Let’s face it, social media is second nature to millennials. This group of young-in’s either grew up when the internet was just picking up speed or they have grown up with cell phones, and now smart phones at their fingertips. Talk to you in person or have a conversation over the phone?  PUH. LEASEEE! They’d rather just send you a text or post super fun adventures from their weekend on my social channels. You say you don’t understand them. They are confusing. Why don’t they just do it the “good old fashion way”? It may be crazy to think, but they think the same thing about you!

It’s time to jump into the mind of the millennials.

Do you find yourself asking why social media? Why is this the ideal place to communicate with the residents at your student housing development? You only have 4 short years to really connect with these students and residents – If you’re not tapped into your target market’s social channels, you are missing out.

Let’s get down to it: How should you use Facebook to connect with your student housing complex?

On-Campus Event Notification

Have you noticed that attendance has been down for on-campus events? Those flyers that are killing the environment are also a buzz kill to the eyes of millennials. By inviting residents to campus events with a Facebook event page, you’ll help students stay up-to-date with what’s going on around campus. Even include a flyer or pictures from last years event (if it is an annual event) to incorporate old traditions into a more modern format.

Weather Alerts:

It’s 11:00PM and sleet is coming down. Sleet turns into snow. Temperature drops. Roads will not be cleared until morning and you need to cancel morning classes. What better place to notify your students than Facebook? Students have access to Facebook at their fingertips, and they are constantly keeping up with their newsfeed – Make sure they get your news!

General Updates:

Changing the lock system on the doors? Has there been an update on move-in/move-out dates for the semester? Do you have items in the lost and found that have yet to be claimed? Simple, well-written posts with pictures or videos can easily spread the word across your campus housing community to make quick announcements.

Is this real life? Yes!

A great example of a university that is connected with their students is University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL). They have thousands of likes, hundreds of visits. They hold fun contests, keep residents up to date on improvements and upcoming events, and they respond to their students when they write comments on their posts. They create engaging hashtags and keep their brand consistent in the process.

Even though it’s hard to understand, social media can be useful if you use it properly! Facebook was originally designed for college students, why not tap into this valuable yet inexpensive resource?