There are constantly many ideas and articles being tossed around in regards to designing the perfect Facebook Page for an apartment community and what exactly that entails, or if there really is such a thing.  Facebook, being a social media website, or I should see “THE” social media website, is only beneficial if it is seen by many viewers.  Taking the time and effort to create a page is great, but then it comes down to how exactly the page is made to be viewed by web surfers.  A Facebook Page is no different than creating any other web page in that it must be viewed as relevant to associated content in order for it to be searched for and found.  The typical apartment community Facebook Page is not searched for in a generic search and found, rather apartment community pages are usually directed to in other forms of marketing (i.e., embedded links in other web pages; Facebook Page URL in flyers; word of mouth; etc.).  There are some basic steps that need to be followed for any Facebook Page, as well as for apartment community Facebook Pages, to ensure that the user is providing themselves with the opportunity to have a successful Facebook Page.  Here is a break down of 10 basic steps for any Facebook Page courtesy of Jeff Bullas:

1. Keep your posts short
2. Post photos, videos and quotes
3. Post consistently
4. Ask for your fans opinions
5. Ask questions using the Facebook questions app
6. Try posting “fill in the blank” posts
7. Give fans access to exclusive information
8. Reward your fans with deals and perks
9. Be timely
10. Localize your posts ff they are relevant to a specific audience

When it comes to creating a Facebook Page for an apartment community, the steps to success that should be taken are a little more specific, but can still be utilized as a model for multiple venues of business.  Stephanie Burns put together a great list in Multifamily Insiders of 10 steps for an apartment community to follow to help ensure Facebook Page success:

1. Make sure your apartment community’s page is setup as a page-NOT a profile
2. Create a vanity URL for your Facebook Page and promote it
3. Don’t start by promoting yourself and using Facebook as a means to lease apartments
4. Share meaningful, relevant information with your fans on a consistent basis
5. Utilize Facebook Places
6. Offer Facebook deals
7. Cross-promote and market your Facebook Page with local businesses and offer exclusive offers for Facebook fans
8. Find interesting and creative ways to engage and interact with your residents
9. Attract fans that are relevant to your business
10. Use Facebook to post comments as your apartment community

Utilizing Facebook as a marketing venue is a fun and interactive way to show that your community is actively involved when it comes to communicating through social media.  If your community does not in fact already have a Facebook Page, then get one now, because the longer you go without one, then the longer you leave the window of opportunity open for your competitors to capture the Facebook market.