There’s no denying social media usage is on the rise in Australia. As time goes on, popular social media platforms are being used across more and more demographics. This means reaching your target audience online is becoming easier and easier for businesses, including Self Storage facilities. If you know your facility should be taking advantage of all the benefits social media platforms can provide but aren’t really sure how or where to start, R6 Digital’s Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Self Storage Facilities is here to help you out.

Who uses social media in Australia?

According to the 2017 Sensis Social Media Report, almost eight in every 10 Internet users have at least one social media profile. Of those who have social media accounts, almost 60% check their profiles daily, with 35% checking their profile more than five times per day! These statistics have increased dramatically since 2016, where only 50% checked their profiles daily and 26% checked their profile more than five times per day. These increases highlight the growth social media usage is still experiencing, so it’s more important than ever that your Self Storage facility invests in social media.

What social media platforms are the most popular for Australians?

There are a wealth of social media platforms available to Internet users; however, not all of them are a worthwhile investment. In order to determine which social media platforms your facility should utilise, it’s important to look at the popularity of each platform, particularly within your target audience. Here are the most popular social media platforms among social networkers in Australia:

• Facebook – 94% of social networkers use Facebook
• YouTube – 51% of social networkers use YouTube
• Instagram – 46% of social networkers use Instagram
• Snapchat – 40% of social networkers use Snapchat
• Twitter – 32% of social networkers use Twitter
• LinkedIn – 18% of social networkers use LinkedIn
• Tumblr – 11% of social networkers use Tumblr
• Google+ – 10% of social networkers use Google+
• Pinterest – 10% of social networkers use Pinterest
• Reddit – 3% of social networkers use Reddit

What social media platforms should Self Storage facilities be using?

While there are many benefits from using social media for Self Storage facilities, trying to invest in every single platform available is a complete waste of time. Social media should be used to connect with potential and current customers (something we’ll discuss in more detail later on), so you should focus on the platforms most popular in your target audience. The table below is taken from page 18 of the 2017 Sensis Social Media Report and highlights which platforms are more popular in different age demographics.

Facebook is the most popular platform across all age demographics. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube are most popular among those under 30. Based on this data, your Self Storage facility should definitely have a Facebook account. Your presence on other platforms should be determined by the likelihood of connecting with potential customers.

Why is social media for Self Storage facilities important?

There are two main reasons why Self Storage facilities should utilise social media accounts:

1. There are a host of benefits to using social media; and
2. Consumers use social media to connect with brands and businesses.

What are the benefits of using social media for Self Storage facilities?

If you know your Self Storage facility should be active on social media but don’t know why, here are the basics.

Social media to connect with customers

With so many people being active on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook, you’ll be able to reach your customers on a platform they’re comfortable and familiar with. It also gives your customers a way to access information about your facility at any time, with no restrictions from business hours.

Social media for transparency and communication

Transparency with customers is important for all businesses, and being active on social media makes this a whole lot easier. With your social media accounts, you can instantly communicate with your customers at any time. This can especially come in handy during a crisis, but is also beneficial during regular business.

Social media for establishing an online presence

When potential customers are looking for a new business, product, or service, they search for it online. While previous years might have seen consumers using the phone book to find this information, they’re now going to use social media platforms and a search engine. Having social media accounts will increase your online presence. This will make it easier for potential customers to find your facility.

What do consumers use their social media accounts for?

While the vast majority of Australian consumers use their social media accounts for socialising and keeping up-to-date with their family and friends, a lot of consumers also use social media to help them make purchases. 37% of Australian social media users use their platforms to follow or find out about particular brands or businesses, and 32% use social media to research for new products and services to buy.

This is important to know, because it highlights that a lot of potential consumers will search social media for Self Storage facilities. This social media traffic is important, because 32% of consumers are searching with the intent to make a purchase.

What should I post on social media?

Knowing you should be posting on social media and knowing what kinds of content you should be posting are two completely different things. To help you plan your social media strategy, you need to consider two things:

1. What kind of content is your audience looking for? and
2. How can you best interact with your audience?

What kind of content is your audience looking for?

Each business and industry will attract a different social media audience, and each social media audience is looking for different kinds of content from brands and businesses. You need to be the master of your own audience. If you’re not sure what you specific audience is looking for, ask them!

In general, according to the 2017 Sensis Social Media Report, the three most popular types of content consumers are looking for from brands and businesses are:

• Discounts;
• Give-aways; and
• Product information.

How can you best interact with your audience?

A big part of social media is increasing the trust consumers and potential customers have for your business, and the way to increase their trust comes from how you interact with them. 64% of social media users are more likely to trust a brand when they interact with their audience in a positive way. Posting content on a regular schedule is also important; 59% of social media users are more likely to trust a brand when they post regular content.

How do I set up social media for my Self Storage facility?

We’ve previously mentioned how important it is to have at least a Facebook page for your Self Storage facility. But how do you create a Facebook account for a business? Here are a few key things to keep in mind when you’re creating your account.

You’ll need a high-quality profile and cover photo

Social media is all about the visual, so you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared with high-quality photos of your facility. To have a clear, professional looking cover photo, you need to make sure it’s at least 820 x 312 pixels.

Create some content pillars

It can be difficult to figure out what kinds of content you should be posting. Creating some content pillars can help you brainstorm new ideas. Come up with two or three pillars, and keep your content consistently in line with them. For example, your facility might use the pillars of Self Storage and Organisation, so your content should be surrounding these ideas.

Create accounts for social media tools

Creating content and managing your social media accounts can be difficult, but there are plenty of tools that can help you out. Canva, for example, can be used to create visually appealing graphics and images for free.

Use a calendar to create a schedule

Having a consistent schedule for posting content can help you feel less overwhelmed. It can also help you to plan out your content in advance so you don’t feel rushed or under pressure.

Enlist help from R6 Digital

Creating a social media plan can be very time-consuming and difficult to manage, so you might not want to take it all on yourself. The team of digital marketing and Self Storage experts at R6 Digital can create and implement a social media strategy for your facility. If you’d like to work with us, view our latest work or contact us today.