Millennial and upcoming Generation Z renters no longer look to commercials or ads as the major influence in their decision-making process. Many brands know this, using their marketing tactics to focus on influencer marketing to reach beyond the typical leasing billboard.
From reviews to thought leadership, social media offers a unique outlet to build fans as an influencer. Social media influencers in the real estate world are recognized by their large following and insights covering all aspects of the multifamily space. A strong social presence is necessary to hold an influencer status in addition to quality posts. Turning to these influencers as a voice within the industry will result in valuable relationships that companies can leverage.
So who exactly are these valuable assets? Social media influencers are a group of users that have a large following and are “influencing” the community. They are often viewed as a more trustworthy resource than advertisers, thus better capturing an audience. According to Nielsen, 92 percent of people trust recommendations from individuals (even if they don’t know them) over brands. It makes sense, right? Who sounds more reliable, a brand trying to sell you something or an individual just stating opinions?
What Does Influencer Marketing Mean for Multifamily?
As property managers take to more nontraditional methods for reeling in renters, social media influencers hold an interesting opportunity for multifamily. Influencer marketing is an indispensable asset as it allows for a third party to promote your property.
For instance, influencers have brought attention to properties through guest blogging and social promotion, like tweetchats. Most of them participate or host weekly Tweetchats, like #AptChat and #REOnline, where real estate professionals exchange ideas while networking. Apartment communities can join the conversation and leverage the popularity of the online hashtags run by influencers.
Leveraging Influencer Marketing
Connect and Engage
Connecting with real estate professionals is the first step to becoming aware of how influencers can help your marketing. Engaging with these professionals in relevant topics will help develop a network that can be used to get involved with the community.
Twitter and LinkedIn have a large commercial real estate community, so it’s important to know where to go to connect with the right professionals. Tweetchats and LinkedIn groups are a great place to engage with property managers, so use these to your advantage. As long as you’re getting your name out there, other professionals will start to see you as a reputable source.
Socialize With Quality
Focusing on sharing quality content is important to real estate influencers. Social media should be an outlet for property managers to be themselves and talk with other professionals. Sharing relevant content and using popular real estate hashtags will elevate your presence. Further, voicing opinions on certain trending topics will show a positive interest in building an active, involved community.
Boost Marketing Efforts
Influencers are a great marketing tool because they know the ins and outs of the industry. As such, connecting with these professionals allows property managers to market their property simply by becoming visible through their followers. Rather than spending large marketing dollars on billboards or print ads, influencer marketing is free or significantly cheaper. Consider allowing one of these professionals to guest blog on your property’s site, for example. They can share your article with their followers and you have more content to add. It’s a win-win!
