The Verdict Is In – Property Management Needs a Strong Social Media Strategy Too.

Don't just take my word for it. According to a IDC Social Buying Study, 75% of B2B buyers and 84% of C-level executives research buying decisions on social media. This holds true across industries, including property management. And the trend is growing – 85% of Gen Zers have made purchases directly from social media advertising.

Your target market is checking reviews, verifying their leasing decisions, and discovering new properties via social media. Without a solid strategy, you risk being left behind. But what does property management social media marketing look like in action? After all, the property management industry is notoriously competitive, complex, and often slow to adapt.

Here are my top six tips for building a successful social media strategy for your property management company:

1. Get SMART About Your Social Media Goals

In a competitive field like property management, it's not enough to pick a couple of channels and start blasting out content. To build a social media marketing strategy that will deliver real returns, you need to be very clear about what success looks like and what your main objectives are. HubSpot recommends creating SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) objectives before diving into social media marketing. What are your main goals? Are you trying to increase brand awareness? Drive more traffic to your website? Promote special leasing offers? Use social media as a resident acquisition channel?

Once you've defined your objectives clearly and framed them as SMART goals, decide which channels will be most appropriate for your business. Consider multiple channels to broaden your reach – Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are popular options.

2. Create Social Media Content That Converts

When it comes to social media, people have clear preferences for the kinds of content they want to see. Avoid anything that sounds too salesy, and don’t bore people with lists of features. Try not to talk about yourself too much. Potential residents want to see content that’s both helpful and engaging. Consider the interests of your target customers, even if they don't directly relate to your services. For example, many people follow social media to stay updated on community events, so develop content that helps them find useful and locally relevant information.

In terms of content, the 2023 Sprout Social Index found that most social media users prioritize original topics over trending ones. Multimedia posts can also attract your audience's attention – 86% of consumers spend a quarter of their time watching videos on social platforms.

3. Listen to Your Customers

Social media isn’t just a great way to talk to your customers – it’s also an excellent way to listen. “Social listening” involves tuning in to what people are saying online – about your company, your industry, and your competition.

For property management, social listening can be a game-changer. Building trust is imperative, and social listening can help you catch and respond to any negative posts that might deter potential residents. In a fast-paced industry like property management, you also need to stay up-to-date with the latest industry news that will be on your residents' minds. Social media is also an easy and accessible way to keep an eye on what your competition is up to and what your residents will be expecting from your company.

Social media is not only a way to find new leads and residents – but it can also be a great way to retain existing ones. Today's residents expect to be able to reach you through their preferred social channel rather than tracking down your support service. As HubSpot puts it:

“Keeping an eye out for these issues and replying to them right away is a good chance to rectify your customer relationship – and shows future customers that you’re there for them if a future problem arises.”

4. Establish Your Authority

Harnessing the power of social media to establish your company’s expertise is key to building a reputation as an authority in your field, which is critical for attracting residents.

Major property management companies use social media to connect with broader community issues, communicate educational information about property maintenance, and discuss market trends. Follow in their footsteps by sharing your industry expertise and joining larger property management discussions to attract attention from your target audiences, while demonstrating your understanding of their concerns and challenges.

5. Find Your Voice for Social Media Marketing

In social media marketing, it’s more important than ever to create a clear, conversational, and relatable brand “voice.” This can be as simple as using “we” and “our” to speak about your company rather than writing in dry corporate speak.

That said, property management is a unique industry that requires a voice balanced between the relatable and the professional. Some of your audience might be investors who expect an in-depth knowledge of advanced subject matter from brands.

Even in property management, brands that find the right balance between light-hearted and professional will stand out from the crowd.

6. Don’t Forget About Data Sensitivity When Using Social Media

It’s worth bearing in mind that, as always with social media marketing, you must be careful to respect your users’ privacy and maintain data security. This should be straightforward – don’t share any personal resident information or sensitive data.