Running paid ads for apartment communities has more strings attached than most marketers expect. The right campaign can generate qualified leads in hours. However, one wrong targeting setting or careless word choice could lead to disapproved ads or, worse, a legal violation.
In multifamily marketing, location-based PPC is a high-performing strategy, although it is also one of the most highly regulated. There is a lot to navigate between advertising platforms like Google and Facebook, real estate advertising laws, such as the Fair Housing Act, and growing privacy concerns.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the key compliance rules for location-based ads, why they matter for multifamily marketing, and how to run compliant campaigns that still deliver results.
Why Compliance Is a Core Part of Multifamily Marketing?
If you manage digital advertising for apartments, you’re already in a “regulated vertical.” That means the usual best practices for targeting, keyword strategy, and personalization don’t apply in the same way. Many of them can create compliance risks.
PPC compliance involves more than staying on Google or Meta’s good side. It’s also about protecting your brand reputation and ensuring equitable access to housing.
For our clients, we treat compliance as the foundation of every campaign. Compliant campaigns often perform better because they’re more transparent, inclusive, and aligned with user expectations.
How the Fair Housing Act Shapes Ad Targeting Rules?
The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination in the sale, rental, and advertising of housing, including digital ads. Under this law, advertisers cannot exclude or appear to exclude anyone based on race, national origin, sex, religion, disability, or familial status.
If you’re using Google or Facebook ads to promote apartment listings, you must be extra cautious.
For example:
- You can’t target by age range or gender.
- You can’t exclude specific zip codes if they correlate to demographic groups.
- You can’t write ad copy that appeals only to “young professionals” or “families with kids.”
These rules may feel limiting, but they’re not optional. HUD has previously taken action against advertisers whose ad targeting created disparate outcomes, even if it wasn’t intentional.
The Targeting Mistakes That Can Get You in Trouble
The most common compliance mistake in multifamily marketing is hyper-specific geographic targeting. Marketers often try to zero in on high-income neighborhoods or avoid areas with low conversion rates. However, when those areas align with protected demographics, it becomes a problem.
Platforms like Google Ads now limit how granular your location targeting can be. For example:
- You can no longer target individual zip codes for housing ads.
- Radius targeting around a community is recommended instead, such as a 5-mile or 10-mile range.
- Demographic filters like age or marital status are off-limits in the housing category.
Even if your intentions are good, using these restricted settings could risk your campaign and brand. Always start with broad, inclusive targeting grounded in local proximity, not demographics.
Tips for Compliant Google Ads Geotargeting
Running a local PPC campaign correctly means knowing how to adjust your settings in Google Ads. Here are a few practical tips we use to protect our clients:
- Switch your location setting to “People in my targeted location” instead of the default “Presence or interest.” This ensures only local searchers, not people researching from elsewhere, see your ads.
- Use Google Ads geotargeting to set a radius around your community. This lets you reach people close to your location without using specific zip codes.
- Use exclusion zones thoughtfully. If you need to avoid certain areas, such as delivery blackouts, document the reason and make sure it’s not based on demographics.
Also, regularly check the “Search Terms Report” to see what queries are triggering your ads. If you see irrelevant or non-compliant terms, such as “student-only housing,” add them to your negative keyword list.
Writing Inclusive Ad Copy That Performs
Let’s talk about the words. Ad copy compliance is just as crucial as targeting settings. Even the most well-meaning phrases can raise red flags if they suggest exclusivity.
Phrases to avoid:
- “Perfect for seniors” or “Great for young professionals”
- “Family-friendly community” (unless referring to amenities, not people)
- “Ideal for couples” or “single renters only”
Instead, focus on the property’s features, not the renter’s assumed lifestyle the renter. Highlight things like:
- Walkability
- Amenities (pool, gym, pet-friendly units)
- Lease flexibility or move-in incentives
Also, make sure your landing page supports the message. A compliant ad that leads to a non-compliant page still puts you at risk. Transparency and consistency matter from click to conversion.
How to Use Privacy and Platform Tools to Stay Safe?
Compliance is also about how you handle data in multifamily marketing. With increasing regulations like CCPA and industry groups like TrustArc setting the tone, advertisers are expected to:
- Respect privacy thresholds (e.g., not targeting under 1 mile radius)
- Avoid building audiences around sensitive data, like visits to medical clinics.
- Use opt-in tools if collecting personal info.
Go for location-based platforms that comply with Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) standards. These frameworks help ensurethat your location-based marketing stays ethical andlegals.
What Happens When You Get It Wrong?
The risks of non-compliance are real and include the following:
- Your ad account can be suspended with little warning.
- You can face legal claims or be reported to HUD.
- You may lose the trust of potential residents and damage your brand image.
Even small mistakes, like using the wrong phrase in a headline or excluding a zip code without realizing it, can snowball fast. That’s why we build every campaign with a compliance-first mindset.
Our Final Advice for Navigating Location-Based PPC Safely
At Primary360, we believe multifamily marketing is about creating welcoming and accessible campaigns that reflect the diversity of the people we serve.
Here’s what we recommend:
- Use radius targeting instead of zip codes
- Let proximity, not demographics, guide your ad setup
- Keep your messaging neutral, informative, and inclusive
- Review your campaign settings and search terms regularly
- Work with an experienced partner who knows the rules
Compliant campaigns don’t have to be boring. When done right, they’re more effective because they meet people where they are and in a way that makes them feel seen and respected. If you’re ready to elevate your PPC strategy without risking compliance, we’re here to help.
