There are many variables that go into the management of your self storage business. From monitoring your transactions to tracking which storage unit sizes are the most in-demand, having an effective online marketing strategy is just another way self storage businesses can boost rental rates and revenue. There are a lot of social media platforms out there that people count on for seeking out services, including self storage. Your goal is to make sure you can establish yourself online as a trusted brand that will attract future customers. If you’re not sure how to tackle this task, we’ve prepared a couple of tips to help you get started on your social media marketing journey.
1. Why should you have a social media strategy for your self storage business?
It goes without saying that keeping an online presence as a business is beneficial. Creating social media exposure not only helps you build your brand but is another way to reach potential customers. Generally speaking, consumers spend a lot of time online, and going on the frequently used platforms is just another channel where you can reach them to present your services. You will be able to provide them with the information they need if they’re actively looking for a self storage unit to rent but are undecided about which self storage company to pick.
2. Create a plan of action
The aim of creating a business page on social media is to attract followers. In order to reach this goal, you should come up with a plan that you can follow. Once your page is created, make sure to commit to being active on a consistent basis. On the other hand, you don’t want to overdo it at the beginning, so sticking to a regular posting schedule that doesn’t overwhelm your audience is best.
You could use one of your employees that is social media-savvy, or you could turn to a social media manager to help you leverage your social media marketing. Decide which option is best for you depending on your personal preferences and budget.
3. Get to know your audience
Start out by modeling the profile of your ideal customer. Think about their needs and how your business can help them. Use this information to create the kind of content that helps to solve their problems. Consider your customers’ average age so that you can choose the ideal platform to reach them. Gender, location and platform preference should also come into play when you devise your online marketing strategy.
4. Think about which platforms to use
Social media platforms come by the dozen, and it’s challenging to maintain an online presence on all of them. You should also consider that not all are appropriate for self storage marketing. Here are some examples of social media channels that your business could benefit from:
It’s one of the most popular social media platforms and it appeals to a broad audience. Create a business page for your self storage facility which allows you to keep track of how users interact with your page’s posts.
We consulted Noemi Konta, RENTCafé’s social media strategist, to get her opinion on how to tackle social media presence. “One bulletproof way to boost social media engagement for a self storage business is to repurpose blog posts into short posts that are made out of quotable images, videos and GIFs” according to Noemi. “The same principle applies to adding videos, slideshows and live video events that showcase a storage facility into your Facebook posts,” Noemi also added.
She had some insights on posting frequency too. “Post at least once a day, but no more than twice. This steady and balanced posting strategy will help maintain and grow engagement rate,” Noemi told us. For additional exposure, you can use Facebook Ads. You can target audiences that are specifically interested in self storage, from people who recently moved house to newlyweds, students or senior citizens.
Since Twitter limits the character count, your post will need to be concise if you choose this platform. You can turn to facts and figures and questions to engage your audience. Retweeting a popular post is a big bonus on this platform.
This is a platform that keeps its users engaged mostly through snappy content. Your post will most likely be photographs that come with attractive taglines in order to attract users to read an article or to guide them to a page on your website that can help them.
- YouTube
Maintaining a YouTube account is more time-consuming, as you need to create videos. This can be a very personal and effective way to engage with potential customers online. You get the opportunity to be creative and to show off your brand’s identity. Furthermore, having a YouTube account can be beneficial as there are plenty of resources available to you, such as a royalty free music library and editing software.
5. Here’s what to post
Each industry and business comes with a different type of content that meshes with specific audiences. When it comes to self storage businesses, here are some popular content ideas:
- Photos of storage units
- Information on discounts and giveaways
- Storage unit size descriptions
- Storage tips & tricks
- Personalized posts about staff and facilities
- Links to other local businesses and blogs
- Company news
- Self storage industry-related posts
Remember to vary content type and to get creative in order to keep it diverse and engaging.
6. Use scheduling tools
Find out what works best for you in terms of posting. You could choose to put each post up individually or you can turn to scheduling tools to help you save time. Using a scheduling tool can take about 30 minutes per week. This way, you won’t have to log on to Twitter or Facebook daily.
HootSuite is a popular scheduling tool for marketers that allows you to manage several social networks using the same dashboard. Buffer and Tweetdeck are two other options you can use, but the latter is exclusively dedicated to Twitter.
7. Keep interacting
Regularly posting on your social media platform of choice is one way to attract customers’ attention, but it’s even better if you engage with other businesses’ posts and reply to anyone who comments on your posts as well. For instance, you can comment and share on a competitor’s post if you think the information shared will benefit your target audience. Take a few minutes to interact with the people who are following you, which will encourage them to do the same on your page too.
8. Grow and nurture your brand online
Remember to treat everyone kindly in your social media interactions. A golden customer service rule is to be courteous and empathetic, especially if a conversation turns emotional. Your online reactions become public record and will ultimately reflect on your brand.
Make the best use of reviews to grow your brand. Facebook, Google and Yelp display reviews – make sure you show your visitors what your customers love about your business through reviews. Always reply to reviews, if possible, to help nurture your brand.
9. Add a call-to-action option
Your main goal in using social media is to turn exposure into numbers. To do so, add call-to-action buttons on your pages on the platforms you use. It could be something as simple as a “follow” button for your blog or a signup one for your newsletter. This allows you to keep track of visitors so you can fully reap the benefits of using social media.
10. Set up evaluation times
At first, social media engagement might be slow to pick up, but once conversion numbers start accumulating, you should take some time to evaluate your social media pages’ performance. You could look at it based on how many visits you get, numbers of likes and any other metrics you can think of. Some posts might fare better than others, as types of content and time of posting can influence engagement, for instance. Keep track of all elements involved in your social media strategy so that you can attract more visitors who are interested in your services.
