Millennials are officially the largest living generation, which makes them a prime target for property managers. One of the most effective ways to connect with them is by appealing to their digital nativity. This generation of young adults grew up on the internet. They are practically glued to their mobile phones and spend an incredible amount of time on social media.

Meeting them where they are and engaging them there is the key to success. Not sure where to begin? Here are 5 ways you can use social to interact with your residents.

Provide support

Social media provides a great tool for property managers to deliver support to their residents. Encourage renters to connect with you on your social channels and send their minor inquiries or requests via those channels. This is fast, easy and convenient, both for your residents as well as for your team. Just be sure to stay on top of any incoming messages and always respond in a timely manner.

Make announcements

Need to share some news or inform your residents about something upcoming? Social media is a great platform for spreading the word quickly and en masse. Inform them about changes to one of your policies, remind them about a particular rule, inform them of schedule maintenance or alert them to something unexpected. Social media is a great way for property managers to communicate without flooding tenants’ inboxes or reaching out individually.

Promote Community Events

When people feel a sense of community, they are more likely to stick around for the long haul, reducing costly turnover. For property managers that handle HOA or larger apartment communities, social media presents a great opportunity for building and nurturing that community atmosphere by promoting events happening at the property. Even if you don’t have your own community, you can still use social to promote local happenings nearby.

Share vacancies

Most property managers know that the best place to locate great tenants is through referrals from existing ones. You can use social media to share information about units that are available. Offering an incentive may prompt your current residents to recommend you to their own networks. At the very least, you can get those listings shared to increase your reach, spread awareness and fill your vacancies faster.

Generate brand awareness

These days, branding is critical to business success and property managers must do their part to build and cultivate a name for themselves. Social media is a great platform for sharing some of the culture and personality behind your brand. Post pictures and videos that demonstrate what it’s really like to live at one of your properties and be a part of the community. Include your residents whenever possible (with their permission, of course). This will endear them to your brand and bolster loyalty.

Social media is a part of our everyday lives – especially for the Millennial generation. Property managers have a tremendous opportunity to leverage these platforms for engaging residents, thereby improving retention and boosting their bottom line.