These days, incorporating social media in the marketing mix is second nature for most apartment marketers. However, many still wrestle with how to leverage it effectively.
We’re eager to know how savvy marketers are using social to connect with residents, prospects and local businesses, and to build brand advocates. And who better to tell us than our sharp #AptChat participants?
Here are the highlights from this week’s chat. (Hit the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: What are you doing to increase engagement through your social channels? How are you connecting w/ residents & local businesses?
- Q2: Are more residents expecting customer service communication through social channels now? How are you approaching this?
- Q3: What are you doing to get other people sharing your brand with their friends? How are you using social to build advocates?
- Q4: How are you managing (and training for) onsite content creation? What are you doing to capture the best content worth sharing?
- Q5: What’s next for your social media efforts? What are you most excited about in social right now?
What are you doing to increase engagement through your social channels? How are you connecting w/ residents & local businesses?
A1. (FB) Working in dark posts, targeting in organic posts. Loving Instagram ads. Seeing amazing engagement there. ❤️ #AptChat
— Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) November 3, 2015
@AptChat sharing engaging content, gamification, contests and giveaways to promote engagement. Promoting deals for our residents! #AptChat — Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) November 3, 2015
A1. Want to increase engagement? Make it about your customer/the local biz…not about you! #aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) November 3, 2015
@AptChat Social listening. Lots of it! And knowing the right opportunities to jump into those conversations. #AptChat — Carly Sickles (@heyheycarlay) November 3, 2015
@heyheycarlay @AptChat Agree w/ you on social listening. Lots of opportunities to engage & provide value, answer questions, etc. #AptChat
— Nicole P. Hartenbach (@nhartenbach) November 3, 2015
Are more residents expecting customer service communication through social channels now? How are you approaching this?
Don’t know about y’all, but FB messages are blowing up all the time. After hours feature w/ auto responder = amazing @AptChat #aptchat — Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) November 3, 2015
A2 communication via social channels should be a standard service. If someone sends you a Tweet use Twitter to respond not email #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) November 3, 2015
@JonathanSaar I never understand when companies that actively post suddenly become ghosts when it comes to replying to customers! #AptChat — Carly Sickles (@heyheycarlay) November 3, 2015
What are you doing to get other people sharing your brand with their friends? How are you using social to build advocates?
A3 remember how much a simple “thank you” can go a long way when it comes building advocates #aptchat
— Jonathan Saar (@JonathanSaar) November 3, 2015
Monthly events, including philanthropy projects to involve more. Encourage reviews (FB reviews obv most pop)… Etc @AptChat #aptchat — Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) November 3, 2015
@KevinEkmark Explain that first part … people are sharing the fact that they’re part of a volunteer project? #AptChat
— Apartment Chat (@AptChat) November 3, 2015
Yes – encourage friends/fam to get involved, encourage photo sharing w/ hashtags/location on, raffle off a prize. @AptChat #AptChat — Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) November 3, 2015
A3: See below… @30lines @AptChat #AptChat https://t.co/oQFp56iDLd
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) November 3, 2015
How are you managing (and training for) onsite content creation? What are you doing to capture the best content worth sharing?
@AptChat A4: have branded materials with property hashtags to ensure residents know how to share. Onsite photo booths & props #AptChat — Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) November 3, 2015
What’s next for your social media efforts? What are you most excited about in social right now?
@AptChat A5: I am excited to try Beacons, IG ads, continue to improve FB ads, and create a social hub for our employees to utilize. #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) November 3, 2015
We’d love to hear more about what excites you in social these days, and what you want to try! Share in the comments below.
Our next #AptChat will be Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 12 pm Eastern. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!