In some of our recent posts we’ve touched on the importance of establishing and managing the online presence of your property management organization. One of the most powerful tools you can leverage to accomplish this goal is social media. But with so many different avenues to choose from, it can seem like a daunting task. The good news is it doesn’t have to be. All you have to do is find the strategy that works best for you and go from there. Here are a few tips on how to choose the right property management social media strategy for your business. First, ask yourself how far you’re willing to go in terms of ongoing communication. Remember, social media is just that: social. In order to really master it, you have to determine how committed you plan to be to the process. Different platforms have different levels of engagement, so the answer to this question can help you figure out which path would be best for your particular situation. For instance, many businesses use Twitter for their customer service requests, while others prefer Facebook for more light-hearted interaction on a less frequent basis.

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Next, you have to identify your target audience. Who is it that you want to reach through your social media activities? Is it the local community, or are you aiming to be a resource on a more global level? For the prior, Facebook or LinkedIn may be better choices for you, while the latter would be better suited for a Twitter or YouTube campaign. Figuring out who you are ultimately trying to reach will help narrow your choices.

Now that you have an idea of which platforms you will likely focus on, it’s time to develop your content. You can begin by identifying what your goals are – i.e., what you’d like to accomplish with your social media participation. Are you trying to get more brand exposure? Are you hoping to increase referrals? When you figure out what your goals are, you can then develop content around those goals. For instance, if your goal is to get existing customers to spread the word and send referrals your way, consider offering a promotion or incentive for them to do so via their social channels.

Once you have a strategy in mind, it’s time to implement it. If you haven’t yet done so, set up profiles on the platforms that you’ve chosen and begin to get involved in the conversation. Put yourself out there and test the waters. The beauty of social media is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. If something you try doesn’t work, try something different. Be creative and have fun! And don’t forget to regularly measure your results as you go to further hone your strategy for best results.

The steps outlined here should help you narrow down your options and develop a social media strategy that will focus on the areas that will get you the best results. If you’re really stuck on which direction you think you should go in socially, take a look at your competitors or others that are in related industries. Learn what is working for them, and use that as inspiration for your own organization. Once you have the right property management social media strategy in place, your online presence will begin to flourish.
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