Tag Archives: Social media

How To Run Social Media in the Apartment Industry

Posted on February 29, 2016 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

social-media-

Social Media: Friend or Foe? We have all been on both sides of the fence on that question, especially working in the apartment industry. Social media can be a fantastic way to showcase your property’s culture and personality, while sharing images of your amenities and happy residents. However, it can also be overwhelming to keep up with finding new and exciting material to keep your audience engaged. Below we have some tips on running your property’s social media like a rock star.

Social Media Platforms

The best platforms for apartment industry social media are Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

        *Facebook is the mother-ship of all the social media platforms and its paid advertising tools are extremely valuable. With Facebook ads you can target people that have just moved to town, people that are talking about moving to town, people of any age group, interests, the list goes on and on. Facebook also targets a wide range of potential residents including baby boomers and older generations that have not adopted other social media platforms.

        *Instagram is very popular with the 18-29 age demographic. It is also a much easier platform to keep up with. Posting images of your property, decorating ideas, employee spotlights, and images of your city are great ways to keep followers engaged. You can also search popular hashtags and use them during relevant times. If you are an apartment community in Austin, Texas during SXSW, a popular music festival, you will want to post content aimed at the festival goers by using the SXSW hashtag.

        *Pinterest is a great tool used to drive people to your website and other accounts. An example of a property management company doing a great job on Pinterest is AMLI Residential Apartments in Austin (and other various locations). You can check out their account HERE and see examples of great board ideas.

Content is King

Once you decide which social media platforms you are going to use you will need to hash out a plan for your content. Content consists of pictures, articles, contests, videos, and any other media that will engage your fans and followers. Even posting your open leasing professional and maintenance professional positions can be content geared toward individuals looking for a job in the apartment industry.

Great content for the apartment industry includes:

* Photos of your units and amenities
* Contests for residents (for example take a photo of a spot on your property and leave an envelope there with a note saying “you won! come to the leasing office to claim your prize!”). Encourage your residents to follow your accounts so they can win prizes, get creative!
* Articles that effect your residents and potential residents such as local news, apartment decorating, and other relevant pieces.
* “Song of the Day” music videos that your staff can have fun curating.
* Hosting an open house for potential residents that you can use targeted Facebook ads to promote then take pictures to use for content after. You can also partner with a catering company and DJ to have them cross promote on their social media accounts.

Review Analytics and Make Changes

The most important move you can make when developing your social media is to check in monthly and see what is working and what is not. There are many programs, such as Hootesuite and Facebook Analytics, that will give you feedback on what content is getting you the most attention. Keep a monthly spreadsheet with what is working and tailor your content towards that. It will always be changing, so it is important to stay on top of it regularly.

Social media in the apartment industry can be very fun and rewarding. Don’t put it on the back burner, let it become a priority and enjoy all the benefits that come with great social media!

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Why You Should Be on LinkedIn (And How to Do It)

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Hire Priority

Why You Should be On LinkedIn (And How to Do It)

             With 92% of employers checking out potential employees online, creating and maintaining a LinkedIn profile is a necessity if you are trying to find a job in the apartment industry. But the benefits go both ways: just as employers may be checking you out, you can likewise research them before applying for a job to get a leg up on the competition.

 

Why Should You Be on LinkedIn?

There’s really 3 main reasons to join the site:

1.)   Employers will be looking for you on LinkedIn

If the 92% of employers who are researching candidates on LinkedIn look for you online but can’t find you, this may be a disadvantage in your job search. Compared with candidates who have complete profiles highlighting their skills, if you are absent from the site you will lose a chance to make a good impression.

2.)   An increasing number of jobs are advertised on LinkedIn

Over the past couple of years LinkedIn has been making job searching through their site easier and easier. LinkedIn will now recommend jobs that  you may be interested in, as well as those that are within you network of connections. As the number one way to find an apartment job today is through referrals, knowing which jobs are in your professional network is a huge advantage.

3.)   Career Development

The last benefit to LinkedIn is not only true for when you are job searching, but over the course of your career. With a vast number of career-related articles, 8,000 professional groups created weekly, and 300 million total users, the opportunities for professional networking and growing your industry-related knowledge are limitless.

 

 

How to Make the Most of LinkedIn:

Hopefully by now we’ve convinced you that you should be active on LinkedIn, and the next step will be to fill out your profile to maximize what it has to offer. Here’s how:

  • Add a picture: profiles with pictures are 11x more likely to be viewed.
  • Complete your profile information: the more information you add, the more likely you are to show up when employers are searching for candidates
  • Make connections: LinkedIn suggests you need to have at least 50 connections for the site to be effective. If you don’t know where to start, begin by searching for members of your high school, college, or previous jobs.
  • Stay active: In order to make the most of LinkedIn, it’s best to be on the site often. 40% of users check LinkedIn daily—and we’d suggest doing so too.

If you are looking for an apartment job, one of the most advantageous tools at your fingertips is LinkedIn. While this shouldn’t be your only means of job-hunting, if you use it right it could be the one that ends up getting you the job.

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New & Improved: Using LinkedIn Better in 2014

Posted on February 28, 2014 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

 

New & Improved: Using LinkedIn Better in 2014

linkedin 2014

LinkedIn has made some changes recently that offer more options to users—especially job seekers. Here’s the newest ways to make the most of your LinkedIn profile:

1. Include Your “Skills”

The ‘Skills’ section is now more important in the make-up of LinkedIn. Your skills will help potential employers find you, and should be a necessary part of your page.

2. See Who’s Looking

Last Monday LinkedIn updated the section of their site where you can see who’s viewed your profile. With more in-depth information you can better see who is searching for you and what field they are in. Keep an eye on who’s finding you to track if your profile is attracting potential employers.

3. Join a Group

Or join several! The groups of LinkedIn, especially for apartment industry professionals offer a unique way to stay in-touch with what’s happening in the industry while networking. Try not only joining professional organizations, but also regional Apartment groups in Houston, Austin, or San Antonio.

4. Re-Think Your Updates

Now is a good time to evaluate if your strategy for posting LinkedIn updates is effective. Post sparingly and always offer value to your audience rather than a sales pitch.

5. Personalize Connection Invitations

Instead of sending out the default message when you invite someone to connect, write something short and personalized instead. Competition on LinkedIn is building and this is one way to stay memorable.

6. Go Mobile

The LinkedIn mobile app is an extremely well done and worth having if you spend a lot of time on your phone. For likewise tech-savvy people your can download CardMunch, LinkedIn’s app to a business card you’ve been handed.

7. Search & Apply for Jobs

The number of job postings on LinkedIn is constantly growing. If you’re searching for an apartment job in 2014, check out properties you want to work for or search for specific positions.

8. Add a picture

You profile should be complete, including a professional picture. Profiles with pictures receive 11% more views, according to Mashable.

 

For networking, apartment job searching, and staying up to date in the professional world, LinkedIn is a powerful tool. LinkedIn grows each year, and will likely continue to increase in importance as part of modern job searching. Don’t wait—make the most of LinkedIn now and you will remain competitive as the site continues to grow.

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Polish Your Social Media Profiles!

Posted on November 4, 2013 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

3 Ways to Polish Your Social Media Profiles

            When used correctly, social media can be a valuable means of networking—especially during a job search. However, if you are sending the wrong message with your social media profiles it can damage your career.

Here are 3 ways to optimize your social media outlets for professional networking:

1. Build a personal brand

Your personal brand is a culmination of the persona you broadcast across your social media. While you may not purposefully construct an online image, viewers of your profiles are nonetheless putting one together as they read what you put online. Begin building a personal brand by being purposeful with the information you put online. From pictures to postings, stick to conveying the best, most professional version of you. Consistency across all profiles will strengthen your image, and give potential employers or connections a chance to understand what you are about.

2. Complete Your Profiles

One of the quickest ways to create an unpolished profile is to have incomplete information. Understandably, you may not want to disclose everything about yourself online; however, filling in your professional information will help with networking opportunities. Additionally, if you are applying for jobs and an employer checks out your profiles only to see that they are half filled out they may suspect that you have something to hide. Maintaining complete, up-to-date information on your social media outlets is the best way to make the most of them.

If you don’t have any social media profiles, now is a good time to sign up! Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all beneficial for professional networking.

3.  Refine Your Information & Pictures

Perhaps you are a social media veteran, with profiles you have updated for years. In this case polishing your profiles means combing through all of your information and photographs to remove anything that could be construed as unprofessional. When looking through everything you’ve uploaded keep in mind the message each article of information is sending, and strive to convey your best, most professional self. With more and more employers checking out job applicants online, one of the easiest ways to take yourself out of the running for a position is to have unprofessional, insensitive, or sloppy pictures or posts online.

 

Social media is a powerful tool when used correctly, and polishing your profiles will set you up for career-building success.

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Social Media Manners for Your Career

Posted on October 21, 2013 by James G. Lenhardt, CPC, CTS

5 Social Media Manners to Help Your Career

With so many social media platforms today, harnessing their networking power for professional benefit can be an invaluable practice. From LinkedIn to Facebook, refine your social media manners and give your career a boost with these 5 steps:

1.)  Complete Your LinkedIn Profile

If you have a LinkedIn account you can use it to complete the majority of your online professional networking. Because LinkedIn is geared for a professional audience, it will be the first place potential or current employers check you out online. Maintaining a complete and up to date LinkedIn profile is becoming common courtesy in the social media world of business.

2.)  Sign Up for Social Media Profiles

Beyond LinkedIn, other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can be useful for your career. There may be other industry-specific social media sites that could also benefit your online presence, but starting with the most common is a fail-proof method.

3.)  Make-over Your Social Media Profiles

Depending on your position and industry, your social media profiles should ideally communicate who you are professionally and resonate with your target audience. For example, if you work in the apartment industry, finding ways to demonstrate that you know the latest industry-trends, or are passionate about your work could go a long way. A complete makeover may be necessary in some cases if your social media account was created prior to beginning your current position.

4.)  Make Regular Updates

Consistent and regular updates on social media outlets are received much better than sporadic ones. The process of building your online brand can be accelerated through consistent updates. As you post regular updates your audience will come to expect when you will communicate with them and is more likely to become engaged.

5.)  Follow Leaders in Your Field

Following individuals and companies who are experts in your profession is another way to establish the online aspect of your career. If you are in the apartment industry this could be anyone from cutting-edge properties, high-powered individuals, or popular speakers. In addition to following them, actually interacting with these accounts online can also give your reputation a boost.

Navigating the world of social media for career purposes can be a daunting task. While building a successful online presence may take time, rather than a magical formula, these steps can ensure the process is beneficial.

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