Take: Agencies Have a Hidden Incentive to Overspend Your Budget

Here’s the truth no one likes to say out loud: Most agencies make money when you spend more - not when your units fill up.

That creates a fundamental misalignment. Their goal is a bigger budget. Yours is better occupancy.

We’ve seen it play out again and again. A facility running $5K/month in ads, getting weak results, and being told, “Just give it more time.” No optimization. No transparency. Just an invoice.

Please, Please Stop Doing This One Thing Immediately

Let’s talk about “smart” suggestions from Google and Meta (and don’t get us started on the “account review” calls they won’t stop bugging you about).

These platforms aren’t neutral. Their algorithms are designed to maximize their profits, not yours. When Google tells you to raise your budget or launch Performance Max campaigns - it’s not because it wants your facility full. It’s because it wants your wallet empty.

Performance Max, in particular, has been a trap for storage operators. It obscures data, hides placements, and delivers fluff metrics like impressions instead of showing real-world occupancy impact. We’ve written a full post on why PMAX is a terrible fit for storage marketing - and we stand by every word.

Adverank gives you performance alerts and ad tips that actually tie back to occupancy. And when a campaign underperforms? You’ll know - fast.

The Industry Needs a Gut Check

Self-storage marketing doesn’t need to be complex, expensive, or shrouded in jargon.

It needs to be:

• Transparent

• Responsive

• Tied to outcomes that matter (like occupied units, not just clicks)

And frankly, operators deserve better than the same tired strategies (like blogging for SEO) wrapped in new packaging.

If you’re still:

• Running set-it-and-forget-it campaigns

• Relying on agency “strategies” you don’t understand

• Trusting ad platforms to tell you how much to spend

If you think you can blog and social post your way to occupancy…you’re not just wasting money, you’re leaving occupancy - and revenue - on the table. (Have we mentioned that SEO sucks for self storage?!)

Demand smarter. Demand clearer. Demand software that empowers you, not your vendor.

Because here’s our hottest take of all: in this business, better ads don’t start with a bigger budget. They start with better data - and the guts to ditch the myths.