What Is Social SEO? Why Property Marketers Should Care About Social Media

Finding a new place to live has always been a personal and social experience. These days, that experience often begins on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Today’s renters are not just scrolling for entertainment—they’re actively using social media to discover apartments, explore neighborhoods, and validate listings before making decisions.

In fact, 97% of consumers say they’ve discovered new businesses through social media, according to Social Native. For Gen Z, our own research has told us that Instagram and TikTok have become go-to search engines—often used more than Google.

This shift in behavior underscores the importance of Social SEO (SSEO). In a recent SOCi webinar, CMO Monica Ho and Social Media Expert Kelly Settino explored how property marketers can take advantage of Social SEO to boost visibility. Here’s a breakdown of what Social SEO is—and how you can use it to your advantage.

What Is Social SEO?

Social SEO (SSEO) refers to the practice of optimizing your social media content—captions, posts, images, videos, and hashtags—so it ranks in search results on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and even Google.

The goal? Make your content more discoverable to the right audience, in the right place, at the right time.

3 Ways Property Marketers Can Improve Their Social SEO

1. Research Keywords

Keyword research isn’t just for Google anymore. Social platforms have search functionalities that can reveal trending terms and user intent. Even if you’re not posting on TikTok, the platform offers valuable research tools. Here’s how you can use it to your advantage:

• First, log in to TikTok (no business account needed).
• Next, search for “creator insights” and click the View button.
• Try keywords like “apartments in Houston” to see popular trends, audience demographics, related topics, and creator ideas.

You can then use these insights to craft better-performing content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok itself. Watch the video below for a demonstration.

2. Link Your Social Accounts to Your Google Business Profile

Connecting your GBP with your social media accounts is a small move that makes a big impact. Watch the video below to see exactly how it’s done.

Why it matters:

• It signals to Google which social profiles to crawl for content.
• This increases your visibility in search results, meaning your social content is more likely to show up in Google search, like an Instagram Reel or TikTok appearing in Google Video search results.
• Ultimately, it unifies your branding across platforms, for both Google and actual searchers.

Don’t forget: If you’ve already done this, double-check that all the social links are up-to-date on your GBP for maximum impact.

3. Focus on Quality Over Quantity

Posting frequently doesn’t guarantee results—60% of social content gets zero engagement. Instead, invest in content that builds trust and showcases your property’s unique value.

Google’s algorithm uses the E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to prioritize high-quality content. The same principles apply on social platforms.

How to stand out:

• Share real photos from resident events or day-in-the-life moments.
• Try a recurring feature like “Resident of the Week” that adds a personal touch.
• Respond to comments and regularly update essential information to ensure accuracy.

These efforts make your content more credible—and more likely to show up in search.

Want to Learn More?

Dive deeper into how social media is reshaping property marketing. Watch the full webinar with SOCi’s Monica Ho and Kelly Settino:
Next Gen Search: Boosting Visibility With Social Media (On-demand now!)