Basic Guidance for Elevating Your Self-Storage Social Media Strategy

For more than two decades, since the dawn of chat rooms and MySpace, people from all over the world have been spending loads of time on social media. There’s little wonder. It isn’t only an excellent vehicle of expression, it allows users to interact with each other, no matter where they are. Plus, there are so many platforms from which to choose. 

Social media is also an excellent way to promote your self-storage business. It can help you expand your online reach, build brand awareness, connect with potential customers, sell products and services, communicate with existing tenants, and collaborate with other small businesses. Like email marketing and an optimized website, it can also generate leads and help you convert them into sales. That said, you must have an effective strategy, a detailed plan that outlines your goals, target audience, content and tactics. In fact, it should be considered a vital part of your overall digital-marketing plan. 

The Platforms 

Self-storage is unique in that its customer base is hyper local. While companies like Starbucks are attempting to reach people everywhere, most storage operators are concerned with the audience within close driving range of their facilities. For that reason, you want to choose social media platforms that influence a local audience. 

This type of reach is best accomplished through Facebook and Instagram, both of which offer business accounts and can help you plan and schedule posts. It can be easy to get busy and let things fall by the wayside, but a digital content calendar will keep you on track when deadlines loom. You can even use a third-party scheduling tool like the one provided by HubSpot to organize content on multiple social media platforms. 

The Plan 

When devising your self-storage operation’s social media strategy, focus on these three elements: 

Who you want to reach. Your target audience generally includes people in your area in need of self-storage such as families who are relocating or remodeling their homes, small businesses in need of space for inventory, or senior citizens who are retiring and downsizing. Whoever they are, they’re probably local, so be sure your social media marketing reflects this. 

Obtainable goals. These should be clear and specific, with realistic objectives broken down into manageable pieces. For example, you might set a goal to reach X number of followers on Facebook. Once you start thinking of a social media strategy as a “roadmap” and your goal as the “destination,” working backward will help you plan effectively. 

Brand voice. Every company has its own style, which should be recognizable. Your brand voice includes your business tone, font, colors and logo. For example, Starbucks is known for its signature green and white logo featuring its famous two-tailed siren. Across the web and in print, the public knows who that logo represents even when it isn’t accompanied by the company name. This is because of vigorous and consistent marketing efforts. You want your self-storage business to be just as recognizable. Keeping a uniform style, whether printed on a brochure or posted on Facebook, will bolster your brand and reinforce customer loyalty. 

Google Business Profile (GBP) 

As a self-storage operator, you should be aware of and have a GBP for your company. It’s a free way to promote your facility, make it searchable and increase its online presence. 

You should also know that Google recently started integrating social media posts into user GBPs. When customers search for your brand online and find your profile, not only will they receive basic information such as contact information and hours of operation, they’ll see what you’ve posted on social media. This means it’s more important than ever to plan and execute effective social campaigns.  

The Metrics 

When it comes to evaluating your self-storage business’ social media strategy, Google Analytics (GA4) is a powerful tool that can provide a wealth of data. It allows you to track and analyze traffic from various platforms including Instagram and Twitter, for example. According to Orbit Media Studios, a Chicago-based company specializing in digital marketing as well as web design and development, GA4 can help you answer the following questions: 

GA4 also has powerful segmentation and filtering capabilities, allowing you to isolate user groups and track their behavior over time. This can be particularly useful if you want to evaluate the effectiveness of targeted marketing campaigns or track the behavior of specific demographics or geographic regions. 

In addition, each social media platform has its own metrics such as likes, shares, comments and followers. Investigate each to see what might be useful. By tracking metrics such as website traffic, user behavior and conversions, you can gain a deeper understanding of how visitors are interacting with your self-storage brand and whether your social media strategy is effectively driving the desired outcomes.  

Time to Pivot? 

There are times when you may need to pivot in your social media marketing strategy, either because you’ve set new goals or you’re seeing poor performance. If you’re struggling with how to proceed, use algorithms to analyze data and patterns. This can help you uncover insight and identify potential solutions. It’s also helpful to gather input and perspectives from others and keep an open mind to new ideas. Being willing to make changes when necessary can facilitate success. 

As a self-storage operator, you might find it overwhelming to navigate social media, especially if digital marketing is a concept you have yet to master. It can be time-consuming to  

devote the time to learn the best strategies, then plan and execute them. If it isn’t something you’d like to do or have the time for, consider hiring a marketing company to help you and your facility grow on social platforms. 

Lincoln Hawks is a content writer for The Storage Group, a digital-marketing and technology-development firm that specializes in website development, search engine optimization, reputation management and more. A graduate of the University of Memphis, she writes articles, blog posts and other digital content for web pages. For more information, call 407.374.0689; email [email protected].