With the growing use of social media and its unique ability to bring people together, especially in this time of physical distancing, many HOAs are using various platforms to more effectively do business.
Social media platforms can be used as tools to foster communication, establish neighborly connections, and strengthen the sense of community; however, social media is only effective when it’s used strategically. Join us below to learn how to build a social media strategy tailored to your community and its needs!
Outline your policy. Taking time to define your social media policy and following it can increase your effectiveness. A proper policy should include audience, moderation/standards, what types of information the platform should share, and what your goals are in using social media. Ensure that social media is used for information sharing only and not grievances or individual issue posting.
Designate someone to execute the policy. Once you have a policy, sit down with your board to establish who will facilitate the social media platform. You may want to form a committee for this activity and/or appoint a board member to be responsible for carrying out this policy. Having a designated person or committee to monitor and post factual community information will make sure the social media platform is successful.
Choose your platform. Not all social media platforms are created equal, and certain platforms work better for some businesses than others. For example, most HOAs find Facebook groups or Nextdoor to be extremely effective at keeping everyone up-to-date on community news and activities. Choose your platform(s) based on your goals and try to stick to one or two.
Engage your audience. Success with social media relies on an attentive audience. If social media is new to your community, you’ll need to spend time and energy engaging residents. This can be done by sharing photos from community events, to soliciting feedback on the types of events residents want.
Remember confidentiality. Because social media makes sharing information so easy, always take the time to ask yourself if it is necessary or even appropriate to share something. If you wouldn’t share it at an annual meeting or in a newsletter, skip social media too.
Utilize audience engagement statistics. Most social media platforms provide these statistics, so take advantage of them to identify what content resonates with your audience and what doesn’t.
Know the law. Everything you do and say on social media is permanent…even if you delete it. Always consider things like copyright, plagiarism, emotional distress, or violating privacy rights of residents. You always want to think twice before posting, and if you’re hesitant, get the opinion of other board members or management company.
A few sporadic Facebook or Instagram updates is less effective than providing consistent content. Although social media seems easy, true success begins with strategy and following through. Your association will start to notice a difference in ease of communication and improved sense of community. If you’re looking to implement your social media strategy, reach out to us at Your HOA and let us help you achieve your goals!