Using Social Media To Market Your Rentals
So, you’re at the point where you know you need a meaningful social media presence.
Maybe you haven’t used social media before.
Maybe you’ve only used it a little bit.
Maybe you’re on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and every other platform under the sun, and you post occasionally. You try to stay abreast of the latest trends.
But you keep asking yourself the same questions: Why am I on so many platforms? Why does social media feel like an exercise in futility? Am I on social media just to be on social media?
If you’re new to social media or asking any of these questions – or frustrated by social media in general – then you’ve come to the right place. Social media can be an invaluable part of your marketing strategy because it has a user base with millions and millions of people.
But you’re going to want to do more than post memes and marketing blurbs a few times a week. You need to figure out how to effectively market your property on social media.
Why Social Media is Important
You want to meet people where they are. Facebook has over 2.91 billion users worldwide. That’s a ton of eyeballs. The world is tuned into social media and you should be as well.
You want people to be aware of your property. Social media is a great way to create awareness. Because so many people are active on Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms, it means that your presence on these applications increases your chances of attracting new renters.
Social media is an integral part of branding. It tells potential renters who you are and what you value. It lays the foundation for real connection.
Social media is also an excellent place to start conversations. People use social media for news updates, information gathering, and discussions. You want to be a part of conversations that can lead to trust and revenue.
For more information, check out this helpful article we wrote that goes into more detail about each of the major social networks.
Narrow Your Focus
You don’t need to be on every single social media platform to find success. Being present on every social network you can think of will only lead to frustration and wasted time. Just like anything in life—you cannot be everything to everyone—nor would you want to be.
The best way to begin narrowing your focus is by understanding your target audience and knowing your goals. Social media is only as effective as your knowledge about your consumer base. The more you know who your audience is and what matters to them, the more impactful you can become on each platform. For example, if the majority of your tenants are Millennials, platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are going to be great avenues for you.
However, if you’re looking to engage baby boomers, then platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn may be better options. The key here is to conduct research, look at your current tenant make-up, and lean on your experience to define your target audience and identify the best way to reach them.
Narrowing your focus doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t broaden your target audience or channels once you get a better understanding of potential tenants. If you narrow your audience down first, though, you will have a better idea of how to expand your communications. This approach will help you pinpoint who you want to engage in a more specific way and help prevent you from spreading your social media marketing efforts too thin.
At the end of the day, your main goal is to find renters in your area. You can get more granular with this goal as your foundation. For example, if you know your property is popular with young professionals, and you want to reach that market, you could join relevant Facebook groups to build relationships or run a targeted campaign.
This may seem like a lot of effort now, but a relatively small investment of your time today can pay big dividends tomorrow. Creating relationships through social media can make it easy to broadcast availability and find high quality tenants for years to come. This means less work for you long-term, more revenue for your business, and added value for your properties.
Provide Value
Once you understand who your potential tenants are and what they’re searching for, you can provide value. Maybe you survey current tenants and find consistent themes that are key priorities for them (i.e., special amenities, proximity to popular spots, etc.), then you leverage that knowledge to help engage potential tenants. Or maybe your property is in an area with a vibrant community and you showcase that community. Every property is different, and so is every potential tenant. By gaining an understanding of your potential tenants, and aligning that with your goals, you can develop an excellent social media strategy.
A key aspect of marketing on social media is developing a consistent brand that pulls people in and drives interest in your properties. You are the expert on your property, so you have a built-in advantage. More than ever before, tech-savvy, tuned-in consumers want authenticity from the brands they invest in. Your property is the key foundation of your brand, so lean on the strengths you know it possesses. And let your unique, authentic voice break through the clutter.
A critical housekeeping tip related to providing value: Always make your contact information easy to find. Put the “social” in social media. The easier you are to reach, the better the experience is for potential tenants. People won’t look too hard to reach out to you, so make sure they don’t have to.
Post Appealing Photos and Videos
The photos and videos you post on social media should be an authentic representation of your property. You should still do some minor editing to enhance quality (i.e., adjusting brightness and contrast), but be careful not to overdo it. You want people to see the truth about their potential future residence. A picture is worth a thousand words, especially in this industry. Post photos of the interior and exterior of your property. It’s important for potential tenants to feel like they’re getting the full story.
According to WordStream, social video generates 1,200% more shares than text and image content combined. Word-of-mouth and shares matter on social media. Video helps facilitate both things. You want people talking about your property as much as possible. By utilizing video, you make your brand more approachable and accessible to potential tenants. Video provides opportunities to better connect with audiences and reveal many facets of your property in a “live-action” setting.
Your videos don’t need to be overly complex. Simple guided virtual tours or a brief self-recorded statement regarding potential tenants’ main concerns can be extremely effective. The most important part of these videos is presenting meaningful information in an authentic way.
Less is More
When it comes to social media, less is more. People are busy, and they’re not looking for novels or movies about renting on social media. The more concise you are when presenting information on your property, the better. Captions should support posts and give viewers valuable information succinctly.
Consider a Social Media Management Tool
You’re a busy landlord with a lot going on. Most likely, you don’t have the time to manually post content every day on each social media platform. Social media management tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social allow you to streamline your social media posting efforts. If you’re working with a tight budget, Hootsuite and Buffer both offer free plans for a limited number of social networks. These social media management solutions make your life easier. You can schedule posts weeks out and view key metrics all in one place.
While it may seem easy to schedule the same posts for every social media platform, it is critical to differentiate between platforms. Facebook and LinkedIn aren’t the same, so your content should sometimes vary based on their differences. Check out this article from Sprout Social about the best times for posting on different social media, and the best kind of content to post on different social media.
Conclusion
Social media changes quickly and new platforms become relevant every day. The key is to remain adaptable and not be afraid to try new things. You can learn as much from failed campaigns as successful ones. Keep an eye on your metrics and adjust accordingly. Social media is great for experimentation and creativity. No one has all the answers, and there isn’t a perfect, “one-size-fits-all” approach that works every time.
In today’s digital world, though, it’s crucial to utilize social media. You want to be a part of the conversation and connect with people where they are. And these days, they’re online. So, take the first step today and begin cultivating your social media presence with a purpose.
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