Property Management Content – The Juicy Social Media Worm

When you fish, you can choose the best location, buy an expensive fishing rod, and get a comfy boat to relax on while you wait for a bite, BUT without a big juicy worm on your hook, you’ll sit there all day without a nibble. To be successful, you must bait your hook. With social media marketing, content is the big, juicy, worm that wiggles on the end of your hook. The content attracts the fish (in your case, investors and other rental property owners).

You may be asking yourself… “What does she mean by content?”  That’s a great question. Content is marketing lingo for informational media. The goal of content is to deliver value to your intended audience (investors and rental property owners) and, in doing so, earn the respect and interest of prospective clients. Content can take many different formats:

The format you use is limited only by your imagination. The truth is – format is not the biggest obstacle. The hardest part of creating content is figuring out what to say or convey!  Sure, you know how to be the best property manager around. When you attend a NARPM® meeting or talk with a prospective owner, you really know your stuff. But creating content?  That’s another story…all of a sudden, your mind goes blank.

Take a deep breath.  Creating content is not as hard as you might think.

Here are some topic ideas to help you “bait your hook:”

As you create the content, ask yourself these questions:

• Is it relevant?
• Is it actionable or useful?
• Is it interesting?
• Does it reveal a need for your services?

If you answer yes to at least three of these questions…you’ve created a very scrumptious “worm!”

Most importantly…be yourself. You may need someone to review and edit your work, but content is not only about giving information – it is about sharing a bit of yourself. It helps you earn trust and respect. There are some companies out there that generate content for you. If you absolutely cannot create the content yourself (or have an employee do it), then look at one of these service providers. However, remember to review and edit what they create and infuse it with some of your personality whenever possible. Only you can be you!

After you create the content, put it on your property management company website. Ideally you’ll add it to your blog or make it available as a download (that must be requested through a web form so you can capture contact information).  Remember, the goal of most social media marketing is to earn attention and get traffic to your website. You may store a video on YouTube, but you want to link to the video embedded in your website. You may post a summary blurb on Facebook, but you want to link it to the full version of the content on your website.

Next, use your social media marketing channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) to get the word out!

• Share links to the blog article through Twitter.
• Prompt discussions about a related topic on Facebook or Linked In and link to the full version of the article.
• Pay to promote the content (as I mentioned in my last article).
• Encourage local partners and vendors to share the content through their social media channels.
• Feature the new blog post in your next email newsletter and encourage your existing clients to share it.

Finally, don’t feel like you always have to create your own content. You can cross-promote content with local partners and businesses. Share links to blog posts on their website and invite them to contribute to your blog.

Once you know that social media marketing is right for your property management business;  you understand the 4 major social media  ponds;  and you’ve dug up a few juicy worms;  it’s time to GO FISHING! We wish you the best of success!