Apartment Blog

When you got ready to leave home today, you knew there was the possibility that someone could wrongly come into your home to steal things, so you probably locked your door, and perhaps set an alarm.  Then, when you got behind the wheel of your car, you knew there could be an accident, so you buckled your seat belt.  No one is telling you not to leave home or not to drive, but both of these activities pose risks.  Everyday we take risks, and the better informed we can be about risks, the smarter and safer we are. 

The same is true for advertisers as they embrace social media to promote their apartment communities.  Social media is a great innovation, but it does have its risks, and the better informed advertisers can be about those risks, the smarter and safer they are.

Remember that a website is a form of advertising.  As a practical matter it is no different than any form of traditional advertising, and the same rules apply.  The things you say must be true, because if they are not, it is libel; you have to be aware of consumer laws (watch out for sweepstakes that are really illegal lotteries); and, you have to honor the trademarks and copyrights of others.

And of course, don’t forget about fair housing considerations.  The point of a website is to advertise the community; what is posted on a website (and that means both words and pictures) must therefore be fair housing compliant.   Quite simply, that means that a “reasonable person” looking at the website cannot see anything that would suggest “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.”  Therefore, the words that are used, the directions that are given, the symbols that are depicted, and the photos and pictures that are shown cannot indicate that type of preference, limitation or discrimination. 

The bottom line is that if there are fair housing issues with a basic website, the apartment community will be liable, since this is essentially an “ad,” and the community (its owner or PMC) is the “publisher.”

But what about a website where others are able to post information or are invited to blog?  Who is liable for what others post?  The answer is “it depends.”  It depends upon how much control the owner of the website (the “Publisher”) is exerting over the external posting by others.  It’s all about control.  The more the message is controlled, the more likely the accountability. 

Now, what about Facebook®, Twitter™, YouTube™ or a blog?  Are these a form of advertising?  The answer to that question is “it depends.” It depends on what a judge or jury might say about this.  The folks in the apartment industry who are using a fan page on Facebook or who are sending “Tweets” would ultimately have to admit that the ultimate goal is effective marketing of a community or PMC, and that sounds like advertising.

Social media can be a brilliant form of marketing, but people need to make informed business decisions.  They need to know what questions they should be asking before they take the leap into social media, questions like:

1. Who at the community/with the PMC will be its “voice”?
2. Where will this “voice” be heard?  On your own website or blog?  Or will this “voice” speak through posts at the websites and blogs of others?
3. If you will have your own website/blog, how much time will be committed to monitoring and promptly responding?
4. If you will have your own website/blog, how much control do you plan to exert regarding what is posted by others?
5. What will you do if someone says something bad about you or the community?
6. What will you do if someone says something bad about their neighbors or prospects–a lie, a slur, even an over-the-top compliment?
7. When is your employee your employee?  Are you responsible for their on-line actions?
8. When is your employee “on their own time”?  Are you responsible for their on-line actions?
9. Are you going to provide training for your employees on the proper use of social media as it relates to your website/blog?
10. Are you going to provide training for your employees on the proper use of social media as it relates to the websites and blogs of others?

Lock your house?  A good idea.  Seatbelts–ditto.  And take advantage of the wonders of social media and advertising, but do that with an understanding of the risks and a plan to address them.

REQUIRED LANGUAGE FOR ALL REPRINTING OF THIS ARTICLE: “Social Media- Don’t Take Risks” is written by Nadeen Green, Senior Counsel with For Rent Media Solutions. The information contained in this article is not to be considered legal advice, and the authors and their companies strongly suggest that you consult with your own counsel as to any fair housing questions or problems you may have.

From August 26-28, the Caribe Royale Orlando All-Suites Hotel will open its doors to more than 450 multi-housing professionals for this year’s Florida Apartment Association (FAA) conference. The conference encourages attendees to “Catch the Next Wave” of industry innovations. On Friday, August 28, attendees will also have the opportunity to listen to some of the most experienced social media professionals in the industry during an hour long social media session that starts at 8 a.m. This is a great opportunity to extend your social media knowledge!  FAA’s social media panel will answer questions on social media and discuss strategies that may benefit your community, including successful tips on the basics of social media, with an emphasis on video marketing, Twitter and Facebook. Whether you are a supplier or management professional, everyone is sure to benefit from these best practices and general discussion.

Panelists include:

• Erica Campbell, Marketing Manager, For Rent Media Solutions™
• Melanie Stiles, National Training & Marketing Director, Milestone Management, L.P.
• Judy Bellack, VP Operations, Apartment Finder  
• The session moderator is Kellie Jackson, Milestone Management, L.P. 

“Baby boomers aren’t technology Luddites. More than 60 % of them consume socially created content. You’ll find them leaving their opinions on Web sites and joining social networks.”
- Jeremiah K. Owyang (@jowyang), researcher with Forrester Research

There is this perception that adults over 50 only dabble on the Internet, but research is finding that they are spending more time online and interacting in robust social networking communities. Baby boomers using social networking sites such as Facebook™, MySpace™, LinkedIn®, Twitter and YouTube™ are not as uncommon as you may think.

According to The Pew Internet and American Life Project, boomers now account for 35% of all Americans online. A consumer survey of U.S. consumers, from the NPD group, Inc., a leading provider of reliable consumer research, shows that 61% of baby boomer Internet users (age 44 to 61) had visited sites that offer streaming or downloadable video, while 41% had visited social networks.

Baby boomers are finding social networking sites appealing for the same reasons most people do- to stay in touch with people. They are interested in reconnecting with old friends and classmates whom they haven’t talked to in more than 30 years. They enjoy sharing photos with family and friends and staying connected to their children and grandchildren. High school and college reunions are also being organized via Facebook. Nielsen Reports that moms (aged 40-50 with 3+ children) are heavy online shoppers who stay connected via social networking more so than mom’s 39-54. Some are even replacing e-mail with social networking sites for staying in touch with people on an ongoing basis.  In addition to sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn, they are also using boomer-specific sites like eons.com, boommj.com, boomertowne.com and the aarp.org social network. 
According to Facebook, women over 55 remain the fastest growing group on the site, and growth among the teen and college-age set has been relatively paltry. In absolute numbers there are now even slightly more members between the ages of 45 and 65 than there are 13-to 17-year-olds. Analytics company iStrategyLabs has examined the demographics stats from Facebook’s Social Ads platform, and they have found staggering results. Interestingly, they found that the number of users aged 25-34 has grown 60.8%; the number of users aged 35 to 54 has grown 190.2%, while the number of users older than 55 years has grown a tremendous 513.7%.

Baby boomers are making themselves known in the social media space of the online world. Marketers who neglect to speak to them in the language they are now adapting to will miss out on a rewarding opportunity!

There are a lot of different versions out there of how the Seven Deadly Sins apply to social media but here are some that For Rent Media Solutions has put together to assure that you are making the most of your social media marketing campaign.

1.      Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

We have all been there before and understand this one. When most companies enter the social media landscape they want to have a presence everywhere. In order to be effective both with time and resources, you need to have goals and a solid strategy to support them. It is not necessary to have an account on all of the social networking sites. Choose one or two platforms that best match your goals and target audience and get to know how they work. 

2.      Don’t Get Greedy

One of the main reasons businesses enter the realm of social media is to build relationships with consumers and increase their brand awareness; however this does not mean you need to solely promote it while you are on these sites. Follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of the content you are submitting, sharing, tagging and commenting on should not be yours. Don’t consistently link your content. Offer help to others that genuinely and directly benefits them, not you. Provide value to the conversation and become a trusted member of the community. Move people to engage your brand and be collaborative. You can only build a community by contributing and that contribution needs to provide value for the consumers. Only then will they begin to trust your brand.

3.      Don’t Lose Sight Over Quality vs. Quantity

Social media is about quality not quantity and it should not be looked at like a popularity contest. Having the highest number of followers and fans is not what it is all about. Take the time to build a targeted list even if it is smaller and takes longer. It is important to have followers that take action versus having thousands of followers/fans that will never convert. Social media is about building relationships, so you will also want to make sure that you can manage the relationships that you have.

4.      Don’t Try to Control It
Your relationships are your brand. Anyone can blog, tweet or Facebook message about a good or bad experience they had with your product and it can be seen by millions of people. Embrace the transparency of social media because people are talking about your communities whether you like it or not. We can all learn a lesson from the recent experience of a property management company that is suing a former resident for $50,000 over a tweet complaining about mold. Read more here: What the Horizon Realty Fail Can Teach You About Social Media. Within a few hours, Horizon    Realty became a “trending topic” on Twitter, which means that Horizon was one of the most talked about topics on Twitter. Although trending topics on Twitter tend to be short-lived, the reach and distribution of social media goes further than Twitter.

 If you try to control the message too much, you will lose control. Rather than be fearful of messages made about your brand, engage. Use it as an opportunity to display your customer service and you will win customers for life.

5.      Don’t Be Fake
As we’ve mentioned before, social media is very transparent.  Consumers will know if you’ve entered a space with the intention of only promoting your business and not engaging in conversation with them. This is a big mistake businesses are making. Your company needs to be honest and personable in the online space in order to build relationships, loyalty and trust. It’s ok to make a mistake, admit when you are wrong and move on. People want to do business with people NOT with companies so talk to them versus talking at them.

6.      Don’t Be Lazy
Not only do you need to be honest, but you need to be THERE! Don’t get in the mindset of “Set It and Forget It.” Your brand needs to be involved more than just once a week and response time  is critical. You have to write interesting content, you have to stay current, and you have to be willing to show up and put forth the effort. This is a relationship that needs continuous nurturing.  Setting up profiles on social media Web sites is easy. However, growing those profiles and keeping those profiles alive require time, dedication and resources.

7.      Don’t Be In Violation Of Fair Housing
Fair Housing laws are still applicable with social media. Generally, any postings online should be considered the same as email or text messages. This information is discoverable and can lead to liability. Posting photos of residents and employees? Get a model release and consider fair housing implications! Posting endorsements, testimonials and raves from your residents?  Get endorsement permission! Allowing unmonitored and uncontrolled posts?  Know how to respond to “bad press” about your community. Monitoring and controlling the posts?  Your liability increases - libel and fair housing issues.

As strong advocates for social media, we understand the perceived negativity of giving full reign for consumers to air their thoughts about our clients. We can chalk it all down to one thing, FEAR! In a recent webinar I attended, David Meerman Scott stated that many companies use fear as a way out of social media.  That is such a shame because they are missing a really fantastic opportunity to engage those consumers, learn from them and really turn their perception around.For example, For Rent Media Solutions posts our clients’ Community Theater videos on various social networking sites.  Social media websites such as YouTube, MySpace, Yahoo, Dailymotion, AptsVideo.com is where you can find them. While this is a service we provide for free, packaged with our Community Theater videos, many apartment communities are hesitant about entering this space.  Their fear, there’s that word again, is that consumers will use this as a chance to rant about their community; therefore, giving them a bad image and deterring prospective renters away.  While that may be the case, sometimes, it also gives them an opportunity to spout praises about your community.

Through YouTube, I receive emails when a comment is posted on one of our videos. There have been countless times where consumers comment “I live at Jefferson at Dedham Station and love my apartment! Friendly staff as well!” or even have further inquires “How much please! I think I may be interested! Reply as soon as possible! Thank you!” Yes, I will admit that we do get the ‘it’s horrible’ or ‘lame’ comments. But the ones where property managers really have an opportunity to learn from and engage are where residents post their dissatisfaction with service.  

If someone submitted “The office staff sucks. For all the money you pay for rent, they don’t even allow your teenagers to use gym equipment, even if they are multi-sport student athletes in high school,” what would be the best way to respond? You take what they are stating and think about how you could possibly improve the service you promise. Maybe there is a way to have teenagers work-out in the gym with a waiver signed by their parents. Or maybe that means in your monthly newsletters you should include an article about why it is your community does not allow them to work-out unsupervised.  While you cannot please every renter, communication is really all they desire.

Here’s another scenario with a renter who submits this comment regarding your property “[Maintenance] Will enter apartment with no negotiation on scheduling and with less than 24 hours notice for routine maintenance,” what could you do that would be better customer service for these residents? That’s simple, give renters more notice about routine maintenance and give them an option if the designated time does not work out for them (especially if they have pets).

To summarize this article, social media is AWESOME! It is an excellent opportunity to engage perspective and current renters, listen to what they have to say & reevaluate your service to them especially via social networking sites. They are already talking about you, whether you know it or not; so its time to participate in the conversation. In the current economic circumstances, it is imperative to listen to the customer and increase customer service. And remember this “If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will.”

Mobile phones and Web based communication platforms are increasing their presence and popularity among the lives of hundreds of millions of people globally. People do everything from sharing monotonous and routine details of every day life to alerting people to breaking news or product launches. You’ve probably heard a lot about Twitter, the free micro-blogging social network that’s growing faster than Facebook as we speak. Still, you’re probably wondering what Twitter is and how it actually works.

Have no fear, For Rent Media Solutions (@AptsForRent) has been spending a lot of time on Twitter lately, and has put together a guide to help Twitter newbies get started. Twitter is estimated to have around 5 to 10 million registered users. According to Compete.com, Twitter received more than 14 million unique visitors and more than 8 million page views in March. Oprah Winfrey set up a Twitter account and tweeted live for the first time on her April 17 show. According to Engadget’s Ryan Block, 1.2 million people signed up after she did. Is this a coincidence or is it the “Oprah Effect”? If your company doesn’t have a Twitter account, make it a priority to jump on the bandwagon. Still not convinced? Check out our lingo break down and tips and tricks below.

What is it?

Twitter allows users to send “tweets,” or text-based messages up to 140 characters long answering the simple question of “What are you doing now?” These “tweets” are then displayed on your profile page and delivered to other users who are “following” you (essentially, subscribing to receive your tweets). Also, you can follow (subscribe) to the tweets of anyone you want, from family and friends to Oprah, major Web sites, big brands and more.

Confused yet? It’s ok. Basically, Twitter is like an online cocktail party, a text message or like a Facebook status update, with which you can keep people up-to date with your life.

Who is “Twittering” and why should I use it?

According to PewInternet, 19% of online adults age 18-24 have used Twitter, 10% of 35-44yr olds have used it and 5% of online adults age 45-54 have also tweeted. Twitter is great for posting the ins and out of your life, but Twitter can be a great business tool to gain potential residents, retain residents or to stay abreast industry trends. Can’t attend tradeshows this year? Stay connected with attendees and speakers by using #’s. For example, you can follow the AIM conference going on right now by doing a Twitter search for #aimconf.

Twitter Lingo:

Followers

MySpace and Facebook use the term “Friends”, but Twitter uses the term “followers”. To follow someone, visit   their profile and select the “follow” option. The user will then receive an alert that lets them know you are now following them, and then they can choose to follow you.

@ Replies

Users have the capability to respond to all tweets by addressing the person by using their Twitter user name preceded by the “@” symbol. This will direct a tweet at another person, and causes your twitter to save in their “replies” tab. As a rule- don’t reply back to every tweet.

Direct Message

Sends a person a private message that goes to their device, and saves in their “Direct Messages” tab.

RT (ReTweet)

RT is short for retweet.  People add RT somewhere in a tweet to indicate that part of their tweet includes something they’re re-posting from another person’s tweet, sometimes with a comment of their own.

Favorites

If you come across a really good tweet that like, you can save it to your “favorites” tab.

What do you Tweet?

Anything you want really. People often times reminisce about a memorable experience, share a joke, share everyday updates, provide product updates and announcements or even simply say hello.  The tweets are just as diverse as the people you connect with. Tweets can be pitchy but not too direct. Mix up your tweets with @replies, general tweets, share photos, and throw in some links every now and then.  It is important to also add something of value to your followers like including links to research and helpful articles.

Who do you follow and how do you get followers?

Following a lot of people does help you get more involved with Twitter. That’s the point of Twitter. However, don’t do it all at one time. Follow people in the multifamily housing industry such as @ericacampbell, @ltrosien, @mbrewer, @30lines, @Eric_Urbane, @JohnTMitchell, @kategood, @RentWiki, and  @NAAhq. You can also follow celebrities, media companies, social media experts, big brands, residents and potential residents. Gaining a strong follower base can be tricky. Remember to be original, creative, funny, and offer quality tweets.

How often should you Twitter?

Twitter can be addicting. Trust us we know! But personally, we think 10-12 tweets should be the upper limit. There should be a good balance. Some of the people we follow, Twitter way more than that.

Get started today and Follow ForRent.com @AptsForRent!