The @properties Development Group Advantage: Harnessing the power of social media
With today’s ever changing social media landscape, marketing teams are discovering more than ever before the need to be savvy. We spoke with Brooke Adams, Marketing Manager, and Emeri Griffin, Marketing Associate, to get a better understanding of how the digital marketing environment continues to shift and how @properties Development Group (@DG) is adapting its approach to continue to be a leader in the industry.
The key to @DG’s digital marketing process is collaboration. The plan of action begins with thorough conversations around a property’s target market, which differs for each project — logo, font, color, and everything in between. “Our approach to digital marketing is fully integrated, well rounded and balanced, and we really keep in mind that we're targeting not only buyers but also residents and agents already in the areas,” says Griffin.
From there, the rich messaging comes to life. For Adams, who runs digital marketing for 1400 Monroe, a Chicago luxury high-rise, the overarching strategy is to deliver a story of what life might look like. “Because purchasing a home is so much more than the actual home itself — it’s someone's everyday life — we want to make sure the prospects truly see the story we aspire to tell through our digital marketing.” This includes creating content that highlights specific events and activities around a property as Adams does with 1400 Monroe.
As we routinely observe, the content that garners the most interest and engagement has shifted. “The biggest trends are the rise of TikTok and short-form video content,” says Adams. “The world is becoming more and more visual vs. text driven so we’re adjusting our focus.” This is where Griffin comes in, the manager of @DG’s latest social media addition, TikTok.
More than ever, Griffin says buyers are flocking to platforms like TikTok to find real estate and home buying tips. While it can be challenging to reach new audiences on platforms like Instagram and Facebook without paying for ads, Griffin explains that on TikTok, that’s not the case. Instead, thanks to TikTok’s algorithm, it’s possible to reach any user showing interest in real estate on the platform.
But unlike the strategy associated with traditional digital marketing platforms, TikTok is far more unpredictable. “Strategy and content can change week by week because video trends happen so quickly, you have to react and post while it's still popular,” says Griffin. “Right now, I see a lot of people showing interest in videos showing lifestyle content, everyday tips and even how the market is shaping.”
Like Adams, Griffin also understands that the majority of digital audiences gravitate towards content they see themselves in. The challenge for Griffin and Adams then lies in maneuvering the fine line between the strategic nature behind traditional digital marketing and the new, playful approach brands on TikTok have adopted. “You might go viral with a video of a property, but people are going to stay for more personality and variation of content,” says Griffin. “At this point, it’s essential to embrace these fresh practices if you want to be an established leader in the industry.”