Expanding your rental business’s influence is a newly digital endeavor. Like it or not, social media is the future of rental advertising.
Like most people, your potential renters have social media accounts and are active on them daily. One way to appeal to prospective tenants, accumulate applicants, and establish your brand is to be present on the same sites as your renters.
But what’s the best way to advertise your properties on social media?
Like any digital tool, social media has its drawbacks and limitations. No one set of rules applies to posting on every social media site, nor do users always act the same across platforms.
If you want to expand your ad territory and enter social networks, you need to understand how they work. While there are no strict rules regarding what kind of content you should post, there are general guidelines you can follow to keep your Facebook or Instagram content relevant and persuasive.
Here are a few tips and strategies for cultivating your rental business’s positive presence on social media platforms.
Choose Your Platforms
When it comes to social media, less is more. Don’t try to create and maintain accounts on dozens of sites. Your efforts will be much better realized if you choose one or two platforms to focus on.
Your intended audience should largely inform the platforms you choose. What kind of renters are your ideal tenants? Target the platforms your ideal tenants are most likely to use.
Here are a few examples of social networking sites and their typical users:
- Facebook – Facebook has the highest volume of viewers across all platforms. Due to Facebook Marketplace, renters of all ages and demographics use the platform.
- Twitter – Twitter is a networking site with a strict character limit. While this site typically isn’t used for rental advertising, it is easy to use and great for posting images.
- Instagram – Instagram is an excellent place to market your properties to students and young adults. Because the platform is designed for sharing photos and videos, Instagram is perfect for appealing photos of your properties and location-based content.
- YouTube – As a video-sharing platform, YouTube is also an excellent platform for visual content. Its users vary by age, and it is widely used for many purposes. YouTube is a great platform for virtual tours.
Provide Valuable Content
The trick to social media is to find a balance between information and aesthetics. Prospective renters won’t stop to read a graphic that looks hastily thrown together, but even the most aesthetically pleasing posts are useless without content.
Valuable content can take many forms. For instance, if you’re on a photo or video-based platform, you could showcase your property’s dynamic neighborhood and welcoming community life. A listing with specific details would be more appropriate for Facebook Marketplace.
Include Engaging Visuals
There’s no substitute for high-quality photos and videos on social media. Social media platforms are fundamentally multimodal, meaning they are built to attract users’ eyes with engaging content that “pops” in addition to text captions or comments.
You don’t need a degree in digital marketing to make your content visually appealing. High-quality photos with flattering angles and natural light are enough to catch a potential renter’s eye.
For videos, start with guided tours or a general introduction to you and your business. Prospective renters will appreciate this “on-the-ground,” authentic immersion into your units.
Incorporate Your Company Website
Finally, to make the greatest impact on social media, incorporate your company website. Use similar visuals across all your marketing assets, and don’t forget to include links to your website on all your social media accounts.
Your contact information should also be easy to find. Prospective renters will be less inclined to follow up about your properties if you don’t provide a clear way for them to access you. Include a phone number, email address, and a link to your company website to ensure viewers are more likely to explore your business and inquire about vacancies.
If you use best rental property management software, you might also be able to integrate your company website or social media accounts directly into your software. This feature helps keep content consistent and regular across platforms.
Master Rental Marketing on Social Media
For many landlords, social media is a natural extension of broader digital trends in business. Whether you consider yourself a pro or are new to the platforms, social media is a way to generate interest and excitement around your properties. So long as you choose your platforms wisely, stick to valuable and engaging content, and incorporate your website and contact info, you will quickly engage new applicants for your rental properties.
Also read entrepreneursnews
