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Jun 01
2011
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While lead and lease generation is undoubted the Holy Grail of social media, measuring evidence of resident engagement is a more realistic short-term goal for newer social media campaigns. The use of great questions can help you prime the engagement pump, better understand the needs of your residents, and positively position your brand.
Chances are, you have posted or responded to a question in a social media forum. For instance, I recently posted a question for a friend in the Philadelphia Web Geeks LinkedIn group about SEO friendly eCommerce platforms. Within days, I had numerous, helpful responses to my post.
Questions posted on apartment community social media pages can also yield powerful results. For example, Park La Brea, a large apartment community in Los Angeles, recently posted what I think is a particularly brilliant question on Facebook: They asked residents if they would be more likely to buy an electric car if the community installed charging stations. This one smart post accomplished many goals. First, it created resident engagement. Numerous comments were posted, all of which were extremely positive. Second, the post allowed management to gain valuable feedback regarding resident reaction to this potential amenity. Third, the post positioned the community as forward thinking and green.
Keep in mind that all questions are not created equally. Asking your followers what they think about the death of an octogenarian actress—who no one under 35 has ever heard of—is unlikely to resonate with your residents and will make you look out of touch. But asking residents who they think will win a playoff game, what their favorite local restaurant is, or what their preference is regarding a common area paint color are all appropriate questions.
Start jotting down questions that might work in the context of your community when you think of them. The next time you’re struggling to think of what to write in your next social media update, post one of your questions, and if it’s compelling enough, be prepared to engage with residents who respond.
