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Though property management is by no means a technical enterprise, some forward-thinking homeowner and condo associations have been utilizing social media to communicate with their members with great success.
Condominium associations often have to communicate information to a large number of owners and tenants. Traditionally, a bulletin board in the lobby, or individual mail and flyers have served this purpose, but with the Internet age, more associations are moving the message delivery mechanism online. Social media can keep anyone in the building apprised of everything from announcements of new owners or tenants, to association meetings and elections, to upcoming building-wide events. It can also feature relevant articles on government legislation regarding ownership and renting, tips on going green, and announcements of neighborhood events.
Of course, social media channels with various levels of security have to be utilized, because some announcements can be sent out to the general public while others should be seen only by the owners. For the former, Facebook has the popularity to reach the maximum number of people affected by the announcement. For owners-only communications, some associations have successfully implemented private portals that require feature a dedicated login. These offer the necessary privacy, but require more effort on the part of the owners. As social media platforms increase their privacy features, a third way might be in the making.
Integrating association communications with a member’s social network can ensure that even the busiest owners have a chance to catch up on the latest association news. It can also increase participation and the sense of community by building a closer-knit circle between everyone who has a stake in the building. Potential buyers and tenants are sure to be impressed with the forward-thinking association, which makes the building considerably more appealing to be a part of.
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