Social media continues to dominate
A new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults finds that the social media landscape in early 2018 is defined by a mix of "long-standing trends and newly emerging narratives."

Big surprise: Facebook is still the primary platform for most Americans. A whopping 68% report they're Facebook users, and roughly three-quarters of those users access Facebook on a daily basis. With the exception of those 65 and older, a majority of Americans across a wide range of demographic groups now use Facebook. Not surprising, young adults (88% of 18- to 29-year-olds!) use some form of social media. That share falls to 78% among those ages 30 to 49, to 64% among those ages 50 to 64 and to 37% among Americans 65 and older. Of course, Snapchat is right there: 78% of 18- to 24-year-olds are users.

Bottom line: Young users are savvy, but never discount older users (e.g., probably your buyers). Engage with them and share relevant information on your social channels.

Video trends
We talk a lot about video at NewGround. Why? Because it's a powerful, simple, effective way to communicate your brand and get your messaging out there. We've developed and produced videos and we've seen them get more likes and engagement on social media than any other kind of content. We're sold. Here's an infographic(another great way to market, by the way, it sure got our attention!) that offers myriad information on video marketing. In a nutshell: you don't need thousands of dollars and a video crew (sure, you can definitely go that route) to produce compelling video.

Shoot Facebook Live on your iPhone; shoot Instagram stories; flip your phone around and film yourself providing insight or showcasing amenities at one of your communities. To paraphrase from that famous shoe company: Just video it.

Clients in the news
Here are some recent client successes from our mighty PR team! (We don't like to brag, but...)

Century West Partners was featured in Bisnow after breaking ground on its newest project in Santa Monica, CA.

Builder magazine featured Pardee Homes' Weston community - it's the first all-solar master-planned community for the company. But not the last. More and more builders are getting ready for the 2020 mandates in California that require all new homes to be net zero energy.

What are the five forces shaping floorplan design in 2018? TRI Pointe Groupweighs in for this double-feature in Builder magazine.