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When it comes to the multifamily industry, the social media presence of an apartment community really matters to residents. A survey by Multifamily Insiders showed that the community’s social media ranked as the third factor that residents consider when deciding whether or not to renew their lease, behind value and a feeling of community among other residents and staff.

So what are the best strategies for a multi-family community to be successful at the social media game? Keep a focus on the Four Cs: content, conversations, community, and connections.

Here are six ways to do just that.

1. Come up with a content posting schedule. Ideally, you should post a minimum of once per week, but no more than three. (More is fine if you’re sharing time-sensitive information that affects the entire community.)
2. Offer relevant content. If someone is following you on social media, chances are that they’re a member of your apartment community. Share content that they’d find useful as an apartment dweller. For example, articles with tips on how to maximize storage, how to create a container garden, and tips on adding personal yet temporary touches to an apartment.
3. Be an authority on what’s happening locally. An apartment is not usually a permanent home, so some residents might be relatively new to your area. Share content about things like upcoming local festivals, museum exhibitions, and restaurant openings to add value and keep your residents in the loop.
4. Keep authenticity in mind. In December 2017, Facebook announced that it would demote posts that feel gimmicky or encourage users into interacting with likes, tags, shares, and comments. Make sure you don’t do things such as ask your followers to like a post, tag someone who’d be interested in your post, encourage people to comment, and so on. Instead, boost engagement by sharing content that’s meaningful, informative, accurate, and authentic, and let the conversations come naturally.
   
5. Mix it up. It’s important to keep your followers’ interest, so share a variety of content. For example, on Monday you could share information on news and events happening within your apartment community, on Wednesday share an article about apartment living, and on Friday post content about local events happening that weekend.
6. Have fun and be creative. Do a lot of dog lovers live in your community? What about families with kids? Do a cutest dog photo competition, or ask residents to post back-to-school photos of their children. Ideas like these are good ways to strengthen your community — residents who interact via social media might be more likely to connect in real life.

The bottom line: Social media isn’t about pushing out promotional messages. It’s about pulling people in and building relationships.

No time to update your social media channels on a regular basis? Contact us to learn more about our social media services, and let Respage do the heavy lifting for you!