Viral by Design: How The Best Four Podcast Became a 1M+ View Leasing Strategy
Real Students. Real Talk. Real Leasing Results.
When we set out to create The Best Four, we wanted to answer a few key questions: How do you educate students about housing in a way that’s actually fun to watch? How do you build trust with Gen Z? And how do you turn that trust into signed leases?
I helped develop the concept with my team and then took the reins as the host and producer. I found the guests, coordinated the interviews, hosted the interviews and led the social media strategy. We didn’t just want another branded podcast, we wanted something that felt like advice from an older sibling or close friend. And it worked.
The Strategy
We launched The Best Four as the first student housing podcast created for students, by students. Season One focused on life at UT Austin—dorms, Greek housing, off-campus apartments. Season Two took us to Ohio State. Across both seasons, we featured real students telling real stories—no scripts, no sales pitches.
Rather than make this a Rambler-branded effort, we built an independent identity for the show to ensure authenticity. Our guests spoke candidly about housing options, budgeting, social life, and everything in between. We then repurposed the best moments into short-form video content across TikTok and Instagram to maximize reach and engagement.
The Results
What started as a niche idea became a viral success. Our short-form videos have surpassed 1 million views on TikTok and over 58K streams across Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. Students aren’t just watching, they’re engaging, sharing, saving, and tagging friends.
The podcast didn’t just build a following, it built real trust, and that trust translated into results. Rambler Columbus reached 50% pre-lease in September (far above the market’s 14%), and Rambler ATX hit 50% pre-lease by October, outperforming the local average. The podcast has become a key tool in leasing success and a model we’re now scaling nationally.
