HOA Social Media Best Practices
With social media's growing use and unique ability to bring people together, most businesses, including HOAs, are using various social platforms to foster community. As an HOA, your board should explore using social media platforms to encourage communication, establish neighborly connections, and strengthen the sense of community.
The list below will help you follow best practices when using social media for your HOA.
Outline Your Social Media Policy
Taking time to define and follow your policy can protect you from social media pitfalls and increase your effectiveness. A proper policy should include audience, objectives, and moderation/standards. Creating and enforcing a social media policy is the best practice for keeping the community safe.
Determine the Social Media Objectives
Once you have a policy, sit down with your board and management company to discuss what your HOA would like to accomplish with social media. Defining objectives is crucial because it provides direction for all future content creation.
Choose the Right Platform
Not all social media platforms are created equal; specific platforms work better for some. For example, most HOAs find Facebook groups highly effective in keeping everyone up-to-date on community news and activities. Choose your platform(s) based on your objectives and commit to only a few. Focusing on one platform will help you set yourself up for success in the long run.
Get Others to Join Your Platform
Invite your homeowners to join the platform. You can share QR codes around the neighborhood or send a link via email to help them join as soon as possible.
Engage Your Audience
The only way you'll succeed with social media is if you gather an attentive audience. If social media is new to your community, you'll need to spend time and energy engaging residents. You can do this by sharing photos from community events, conducting polls for homeowner feedback, sharing important updates, and more!
Respect Confidentiality
Because social media makes sharing information so easy, always ask yourself if it is necessary or even appropriate to share something. Don't put it on social media if you wouldn't share it at an annual meeting or in a newsletter.
Know the Law
Everything you do and say on social media is permanent, even if you delete it. You always need to consider things like copyright, plagiarism, emotional distress, or violating residents' privacy rights. Again, always think twice before hitting "share," and if you're hesitant, get the opinion of other board members.
Social media is an incredible tool for your community. As you implement these tips, your association will soon notice a difference in ease of communication and an improved sense of community.