Expand Your Social Content Through Creative Partnerships

3 Strategies for Creating Social Content

Have you ever struggled to come up with enough content for your social media channels? What about creating posts that resonate with your current and future residents? In a recent webinar from Apartments.com, social media expert Erica Byrum offered three tips for generating new content to keep your channels engaging while also improving productivity.

“By tapping into new resources and expanding your content creation network,” said Byrum, assistant vice president of social media for Apartments.com, “you can unlock a steady, consistent flow of fresh, authentic, and engaging social content to keep your audience excited and interested.”

1. Repurpose user-generated content

Your residents can be a great source of new photos and videos. To find content your residents are posting about life in your community, browse your tagged photos, Instagram geotags, and branded hashtags. You can also actively solicit posts from your residents by running a photo contest or giveaway.

With 90 percent of consumers reporting that user-generated content influences their purchasing decisions, these types of posts from your residents can help boost your marketing efforts.

Once you’ve found posts you’d like to repurpose, save them to a library, and schedule them in advance. Just make sure to get permission from the original posters and credit them when reposting.

2. Solicit content from employees

Employees are another valuable resource. A third of employees voluntarily create content for their employer, Byrum said. With some encouragement, this number jumps to half. You can also actively post images or profiles of your employees as part of your ongoing content strategy.

Why highlight your team on social media? Employees offer a unique perspective.

“Your teams are trusted insiders with fresh perspectives and access to behind-the-scenes content,” Byrum said.

What’s more, employee enthusiasm can boost your social media engagement, increase credibility, and help you attract new employees.

3. Partner with local influencers

Projected to grow exponentially this year, influencer marketing is another important strategy to consider.

Despite its pricy reputation, influencer marketing doesn’t have to be costly. Byrum recommended looking for micro- and nano-influencers. These influencers, which have smaller audiences, can provide authentic content at a lower price point.

“Influencer partnerships don’t have to break the bank,” she said.

To find the right fit, Byrum suggested looking for local influencers who are already enthusiastic about your property or have a connection to your brand. When you encourage influencers to create content that aligns with their existing style and brand, this can make the information feels genuine, rather than like an ad.

“Effective social media marketing is all about building genuine connections and providing value to your audience,” she said.

Scale your social media strategy

By expanding your content creation network beyond your immediate team, you can maintain robust social media channels even without a large team. This helps you spend less energy on daily tasks and focus more on high-level strategy.

“With the right strategy and the right tools, you can keep your social channels thriving without taking on the full content creation burden yourself,” Byrum said.

Want more social media tips?

Explore more resources from Apartments.com:

• 21 Ideas to Keep Your Multifamily Social Media Feed Fresh
• Today’s Top Instagram Trends
• Content Batching: The Best Social Media Hack

Check out the Social & Reputation Suite for personalized support

Ready to take control of your online presence and boost your engagement with residents and prospects? The Social & Reputation Suite from Apartments.com is the all-in-one platform you need to get more results from your social media marketing:

• Monitor and respond to reviews across major sites
• Syndicate your online business listings across over 40 directories to keep your community’s information accurate and visible
• Solicit and respond to reviews
• Keep your social media channels active with fresh lifestyle content, boosted Facebook posts, and live dashboard reporting
• Track keywords, and optimize your communities for search

Email us today at socialsupport@costar.com to learn how the Social & Reputation Suite can streamline your strategy and drive prospects to your doors.