Savvy landlords know that to fill their vacancies they have to meet their potential tenants where they are online. With over 50% of renters starting their search online, it is more important than ever for property owners to leverage social media to their advantage. However, knowing the best digital marketing hacks counts for little if you don’t have relevant content to share. Are you brainstorming ways to attract tenants to your listings? This article highlights how to plan social media content ideas so you can fill your vacancies faster.
Table of Contents
Showcase Property Features
Use Professional Photos
Improve your reach by hiring a professional photographer to take pictures of your rental. Visual apps like Instagram tend to push high-quality pictures more than most, and growing your audience is all about gaming the algorithm. Professionally taken photos emphasize important features in a rental even though some investors might see professional photos as a waste. They may prefer to capture and share images with their cameras, however the results are often limited.
Beyond getting the algorithm to show content to more people, better pictures simply attract more people. Higher-quality pictures tend to get more likes and shares, increasing your audience. Besides, it also highlights the features of your available units better, making them more appealing and getting more direct messages from potential rental applicants.
Invest in Virtual Tours
Streamline the viewing process by introducing virtual tours. Landlords can leverage modern 3D renderings to create life-like walkthroughs of their rentals, allowing potential tenants to visit your home with their devices. Despite being more expensive than professional photos, augmented reality provides greater convenience for landlords and renters. Rather than traveling long distances to see a property, or dealing with scheduling conflicts, virtual tours give tenants a better sense of the layout and flow of a house. Thus, renters can quickly figure out if your property meets their standards or whether they need to keep looking. That’s why Bay Property Management Group Washington DC suggests highlighting unique features of your rental that potential tenants are looking for.
Show Behind the Scenes
Leverage popular social media trends by creating behind-the-scenes content. In recent years, “BTS” content has taken off because many viewers like to know what goes into making their favorite products, and landlords can also apply that to their real estate business. For instance, do a walkthrough video of your latest renovation project, and engage the online audience by asking them what colors, designs, and upgrades they’d prefer.
Alternatively, share before and after videos of recent repairs or refurbishing updates on your social media pages. Not only does this idea give landlords out-of-the-box content to work with, but it also shows the followers that you pay attention to detail and most likely have a good maintenance culture. As a result, sharing behind-the-scenes footage and photos can cultivate trust with prospective tenants before they even apply.
Go Beyond Listings
Offer Valuable Content
Grow your audience by offering valuable content. Pretty pictures and videos can bring more people to your page, but get them to stick around and follow by sharing helpful and engaging content. As a property owner, you can do this by promoting local businesses and events in your area. Make an effort to showcase what renters stand to gain by moving into your neighborhood, such as proximity to bus stops, gyms, restaurants, malls, and parks.
In addition, share tips for tenants who might be considering moving into your rental, like how to book a viewing, how to send an application or landlord-approved methods of redecorating.
Engage with Reviews
Interact with your audience when they leave reviews, comments, or questions on your page. After all, one of the biggest benefits of social media is that it allows you to communicate directly with your followers in real-time. Thus, it would be in your best interest to plan a social media strategy that renters can relate to and are eager to engage. You can do that by asking questions at the end of your videos or in the captions, or subverting the audience’s expectations. However, be sure to steer clear of controversial subjects. The last thing you want is to get canceled over a hot take. Additionally, remember to check your profiles regularly and try to respond to messages and comments quickly while you still have momentum.
Build a Community
Attract newer tenants by building a community. It’s human nature to want to belong, and fostering feelings of trust and friendship can improve a potential renter’s loyalty to you. Activities that encourage your online audience to engage with your content more foster a sense of community, so, when one of these followers starts home searching, they’re more likely to check out your properties first or refer a friend.
Share Reviews from Existing Tenants
Involve existing tenants in the fun by getting them to share their experiences. You’ll be surprised how many of your current renters would love to be featured on your social media page if you ask them to. As long as you have a healthy relationship, most tenants would be more than willing to discuss their tenancy experience, providing more content for your page. A few great ideas to consider include asking your tenants how easy the application/rental process was, and what they like about living in their homes. You can also share photos and videos of renters during significant landmarks like birthday parties on the property, or the anniversary of their tenancy. This type of content highlights your customer service and shows prospective renters what to expect when they move in.
Conclusion
Planning social media content ideas to attract tenants can come from a lot of inspiration ideas from tenants themselves. With a little attention to detail and ingenuity, you can get more prospective renters to apply for your rentals. One of the best ways to engage your online audience is by showing off your property’s features, so get professional photos of your apartment, invest in a 3D tour, and create behind-the-scene content. These strategies demonstrate your attention to detail and highlight the aesthetics of your property. However, it’s important to go above and beyond the listings to attract newer renters. Build a community of prospective tenants by sharing valuable content, highlighting your existing tenants, and engaging with reviews. If all of this sounds like a lot, you can outsource tenant placement to a professional property management company.
