Social Media

Modified on Fri, 25 Apr at 4:16 PM

Purpose:

Horizon Realty Advisors leverages social media to maintain a positive, engaging, and informative online presence that reflects our values and commitment to exceptional resident experiences. Our strategy focuses on lifestyle marketing—connecting with our audience by presenting our communities as extensions of their identities, not merely places to live. We prioritize providing resources and exceptional customer service that help residents live their ideal lives. In essence, we are not just leasing apartments; we are promoting a lifestyle.

Policy:

Community social media accounts are managed either in-house or by a third-party social media management agency.
Leasing Managers ensure all social media activities align with marketing objectives and comply with Fair Housing laws and workplace conduct policies.
Any teammate involved in posting to a community social media account must complete Social Media Training before contributing.
Horizon Student communities are expected to post 3-5 times per week.
Horizon Residential communities are expected to post 1-3 times per week.
All engagements are managed within 48 hours.
Profile Standards:
- Social media icons, profile handles, and profile names must remain consistent across all platforms. Refrain from altering any of these.
- Login credentials must use the community’s leasing email address and a strong password.

Procedure:

Accessing Social Media Accounts

Facebook, Instagram, Google Business Profile, and Yelp are accessible through Sprout Social.
Instagram can also be accessed directly through the platform.
If any of these profiles require an edit, submit a HelpDesk ticket to Marketing via The Source.

Social Media Profiles

Contact Information
- Phone: Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok use the Social Media lead tracking phone number (in Entrata).
- Email: Use the community's leasing email address.
Instagram Bio
- Include the type of housing, city, and three key selling points. 150 character count limit.
- All Instagram pages must be business profiles.
Facebook pages are connected to Entrata’s Marketing Hub feed, with the following categories updating every 24 hours:
- Name
- Category
- Address
- Website
- Phone
- Description
- Hours

Audience

Primary Audience: Current residents. For detailed insights, refer to the Resident Persona section in the Design and Marketing Guidelines or contact creative@horizonra.com for updates.
Secondary Audience: Prospective residents seeking an authentic view of the community.

Content Types

Lifestyle: Resident life, team highlights, property events, and property updates.
Promotional: Renewal and leasing specials.
Interactive: Contests, giveaways, and trivia.
Community: Local events, local campus events, local sports teams, and business collaborations.
Holiday: National days, holidays, and trending topics.

Residents want to see social media content that is:

Authentic, non-promotional content
Transparency about our business practices and values
Educational content relevant to their stay at your community
User-generated content and customer testimonials

Content Creation

Capture photos and videos on-site
Share user-generated content
Use Canva templates for Instagram stories and Facebook posts (avoid graphics with text overlay or logos on Instagram)
Avoid posting contact information as it is built into each platform

Content to Avoid:

Mentioning residents, vendors, or clients without permission
Sharing confidential information
Posting discriminatory, political, or religious content
Using logos or endorsing third-party products without approval

Social Media Giveaways

Social media giveaways must comply with each platform’s guidelines.
- Instagram Guidelines
- Facebook Events and Promotions
Giveaways are effective for driving engagement and viral impressions.

Engagement

Social media is a critical touchpoint for customer service, feedback, and engagement. All comments and messages must be responded to within 48 hours. Personalize responses by using the individual’s name and, when necessary, move conversations offline.
Engage natively or through Sprout Social.

Competitor Analysis

Weekly competitor analysis reports will be provided to help identify trending content and understand market dynamics.
Refer to the Social Media Comp Links for each community’s competitor social media accounts.

Measurement and Tracking

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, DMs, reactions, saves, and link clicks.
- Engagement Rate: Engagements as a percentage of impressions.
- Reach: The number of unique users who viewed your posts.
- Impressions: Total views of content.
- Viral Impressions: Organic reach from user interactions.
- Post Count: Total number of posts published.
Note: Engagement may fluctuate seasonally, especially during summer turn and December holidays.

Crisis Communication Plan

In case of a crisis or emergency:

Contact your Regional Manager immediately.
Pause all social media and Google posts using Sprout Social: Settings > Publishing Settings > Pause All > Stop Posts.

Final Reminders

Your posts and interactions represent your community and Horizon Realty Advisors.
Tailor content to each platform; not all messages are suitable for every channel.
Moderate comments carefully. Remove comments that are:
- Threatening, abusive, or obscene
- Factually incorrect or libelous
- Contain personal data or commercial solicitations
Contact your Regional Manager if threatening comments appear.

Social Media Resources

Sprout Social
Social Media Channel in Horizon-Resources
Social Media Playbook
@hrasocialmedia on Instagram*
- *Access through your community's Instagram account.

For additional support, contact the Marketing department via HelpDesk or email creative@horizonra.com.

Resources: