Virginia Housing

Building a Connection With First-Time Homebuyers

Challenge
Virginia Housing faced several core challenges that impacted the organization’s ability to connect with target audiences and fulfill its mission of making affordable housing accessible across the Commonwealth.

  • Limited Public Awareness: Many eligible Virginians were unaware of the programs, grants and support offered by Virginia Housing, particularly first-time homebuyers and renters.

  • Reaching Diverse Populations: Virginia Housing needed to connect with diverse communities across the state, including minorities in underserved communities and rural Virginians.

  • Complex Housing Market Dynamics: Virginia has a mix of high-cost urban areas and underdeveloped rural communities, making it difficult to implement a one-size-fits-all approach to outreach.  

  • Digital Divide: Many in their target audience lacked reliable internet access, complicating online outreach.

Objective
Increase brand perception and awareness for Virginia Housing, homebuyer programs and educational resources.

  • Build on existing momentum following Virginia Housing’s 2020 rebranding initiative.

  • Drive qualified traffic to the Virginia Housing website, enabling users to access information about homebuyer education and affordable housing resources.

  • Segment different audiences through targeting and creative with a focus on diverse and underserved communities.

  • Refine messaging and media strategy to better connect with first-time homebuyers and their influencers.

Solution
After an in-depth analysis of the target audience’s media consumption habits and insights from past campaigns, LMO developed an integrated multi-channel strategy across three campaigns.

  • Strategic Media Planning and Audience Segmentation: We used advanced audience segmentation techniques to identify and engage diverse groups interested in affordable housing. In addition to first-time homebuyers, our outreach included renters, business partners, minority communities, veterans and key influencers such as parents. Our experts strategically selected digital and traditional media placements to align with these segments and ensure meaningful, targeted engagement. Additionally, LMO tailored creative assets based on the unique population makeup of each Virginia market, allowing for a personalized and localized approach.

  • Digital and Social Media Optimization: To maximize reach and engagement, LMO executed a multi-channel digital campaign combining programmatic advertising, rich media display, and video to drive qualified traffic to the Virginia Housing website. We activated social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, to deepen user engagement and extend the campaign’s reach. Targeted paid search ensured Virginia Housing appeared in front of key audiences actively seeking homebuying and rental support resources.

  • Traditional Media Outreach: LMO leveraged traditional media channels to maximize reach and build awareness among minority and rural audiences. Television buys during high-profile sporting events, such as March Madness, helped amplify visibility across broad demographics. To further engage minority and B2B audiences, we used targeted radio and print placements. We also deployed out-of-home media in rural communities and high-cost urban areas to ensure comprehensive geographic coverage.

  • Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Through ongoing campaign analysis, monthly reporting check-ins, and real-time optimizations, LMO ensured continuous performance improvement, surpassing the click-through rate (CTR) benchmarks established for each campaign.

Results:

  • 236,697,374 impressions delivered, significantly boosting brand visibility among key target audiences.

  • $12.72 average cost per thousand across all media types, ensuring cost-efficient delivery of campaign messaging.

  • 927,932 clicks to the website, driving strong user engagement and interest in Virginia Housing’s resources.

  • All three campaigns surpassed their CTR goals, highlighting effective targeting and creative strategy.

  • Brand Campaign: 0.65% CTR, which was 86% above goal.

  • Homeownership Awareness Campaign: 0.73% CTR, which was 59% above goal.

  • Education Campaign: 0.26% CTR, which was 8% above goal.

Through a thoughtful, multi-channel approach grounded in data and audience insights, LMO successfully elevated Virginia Housing’s brand awareness and drove meaningful engagement across diverse communities. By combining strategic media planning, targeted creative and real-time optimization, the campaign exceeded performance benchmarks and helped position Virginia Housing as a trusted resource for affordable housing solutions statewide. This work continues to help the organization empower Virginians on the path to homeownership and financial stability.