How prospects search for rentals is changing — fast. That means that operators could be invisible in some of the places that drive leases. Today’s renters aren’t looking for their next home in one place or on a single platform. Instead, they are tapping into a wide range of sources, from listing apps to local influencers, AI search, and more.
For multifamily operators, this makes paid social media advertising essential to ensuring prospects know about your properties. Data shows people are considerably more likely to engage with social media content during changes in a key life stage — something moving is often associated with. Multifamily operators are well-positioned to benefit from this behavior. Real estate content already ranks in the top 10 industries for social media engagement, according to one report.
The bottom line: Property managers must be active in the places where people are most likely to search. Today, that includes social media.
“Renters have a lot of different entry points for discovering or engaging with the next place they’re going to call home,” says Brian Miller, Principal, Industry and Partnership at Zillow Rentals. “Housing providers need to ensure they are present where future residents are spending their time.”
In this article, we’ll share ways multifamily operators can leverage their listings to improve discoverability on social media and drive real ROI.
Social media is a growing part of the rental search process
Prospective renters of all ages are using social media to search for apartments, though some more than others. Millennials (61%) and Gen Z (58%) are more likely to use social media to find a rental than Baby Boomers (24%) and Gen X (42%), according to one renter survey.
That search is very likely to include some scrolling on Facebook, which the survey found to be the most important destination for renters of all ages when looking for an apartment on social media. But younger generations, and Gen Z in particular, are exploring other platforms, too, including:
- Instagram (52% use it to find an apartment)
- YouTube (42%)
- TikTok (39%)
Operators who invest in advertising their listings on these platforms can see results. Three-quarters or more of prospects across generational groups in the same survey said they reached out to a property based on what they saw on social media.
“Each one of these platforms has a baseline way for property management companies to be present without overindexing,” Zillow Rentals,’ Miller said. “From there, do what you would do with any marketing source: evaluate and lean in where you’re finding success.”
Best practices for advertising multifamily properties on social media
What does that look like in practice? Renters want more than property specs. They want to know what it will feel like to live at your property. In a recent survey, six in 10 Gen Z and Millennial renters said “vibe” and atmosphere matter when searching listings. This means renters want to know, before they schedule a tour, what it will feel like to live at your property. Social media lets you take your existing listing and add visuals that show prospects what to expect.
“There is a tremendous amount of information available to renters today, and they’re learning it well before they step onto a property,” Miller said. “When they do show up, it’s a moment of validation. They’re not there to learn; they are there to confirm.”
Here are three best practices that operators of all sizes can use to develop or enhance their paid social media strategy:
Pick your platform(s). You don’t need to invest in every platform. In fact, spreading yourself too thin can leave you with an underdeveloped presence where it matters most. Pick the platforms the data shows your prospective renters are most likely to engage with, and invest there.
Hone your content. Having a buttoned-up listing is foundational. If those aren’t optimized, start there. Don’t just copy-paste listing content onto platforms. Study what kinds of content “works” on each platform — for example, photo slideshows, 30-second videos of features, interviews with residents, creator collaborations. The goal is to give prospects a reason to click through, discover, and take the next step.
Expand your reach. Social media ad buying can be complex, especially for smaller operations. Partnering with listing sites and other third parties can help extend your reach. Look for a partner that offers flexibility to meet your needs, whether for a seasonal push, a lease-up boost, or ongoing support for high-priority properties. Leveraging the expertise and data of outside companies can speed up the process, so you can flex during critical periods without having to manage content creation or add headcount.
Meet your next renter where they’re already scrolling
Paid social media advertising is about more than form conversions. It’s about guiding discovery and influencing decision-making. Social media advertising can keep your property top of mind as prospects decide whether to move, evaluate properties, and finally choose where to lease next. What success looks like depends on your goals:
Operators doing a lease-up might look to impressions and awareness to determine whether their paid social media strategy is effective. Meanwhile, a stabilized community may explore ads’ impact on conversions alongside other sources.
Regardless of your goals, successful social media advertising relies on detailed, clear, and consistent listings as a single source of truth about the property and the destination your ads should lead to, helping ensure prospects drawn in by the ads have the information they need to take the next step.
“Social media widens the top of your funnel, giving you more ways to engage prospective renters,” Miller says. “But the goal is the same: move prospects from considering your property to leasing.”
Learn more about how Zillow’s ExtendSM: Social can help transform your listings into high-impact social ads that meet prospects where they search.
