Is Going Viral the Answer? Social Media Strategy for Property Management Companies

In today’s world, social media has become an essential part of any business’s marketing strategy. Property management companies are no exception. But for many people, social media is overwhelming and confusing. There are so many different metrics to track and methods that people use to try and find success with this marketing strategy.

Many people think that the only way to succeed with social media is to “go viral”. But what does that even mean? And is it the right way to generate new leads for your property management business?

What is “Going Viral”?

Going viral is a term used to describe the phenomenon of content being shared rapidly on social media platforms. This can happen for various reasons, but often it’s because something has triggered an emotional reaction in people that leads them to share the content with their friends or followers.

Examples of “viral” content from businesses include the McDonald’s Grimace Shake trend and Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches Campaign. Both of these examples went so viral that they inspired parodies and made news headlines at the height of their campaigns.

Of course, big brands are not the only ones that can go viral these days. With the advent of TikTok, even small businesses like can go viral without much of a marketing budget. One example is Lee’s Noodle House in Santa Rosa, CA. The owners of the restaurant were struggling to get customers back after the pandemic, and the owner’s daughter decided to film her dad anxiously waiting for customers inside the empty restaurant. Her heartfelt video unexpectedly went viral, and led to a boost in business for the family restaurant.

So does this mean you should aim to go viral too?

Well, not quite.

What it takes to “Go Viral”

Having your photo or video content go viral on social media often leads to increased brand awareness and a boost in traffic. But going viral is not easy and there is no guarantee of success. In fact, only 1% of videos ever go viral according to an article featured on the Neiman Journalism Lab’s website. And even creators of viral content admit that the videos that go viral seem to be random and unexpected.

Earlier this year, I attended the very first Generative AI conference. One of their keynote speakers was Zach King — an internet personality who is known for creating “digital sleight of hand” videos that go viral. He is listed as the sixth most followed person on TikTok.

Zach enjoys a staggering social reach, boasting over 115 million followers across different platforms. His immense popularity has earned him appearances on platforms such as Good Morning America, Adweek, Ellen, and People. Moreover, Zach holds the unprecedented record for the most views on a single TikTok video, amassing an astounding 2.2 billion views.

Who better to learn virality from than Zach King, right?

Zach King’s Creative Process

During his talk, he explained his content creation process and how much time it takes to create a single video. It goes something like this:

Step 1: Idea Dump

Zach and his team come up with 30-50 ideas during a brainstorming session. The key is that every idea is treated as “possible” and everybody can share any idea, even if they seem crazy. Each idea is written on a sticky note and posted on a big wall.

Step 2: Voting Time

Members read sticky notes and vote on their favorite ideas. The ideas with the most votes gets to the next round. At this stage, they are looking not necessarily for what they think will go viral. But what people resonate with and find interesting or funny.

Step 3: Refinement

This is when they try to “whittle down the idea” and think about making it more specific and realistic. They try to imagine what the sequence would look like from beginning to end, and what dialogue needs to be included.

Step 4: Execute

This is when his team mocks up the video to help the production team understand what frames or shots are necessary for the actual shoot. Once the team has finalized the storyboard, they move on to the logistics of shooting the video.
Yes, all that work for a single video.

When asked about his most successful videos, he said that they are usually ones that he didn’t think would go viral.

Many online personalities echo the same sentiment. They are not able to predict which of their videos would go viral.

Going Viral vs. Creating Engaging Content

Based on Zach’s creative process, going viral seems like a lot of work and luck. So is it the best strategy for property management companies to focus on their content going viral?

Not necessarily.

Instead of trying to “go viral”, focus on creating engaging content that resonates with your target audience. This means understanding what type of content they like to consume and finding ways to make it interesting, informative, or entertaining for them.

For example, create videos showcasing the properties you manage or share tips on property maintenance through visual content. Think about the local rental market trends, and create content to share that information with prospective owner clients.

The key is to put yourself in your target audience’s shoes and create content that won’t just grab their attention, but also be valuable.

Another benefit to creating this kind of content is that every time a prospect sees property management related content from your brand, you are subconsciously building a reputation of expertise and reliability in the minds of your prospects.

Why “Going Viral” is not a Solid Social Media Strategy for Lead Generation

Going viral, while tempting as a concept, is not a reliable method for generating high-quality leads for several reasons:

Impossible to predict:

Trying to make content go viral is like playing the lottery. There is no guarantee that your post will be seen by tens of thousands of people, let alone generate enough attention to turn into leads or sales.

Unlike other forms of marketing that you can use to generate leads on an ongoing basis, the success of going viral relies on chance.

Lack of Control:

Viral content can sometimes attract the wrong kind of attention, leading to off-brand messaging or association. Moreover, blindly jumping on the latest viral trends can backfire. Posts can go viral for all the wrong reasons and hurt the brand rather than help it.

Short-lived:

Viral trends are fleeting. The attention your business gets today can be gone tomorrow, resulting in short-lived engagement.

Promotes quantity over quality:

While viral content may attract a large number of views or clicks, it doesn’t guarantee they are from potential, quality customers interested in your product or service

Given that only about 1% of videos go viral, it’s easy to fall into the hamster wheel of content creation that prioritizes quantity over quality. When your goal is to chase views from as wide a pool of people as you can, you risk alienating your core target audience.

Instead of trying to get as many views as possible, focus on providing quality content and engaging with your followers in meaningful ways. Quality content and relationships will be more profitable in the long run.

While going viral may seem like the ideal way to generate leads, it’s not always the most practical or effective strategy. So what are some property management social media ideas for property managers looking to expand their reach and find new clients?

Instead of focusing on going viral, we recommend using social media strategically and consistently to build relationships with potential customers in your local area.

Holistic Social Media Strategy for Your Property Management Company

A well-rounded social media strategy is critical for every property management company on social media. It is a way to reach out to existing and potential clients, build your brand, and strengthen your online presence.

A solid social media strategy aims to engage and educate your audience, showcasing your brand’s values and services in the most positive way possible. This can build long-lasting relationships with customers, leading to increased loyalty and a higher likelihood of referrals.

How to Build a Well-Rounded Social Media Strategy

Going viral may seem like the ideal solution to drive leads for your property management business, but you can’t rely on it as an actual social media strategy. Developing a well-rounded social media strategy is a far more reliable way to reach out to potential customers and build relationships with them. With careful planning and execution, you can create a successful social media presence that will help your business succeed in the long run.

Step 1: Identify your target audience

Who are you trying to reach and why? Do you want to target prospective residents or property owners? What do they need from you? Knowing your target audience is essential to create content that resonates with them.

Step 2: Establish goals

How will you measure success? Make sure to set realistic goals that are achievable. Think about what you want your social media presence to be, and make sure your strategy reflects this vision. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting the highest numbers, but make sure that your goals are meaningful to your business as well.

A good goal to have could be the number of times you post on social media per week. Making sure you have good content on your social media profiles is the first step to building your presence there. Remember that people won’t blindly follow your page if there is nothing they find interesting or valuable in there.

Step 3: Develop a content strategy

What different social media platforms will you be posting on? What type of content do you plan on posting? And more importantly, what kind of content will help you find and engage with local property owners who need your services?

Think about the types of content that your audience will find valuable and entertaining. It could be educational posts such as how-to guides or tips related to property management, promotional posts highlighting your business’ services, or even customer testimonials.

You don’t need to post to every single social media platform to be successful. Pick the ones that you like best and fit the type of content you want to post. It’s more important to be posting consistently than to post everywhere.

Remember that posting content that is too far removed or off-brand can be confusing and may not appeal to your audience. In fact, a local property manager recently raised concerns about how residents are perceiving silly and funny posts on their social media. They said that disgruntled residents might see the posts and assume that the team just goofs around all day.

So don’t try to attract the masses, try to attract the few people who will actually convert.

Step 4: Leverage social selling and social media marketing

Think of posting content on social media as the bare minimum. If you want more results, you need to look into social selling and social media marketing.

Social selling focuses on relationship-building and positioning your business as an industry leader through one-on-one interactions. It’s about creating trust. Think of it like prospecting and lead nurturing but using social media to find and connect with leads.

On the other hand, social media marketing amplifies your reach, targeting potential clients with precision using ads, videos, and testimonials. By harnessing both, you ensure a proactive approach to client engagement while efficiently driving lead generation. Embrace them as complementary tools in a robust digital strategy for your property management marketing.

Step 5: Monitor performance

Which posts are most effective in driving engagement and conversions? Are you getting any website visitors from social media? Analyze the metrics of each post to find out what works and what doesn’t work. Use this data to create even better content in the future, such as posts that are more likely to get engagement or posts that focus on topics related to property management.

Conclusion: The Power of a Strategic Social Media Approach

In the world of social media marketing, chasing virality is not a sound strategy for long-term success, especially in a niche industry like the property management industry. Your focus should be on designing a well-rounded social media strategy that centers on engaging your target audience with valuable, relevant content, and fostering meaningful relationships. This strategy far outpaces the fleeting success of “going viral.”

Remember, successful social media marketing is about consistency, relevance, and engagement. Invest time in understanding your audience, set realistic goals, create content that resonates, leverage social selling, and analyze your performance to iteratively improve your strategy. By doing so, you can solidify your online presence, build your brand, and ultimately drive your business forward.

Need help getting more owner leads?

Navigating the complexities of social media and marketing for property management can be daunting. At Fourandhalf, we harness over a decade of industry-specific expertise to craft strategies that deliver results, not just likes. If you’re looking for tangible growth in owner leads, don’t leave it to chance. Contact Fourandhalf and tap into a proven approach that prioritizes your business goals.