The largest Multifamily Social Media Summit ever brought more brilliant suggestions to multifamily marketers on Thursday at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif. REACH by RentCafe is the social media, photo booth and platinum exhibit sponsor of the 10th anniversary event, which concludes today. Andrew Davis, acclaimed marketer, best-selling author and filmmaker, opened Day Two of the event with a humorous and engaging talk about how constraints – as small as technology challenges and as large as a worldwide pandemic  – ­­can breed creativity for any business. “I started to realize that this was really an unexpected experiment that we had been gifted,” Davis said of the unforgettable global events of the last two years. “It allowed us to ask: What happens when every business in the world is faced with the exact same disruptive forces?” The solution to extreme disruption, as presented by Davis, is to forget the adage “think outside the box” and instead go INSIDE a box that he calls “The Cube of Creativity.” Read on to learn how the Cube works and glean more takeaways from this trend-defining marketing event. The four sides of the Cube of Creativity Davis presented two dynamic case studies from non-housing businesses that faced extreme challenges during the pandemic. One was a flower delivery service that had to relocate its distribution channel to Ecuador because of California’s non-essential worker shutdown. Another was a sustainable farm that previously relied on in-person events for its livelihood. 1. Eliminate the unnecessary: Taking on dynamic new initiatives means that some existing work will have to drop off. “Ask yourself, what are we going to drop doing in order to pursue this brand new initiative,” Davis said. “Every time we take on something new, we have to kill...

After getting to know Gen Z, REACH by RentCafe investigated how these young renters search online and how they use ratings and reviews while doing so. Today, we’re sharing data related to one of the most notable and important aspects of this generation’s lifestyle: social media. All about social media, all the time Welcome to the world of social media, where Gen Zers are no strangers to the posts, snaps, influencers, advertisements, stories and hashtags that dominate these platforms. And how could these young renters not be well versed in the art of social media? They have grown up in the age of smartphones, tablets and computers. In fact, 95% of Gen Zers use a social media app or website at least once a week, while 33% claim they spend most of their time outside of work or school on social media. It’s important to grasp the prominent role social media plays in the lives of Gen Z so you can attract these young renters. After asking over 10,000 members of Gen Z to name their top 3 social media channels, REACH by RentCafe found that those most often chosen included Instagram (46%), Facebook (43%), YouTube (39%), TikTok (33%) and Snapchat (30%).Interestingly, this data informs marketers about what exactly Gen Zers are doing while on social media. Most of these platforms center around videos, meaning that Gen Z is spending a great deal of time seeking entertainment. In a survey, Gen Zers identified the three things they felt most connected with while using social media: entertainment, their friends and the world. Reaching Gen Z on social media So how can you attract Gen Zers using social media? We have a few tips to help you out: Use storiesDid you know that Instagram alone has...

Have you noticed the newest ways to recruit talent online? LinkedIn and TikTok have both launched video resumes that change the face of talent recruitment. Video resumes on TikTok and LinkedIn TikTok Resumes is currently in the pilot stage, but it is already gaining attention from major employers. The platform permits users to apply for job openings via a three-minute video resume. Major brands such as Target, Shopify and Chipotle have already begun to accept applications. The TikTok feature comes on the heels of LinkedIn video integration. Employers create a job posting that they can supplement with a Video Intro. Then employers can invite qualified applicants to submit a Video Intro that answers up to two interview questions. These invitation-only videos expedite the hiring process by decreasing scheduled, live interviews. LinkedIn reports that employers and candidates enjoy Video Intro. They find it so helpful that 70% of job posters reuse the features in subsequent job postings. About 80% of candidates opt for video responses. Real estate professionals buy in Real estate firms are investing in video postings and resumes. Downtown Apartment Co., a Chicago-based brokerage company, uses TikTok to modernize and diversify its recruiting practices. “We just posted our first TikTok hiring video in which our agents and leaders share their thoughts about why DAC is a great place to work. We’ve already seen success using TikTok, so we’re definitely interested in seeing how TikTok Resumes will work and how we might use it to enhance our recruiting efforts,” said Ben Creamer, co-founder & managing broker at DAC. Read the full story on TikTok resumes on Multi-Housing News. Why post job openings and accept video resumes via social media? Posting a job opening on social media meets applicants where they spend much of their...

As the snow thaws and daylight lingers through the evening, your residents will be itching for fun ways to get outdoors and spend time with loved ones. Catch their attention with your community events! This guide will offer quick and simple steps for launching your events towards success. Before the Event After you’ve planned the event, you’ve got to get the word out. Use Yardi RentCafe to create a blog post about the event. In the post, provide helpful details such as: Date, time and location Admission costs, include an early bird discount to create urgency and motivate the sale Number of non-resident guests that may accompany residents Relevant age restrictions Parking provisions Recommend attire or dress code Details about any items that guests should bring Don’t forget to give the event plenty of personality! Do this through the tone of your text and the Featured Image that you select on the blog post. Once the blog post is complete, use RentCafe to connect Facebook and promote your event. You may choose to pin the post to the top of your newsfeed so that all new and returning visitors will see it. Next, create at least one new visual per week that you can use to promote the event on social media (in addition to your blog post). Fresh visuals are important because they may capture the attention of residents who did not respond to the Featured Image on the blog post. The visuals can be videos, illustrations, or pictures with text. In the latter, limit the text to 20-30 percent of the total image surface area. If an image is too wordy, it will be ignored. Distribute these images on your preferred social media platform(s) each week to spread the word of your...

The real estate industry is known to sometimes lag on making use of the latest technology. But since you’re reading this, you are interested in breaking the status quo. TikTok has more installs than Facebook and Instagram combined. It continues to grow rapidly, rewarding early adopters in student housing with an engaged fan base. What is TikTok? TikTok is one of the newer social media platforms that it taking the globe by storm. It’s passed through several naming conventions over time, but TikTok as it is now known hit the market in 2016 and has experienced phenomenal growth ever since. Last year, TikTok became the most-downloaded free app on the Apple App Store in the US and ranked first on Google Play. As of June 2018, TikTok boasted 500 million monthly active users worldwide and about 80 million US downloads. TikTok is a music-centric app that allows users to create videos from 3 seconds to 15 seconds long. Short videos can be strung together to form 60 second segments. The possibilities for viral content are endless. The TikTok demographic is perfect for student housing marketers. About 20 percent of users are under the age of 20. Another 20 percent are ages 20-24. You can influence youth in middle school and high school on a popular and growing platform. Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. The platform is now monetized. Sponsorships are available. You can also collaborate with “influencers” in simple yet impactful ways, like featuring a college sweatshirt in their video or receiving a shout out. Get creative! How Can TikTok Work for You? TikTok places your content in the hands of your key demographic. Its vertical layout ensures that your content will be seen rather than being...

As is the seasonal custom, spring cleaning is a great way to start summer with a fresh slate. We detail five ways to “spring clean” your social media profiles. Keep reading for easy strategies you can implement now! Refresh your graphics Spring is the perfect time to switch out your cover photos and profile avatars. Have new branding to share? Do you have property themes for the spring or summer? Even if you don’t have a dedicated design team, free graphic design platforms like Canva offer a low-cost way to update your social media channels, presentations, brochures and logos. Update your contact information It sounds basic enough, but updated contact information is an easy way to ensure prospects and customers can connect with you. Contact information checklist: Phone number Email Website Physical location address Display other social media channels Add spring and summer hours When was the last time you updated your hours on your social media accounts? Especially if your property or office features extended hours in the spring or summer, adding hours of operation can help you communicate when people can reach you. Do a quick content audit Conducting a social media audit is a smart way to analyze your current social media marketing efforts. Each social media platform offers analytics on individual post performance. The Insights tab on Facebook and Instagram, and Analytics tab on LinkedIn and Twitter, provide ways to assess your content. Questions to ask: In the past three months, which posts had the highest engagement? Which posts had the lowest engagement? In the past three months, what post types performed best? (example: video, image, link) Are you hitting your social media goals? If not, how can you use this social media data to inform your strategy moving forward?...

There are thousands of apps that claim to make your job easier. Since it is impossible to try them all, we’ve narrowed down the options for you! These seven apps complement the social media, communication, and content creation features on Yardi’s RentCafe suite. Social Media Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media platforms in the US. Once you get the basics of creating a post, these apps can take your social media strategy to the next level. When users visit your Instagram profile, they can see multiple posts at once in a grid layout. Polish your profile with Planoly, a visual planner that allows you to create the most beautiful and impactful grid. You can also benefit from the app’s engagement data for each post. Instagram Stories is woefully awkward. Creating informative and engaging 15-second clips on your smartphone requires a lot of choppy starting and stopping. Fortunately, CutStory for Instagram does the work for you. Create a single, full-length video and CutStory will divide it up for you. This is a great tool for repurposing your YouTube and Facebook videos. Communication Video calls are an excellent way to conduct personalized property tours and meetings with remote clients. Google Duo is a versatile app for video calls that works for Android and iOS devices. You can even use it over WiFi, minimizing data usage. Content Creation Create professional-looking images with Afterlight 2. This free photo editing app features text, filters, and enhancement tools for eye-catching images. It offers comparable quality to subscription apps and can be used on iOs, Android, and Windows devices. As a blogger, I know how difficult it is to get people to stop and read! Infographics are a hot way to share information in easy-to-consume snippets, enhanced with...

Word of mouth marketing (WOMM) is an old hat that has learned new tricks. Nielsen reports that 92 percent of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising. A study by The American Marketing Association adds that 64 percent of marketing executives believe that word of mouth is the most effective form of marketing. So why have only six percent of marketers mastered the new potential WOMM? WOMM with Purpose Jay Baer’s latest book, “Talk Triggers,” explores how businesses can capitalize on WOMM. His first tip is to strategize. Too often, businesses rely on happenstance, like tripping on a rock and noticing that it’s a chunk of gold. But by intentionally creating word of mouth opportunities, you get people to talk on purpose and control the message. Next, Baer recommends repeatable strategies. One-hit-wonders don’t build a brand. What can you do, and continue to do, to keep customers talking? Doubletree’s free cookie program is a prime example of intentional, repeatable WOMM. Every check-in and free cookie is a WOMM opportunity. More than 25 years later, the free cookies still generate buzz. Learn from Sprint’s Mistake Lastly, Baer encourages businesses to be unique. Sprint demonstrates how sameness backfires. Sprint hired actor Paul Marcarelli, formerly of the Verizon “Can you hear me now?” campaign. Verizon’s campaign, which lasted for nearly a decade, was a huge success. Sprint’s attempt at piggy backing on that success only sort of worked. Sprint spokesperson David Tovar told the New York Times that the new commercial was viewed 14 million times on YouTube. Nearly 1,000 articles (including this one) mention Marcarelli’s brand switch. Sprint’s Marcarelli stunt stimulated more than 3 billion impressions but the conversation wasn’t exactly good. Few consumers talked about Sprint’s improved network. People wanted...

Many content creators are only getting one use out of blog posts. You are missing out on countless opportunities to get noticed by potential renters! Get more from your blog with repurposed content. What Is Repurposed Content? When you repurpose content, you’re finding different ways to tell the same story. Each new way that you tell your story may appeal to a different group of people. For example, when you create a blog post, you tell the story to readers. You can tell that same story to visual learners using video on YouTube or pictures on Instagram. By appealing to different types of learners (or different types of entertainment) you reach a greater audience. A broader audience increases your prospect pool and your potential for leads. Below are a few ways that you can repurpose your blog content to reach new groups of prospects. Master Infographics Infographics are a great way to combine facts from your blog text with visual media. Infographics can be consumed anytime, anywhere because they are not hampered by audio access, buffering speeds, and data availability. Many content creators love infographics because they don’t require photography, video, or illustration skills. Many programs allow you to drag-and-drop into templates to create fantastic infographics. Try making your own free infographics using Venngage or Picktochart. Curate an Instagram Slideshow For a short blog post, you may only have one image. You can use that image to create an Instagram post, including a teaser excerpt for your blog post. (Unless you’re paying Instagram for clickable links within captions, be sure to put the link for your blog post in your bio.) For multiple images on a blog post, create a slide show. Rather than several posts on the same topic, a slideshow allows you...

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are mighty tools to increase leads and conversions for your properties. Odds are, you’re already too busy to master those tools. Below are three quick tips to make SEO and SEM work for you. 3 Quick Tips for Increasing Leads Don’t underestimate the power of SEO. Getting quality traffic to your website is tough. It’s even harder to convert that traffic into leads. SEO helps the right renters find your property through organic (non-paid) search inquiries. In order for this to happen, search engines need to understand who you are, what you have to offer and the content of your website. That doesn’t happen through chance. Detailed strategies ensure that your website ranks high on organic search results with the right audience. Are your strategies bringing the desired results? Don’t go in alone. Not sure how to make SEO work for you? There is no need to reinvent the wheel. The experts at RentCafe Reach specialize in driving high quality traffic to your website. Catriona Orosco, manager of RENTCafé Reach at Yardi explains: “RENTCafé SEO account managers have the expertise and knowledge to help your website reach more qualified prospects. Our role requires us to stay up-to-date with changes made at Google. We work as a team to stay educated and aware of what’s important in gaining a competitive advantage in search results.” RentCafe Reach account managers are also experts when it comes to RentCafe marketing features. They can help you identify and test features to improve prospect engagement and lead conversion rates. “Often, people’s assumptions about what’s important are outdated,” says Orosco. “In addition to the initial optimization efforts and content creation, we’re checking website health on a routine basis, addressing issues and updating...

Once you add great media to your blog post, you’re almost ready to hit publish! There are three tidbits that will help readers find your blog post and bring greater return on your investment. Add Categories and Tags Categories and tags are primarily used to organize your content and make it easier for readers to find what they’re looking for. These keywords are also used to help search engines identify what your content is about. This makes it easier for your blog post to appear appropriately in search queries. Let’s continue with the nursery safety blog example from our previous posts. In that instance, category may be “apartment safety” and tags may include “childproofing your apartment,” “baby proofing your apartment” or “nursery.” SEO Plugin  If you are working on a blogging platform that permits plugins like WordPress, an SEO plugin may be a worthwhile investment. It goes beyond the functionalities of Categories and Tags to help search engines “crawl” through your content. (That’s a nerd term for quickly scanning the content to identify its purpose and help it appear appropriately during internet searches.) The SEO plugin may ask you to identify keywords. Long-tail keywords are best here. “How to create a safe nursery” will be more beneficial than just “nursery,” for example. The plugin may also request a description. This is a brief summary of your blog post that may appear as an excerpt under your link and blog post title in a query listing. Keep the description to 2-3 sentences. Social Media Plugin Depending on the flexibility of your platform, you may also be able to add a social media plugin. The best of these plugins allow you to create custom posts for social media. You can add hashtags and use the format...

Once you’ve chosen a blogging platform and written content, the next step in creating an engaging blog post is to include great media. Media includes visuals such as photographs, infographics, illustrations, and videos. For today’s post, we will focus on photography. Most modern smartphones are adequate to take a great image for blog posts and social media use. (If a staff member is competent with a DSLR camera and lighting tools, even better!) The tips below will give your images a professional touch. Select a Subject The subject of your blog post image will be influenced by the content of your post. Let’s say that you were writing about nursery safety as proposed in our prior post. Perhaps you choose to take a photograph of the nursery in your model unit. This subject is ideal because it’s relevant to the topic. Secondly, it’s a great choice because it is a custom photo taken on your property rather than a stock photo. Such an image showcases your product and what you have to offer residents and prospects. Identify Location and Lighting The best location for your image necessitates excellent lighting. It doesn’t matter how cool the location is if the lighting makes your image look murky or blurry. Indirect natural light is best. Directly natural light (i.e. sunshine at noon) can cast harsh shadows on your subject, especially faces. When shooting an image indoors, also pay attention to the way that the lighting casts shadows on your subject. In addition to great lighting, minimal background clutter is another key to a great location. Trash cans, signs, and unkempt landscaping can distract viewers from the subject. Includes Life Forms—Always! When it comes to your property blog, pictures with living creatures—humans, pets, or wildlife—are always more interesting...

Have you ever decided on purchasing a product online or going to a new restaurant as a direct result of an anonymous user’s review? As the popularity of various shopping or social platforms rises–such as Amazon or Yelp–so does the importance of online reviews. Studies show that at least 90 percent of people say that online reviews influence their purchase decisions, and at least 88% of people trust online reviews from strangers as much as personal recommendations. A study by the Harvard Business School found that positive reviews have a direct correlation with increased sales. For example, restaurants that boost their Yelp rating by one star see an increase in revenues anywhere between 5 to 9 percent. It is no surprise that businesses around the world are deciding to pour resources into obtaining more reviews for their products in hopes of generating more sales. Businesses increase the incentives for leaving reviews by using tactics such as giving set discount amounts in their customers’ purchase, or even providing credit that can be redeemed on their website for future use. In addition, online review companies such as SharedReviews or RateItAll operate like social networking websites, where users can rate items in various categories such as food, games, movies, and many other things. In return, users will receive a share of the revenue that the online review company earns. However, some studies show that paying users to leave reviews leads to a significant decrease in the number of reviews on their sites. According to a study done about a social shopping platform in China, after introducing a credit reward system in exchange for reviews, the number of reviews on the platform decreased by 30 percent. Why would that be? A possibility could be that customers with large...

Video continues to rise to the top of the digital marketing playbook. If you’re skeptical about the power of video, consider that almost 50% of internet users look for videos related to a product or service before visiting a store. And four times as many customers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. Video content can also improve SEO, increase engagement and boost brand loyalty and awareness. Within the realm of real estate, the industry – from retail to residential to student housing – is finding creative ways to leverage video. What’s clear is video isn’t going anywhere, so it’s time to jump in feet first. Facebook Live offers an interactive, free and highly visible way to engage with an audience. The platform now sees 8 billion average daily video views from 500 million users. With help from social media experts, in-depth tutorials and best practice tips, even the most novice user can become a Facebook Live pro.   Here are five tips to rock Facebook Live: Step 1: Ask permission If you plan to live stream other people, ask for permission before you record them. Keep in mind some conferences and venues may have strict no streaming policies. When in doubt, ask. Step 2: Game plan Some questions to inform your live video strategy: Why do you want to do live video? Who are you hoping to reach? What do you want this audience to do? What will you talk about? How long will you go live for? Facebook recommends 10 to 90 minutes, but even 5 minutes is great. Do what feels right for your organization and your viewers. Where will you go live from? Walk the room and consider reserving a spot in front. Minimal background...

Join the social media photo scavenger hunt at YASC 2017 in Washington, D.C. This is a great way to network with fellow attendees, explore the conference offerings, and learn about Yardi’s history, products, and values. We invite you to jump in on the fun! It’s easy to participate: Snap and post photos of scavenger hunt items on Twitter and Instagram Tag posts with the event hashtag, #YASC2017 Winners will be announced on social media Thursday, May 25, starting at 9am EST Rules: Snap and post on Twitter or Instagram using #YASC2017. Accounts must be public for posts to be visible during contest. There are lots of fun prizes, so don’t miss out!  YASC photo scavenger hunt list: At the YASC Registration Desk A General Session photo Networking at lunch or a break A Washington, D.C. landmark (outside the hotel) With a Yardi staff member (look for the Yardi shirts) Visit Knowledge Central In a course or panel session Selfie with your team or YASC attendee At one of the YASC receptions A favorite moment at YASC Questions?  Visit the Networking Lounge in Columbia Hall of the Washington Hilton, message Yardi on social media, or email us at...

OMG’s, LOLZ’s, puppy-dog faces and flower crowns. Snapchat is sometimes reduced to these simple stereotypes and thought of as something to entertain the kids when the adults get tired of the noise at family dinners. But noise and chaos are staples of modern life, for company and consumer alike. And as the godfather of guerilla tactics, Sun Tzu, expounded upon millennia ago, “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” When fully leveraged, Snapchat can be used to cut through the chaotic noise, both at family gatherings and in today’s rental marketplaces, to turn potential opportunity into new prospects. Background All social media platforms once represented an unconventional and unrealized marketing space. This is no longer the case. Snapchat is one of the many recent social frontiers that qualifies as a guerilla marketing opportunity for brands. It’s a place where you can outmaneuver your competition through unconventional and creative means (without a huge budget), thereby gaining greater exposure and winning. Some continue to dismiss Snapchat as “just an app.” At one point, the doubters may have been correct, but as the scope of Snapchat’s business has expanded so has their reach. It’s now a social media platform that competes closely with the companies typically identified as giants in the space. Case Study So you want proof, eh? The intrepid property managers at Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) just so happen to be early Snapchat adopters, and they were kind enough to share the data of some recent campaigns with us. In October 2016, CRC ran two Snapchat filter campaigns for onsite events, one in the commercial space and one in the residential space. At the commercial property, CRC ran a custom filter for the “Jerry Adams Chili Cookoff.” The Snapchat filter campaign lasted for...

Team Yardi was lucky enough to attend the 5th annual Multifamily Social Media Summit in Napa during the first week of February this year. This conference brings together a wide variety of speakers from within and without the real estate industry to talk about the impact of social media on marketing, leasing and more. We’re always happy to get out there and hear new trends and challenges being discussed – as well as meet with clients from social savvy companies like Pinnacle, Reside Living and Monarch Investment and Management Group. This year we left the summit with three big social trend takeaways: Live Video Is Happening If you’ve been waiting for live video to go away, raise your hand. (You can’t see me, but I’m holding mine up sheepishly.) You might be thinking, “But I don’t want to be on camera, and the quality is unprofessional. Who would want to watch it anyway?” Everyone, it turns out. Keynote speaker Joel Comm, an author and entrepreneur who has hundreds of thousands of social media followers, was the first to bring it up. “Live video is the most significant leap in social media since the iPhone,” he said. “You now have the power in your hand to go live and reach the world… and your communities. It will give you an unfair advantage over your competitors.” Multiple speakers urged property managers to use live video to get potential residents to know, like and trust their brands by providing useful information. Joel even thoughtfully provided a list of live video ideas specific to multifamily:   Show an empty apartment Showcase a furnished apartment Meet the staff Explore the neighborhood Show building in progress Show new amenities Tour the fitness center or pool Broadcast an event Walk through...

After a rash of inappropriate and unsettling photos and videos posted by nurses and staff, the senior living industry is stepping in to protect the privacy of residents. At its best, social media strengthens human connection and makes the world feel a little bit friendlier. Unfortunately, when used maliciously or thoughtlessly, social media can become a weapon wielded against the weak and voiceless. After a disturbing series of abusive and demeaning social media posts by care providers at assisted living facilities throughout the U.S., the industry is stepping in to set up guidelines and enforce HIPPA regulations. In a statement to ProPublica, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said, “Nursing homes are obligated under the law to keep their residents free from abuse. Exploitation on social media is a form of abuse, and the agency memo makes that clear. We need to prevent it, and we need to punish it when it happens.” Right to Privacy With cameras and video recordings readily available, more and more residents have become the subject of ridicule and exploitation. While some of the victims are aware of what’s going on, just as many are caught in the throes of real pain and suffering – sometimes even death. Because of the egregious behavior by some nurses and staff members at assisted living facilities, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently outlined a set of standards aimed at protecting residents from the most severe of social media cruelties. In a memo about the issue, CMS unequivocally establishes that “each resident has a right to be free from all times of abuse, including mental abuse.” “Mental abuse includes, but is not limited to, abuse that is facilitated or caused by nursing home staff taking...

With over 7 million downloads and counting, Pokémon Go fever has gripped the nation, but what does this latest fad tells us about life in the modern age? It’s solving crimes, causing accidents and ruining relationships. It’s pushing couch potatoes onto city streets and careening across highways. Installed on 10% of all Android phones (15% internationally) and downloaded on more than 15 million iPhones and iPads, Pokémon Go now resides on more homescreens than Candy Crush, LinkedIn and Tinder. There’s no denying the popularity and reach of Pokémon Go. Within 13 hours of launching, the app grabbed the No. 1 spot in iPhone app store. Even more astounding, Pokémon Go has already generated $14 million in revenue within its first week of existence, pushing Nintendo’s stock up 24%. There’s no doubt Pokémon Go is a phenomenon. All that’s left is a deal with McDonalds (done), a cover on Rolling Stone and a skit on Saturday Night Live. But what exactly is Pokémon GO, and how does the mania reflect the increasing influence of mobile technology and the millennial bottleneck on modern society? Snapshot of Trend Pokémon Go plays upon the legacy of Nintendo’s original Pokémon franchise, which debuted in the late 1990s as a game designed for the Nintendo Gameboy. The basic premise involves collecting various Pokémon creatures and pitting them against each other in battle. Pokémon eventually evolved into a several spin-off games, movies and even a television show. While the original Pokémon restricted play to the gaming console, Pokémon Go users must now leave their house in order to play. The app uses an augmented reality via a gadget’s camera to combine gameplay with the real world, tracking user locations to reveal designated Pokéstops, Poké Balls and Pokémons ready for capture. Once...