PRIMEDIA Launches HD Image Pack To Power A More Visual Search Experience

ATLANTA, March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- PRIMEDIA, the parent company of Apartment Guide, Rent.com, and Rentals.com today launches the industry's first HD Image Pack™,  providing a more visual and comprehensive search experience.  Powered by premium high-definition media, the HD Image Pack caters to consumers' desire for visuals and represents a sizeable investment by PRIMEDIA to ensure that its customers' listings are optimized to engage consumers and drive leads. The introduction of this HD content enhances Apartment Guide, Rent.com and Rentals.com listings and solidifies the brand as the most complete and trusted source of information for prospective renters looking to discover the ideal place to live.

The HD Image Pack's high-quality visual offering provides apartment seekers with a deeper understanding and a more clear perspective of viewed listings, which ultimately helps drive more qualified leads to apartment operators.

"Apartment Guide constantly strives to enrich our consumer experience, and we know that with the proliferation of social media, visuals are a compelling driver of user engagement," said Arlene Mayfield, senior vice president, PRIMEDIA and president, Apartment Guide, Rentals and Homes divisions. "With the launch of our HD Image Pack, Apartment Guide now offers a highly visual search experience that assists consumers in their search and ultimately drives qualified leads to property managers.  Making investments in our brand and our listed properties is a great opportunity to provide our consumers a personalized search experience."

PRIMEDIA's HD Image Pack features HD photos, HD videos, HD panoramic tours and HD floor plans, which translates to an increase in leads for property managers and creates a successful search experience for the consumer.

• HD Photos:  Professional HD photos, which will be featured in search results, have produced a 10 percent increase in leads over listings without HD imagery based on a trial of over 1,000 Apartment Guide properties
• HD Videos:  This HD multimedia offering provides consumers with a comprehensive view of a property and generated 28 percent more leads than those without a multimedia offering based on Apartment Guide's customer trial
• HD Panoramic View:  The professionally shot 360 degree HD panoramic tour showcases property amenities and interiors allowing consumers to fully experience the property on their desktop as well as on mobile devices
• HD Floor Plans:  Floor plans are the most requested information by prospective renters after unit pricing, and Apartment Guide listings that included floor plans in February 2013 have generated close to 17 percent more leads for property owners and managers

Leading apartment operators are already seeing the benefits of Apartment Guide's HD Image Pack:

"What a difference the new HD Image Pack photographs have made with Legacy North Pointe in driving interest to the community. The images were able to capture every detail of the community amenities, office and model with acute clarity and crispness, while providing the best angle shots for demonstrating each area. The upgraded photographs have enhanced the community packages, creating additional interest which has resulted in more site traffic and awareness about the community."  - Kelly Shuffett, Regional Property Manager with GCI Residential.

The HD Image Pack launch follows the recent announcement of Apartment Guide's Certified Resident Ratings & Reviews^SM service for property operators--another industry first--featuring a free-of-charge online ratings and reviews service compiled from certified residents.  Apartment Guide continues to evolve its search technology to deliver quality results for property managers and provide consumers with the best experience to find a newplace to live. The entire HD Image Pack is available at no additional cost for Apartment Guide customers with Diamond packages.  HD Photos are also available at no additional cost to all customers with Gold or higher packages.

For more information about Apartment Guide, please visit www.ApartmentGuide.com.

About PRIMEDIA

PRIMEDIA helps millions of consumers nationwide find apartments, houses for rent or new homes for sale through its category-leading websites and mobile applications, including ApartmentGuide.com, Rent.com, Rentals.com, RentalHouses.com, and NewHomeGuide.com. PRIMEDIA continues to simplify the consumer home search and drive leads that result in occupancies for property management companies, landlords, new home builders and real estate professionals. For more information, visit www.primedia.com. For more information about Apartment Guide, please visit www.ApartmentGuide.com.

SOURCE PRIMEDIA, Inc.