There are so many new trends that are arising for 2018! With new resolutions knocking at your door, why not make a resolution to add in 3 new 2018 trends! As the article showcases the 2018 top 18 new trends, I couldn't help but share what the top 3 trends are that are my favorite! These happen to be the ones we have started to see already or ones that are knocking at our door in the apartment industry! 

My favorite 3 are: 
#5 Get On Board with Live Video - As I have previously mentioned in a prior post, video continues to be what viewers want. "In fact, 80% of users said they’d rather watch a live video than read a blog post, while according to Facebook, live video gets 3 times more views than regular video content." Video is even most watched with the sound off as most people are in a place where they can not hear, so think about adding captions to your videos. Video really shares with the viewer the experience of the community and allows them to see themselves if they were already living there. Live video is also great for those prospects that want to see their apartment home from their office or their home, considering we are all so busy, why not take this opportunity to video with them and lease from their comfort of wherever they are. 

#13. Don't Shy Away from Transparency - Before a renter calls or even emails a community, they "internet stalk" your community. They will check every website they can to read reviews, find out the apartment price, review the communities social media pages etc. Embrace transparency and share yourself and your team to show the renter your community is more than just a place for them to rest their head, but a home with so many experiences. Create transparency through video and photos and not only share them on social media, but create the experiences on your website as well.  Just remember to be real and show what your community is all about! 

#15. Utilize Instagram Stories - "In 2017, Instagram announced that approximately 800 million people now use the platform each month. Their latest tool, Instagram Stories, became more popular than Snapchat just one year after going live."

Insta-stories is another way for the community to show transparency. More and more we are moving into the era where renters want to feel they are apart of a business. You can bring your story to life in new ways with text and drawing tools. The photos and videos will disappear after 24 hours and won’t appear on your profile grid or in feed. This allows you to post as much as you want and shows the personality of your community. A great example of insta-stories is sharing what is happening before the resident event, during the event and even the behind the scenes once the resident event is over. This really gives the follower the experience of the event and will create the Fear Of Missing Out, wishing they were at the end. (hopefully joining in on the future events)

A great place to start is to look up your competitors or other communities even outside your market to see examples of communities showcasing transparency through videos  on Facebook and Instagram posts.