TikTok has become one of the largest social media platforms, and agents can join the trend
By Myrna Traylor
If you don’t have a social media aficionado in your life, you may be surprised to learn that TikTok has not only taken off for its diverting dance and slice-of-life videos, but as a potentially useful marketing tool for REALTORS®. Typically, TikTok videos run from a dozen seconds to a few minutes in length (apart from TikTok live streams) and can be an ideal format to promote messages about your brand and your business.
REALTORS® have had both small and large successes on TikTok. Agents in luxury markets have posted flythroughs of their fabulous home listings, going viral in the process. Others are gathering tidy groups of followers with lifestyle and business tips. Whatever way you use the platform, having another medium that can help keep your name top of mind with colleagues or potential clients is a very good thing.
Finding your audience
Madeline Balgavy, real estate associate at RE/MAX Elite in Little Rock, Arkansas, has only been in real estate since February 2021, but she has already started to use TikTok. “I was a teacher, so I have a very social background,” Balgavy says. “And I’ve always been active on social media. I knew going into real estate that I wanted to make the most of my sphere of influence. I really wanted my business to come from people who already know me, like me and trust me. And if it wasn’t them, it was someone from their sphere that they’re referring to me.”
Balgavy explains that she had been on TikTok before she stopped teaching and was familiar with the informal groups that coalesce around common interests. “It’s such a unique opportunity to connect with people who do the same thing you do,” she says. “They have similar experiences; you have inside jokes and relate to the same things. When I was teaching, I was in ‘teacher TikTok.’ When I [became a REALTOR®], I thought, there must be a group of real estate agents on here, too.”
By searching for and following people who are using tags (equivalent to hashtags) related to real estate, Balgavy was able to find her new affinity group. The platform’s algorithm tracks what a viewer is watching and then offers up similar content. Liking, sharing or commenting on those posts boosts the likelihood of getting even more of that type of content, saving each user precious time.
What to post
Once you’re familiar with TikTok as a viewer, it’s just a short jump to creating your own content. In broad brushstrokes, there are three types of content that agents might want to post: real estate tips, home views and lifestyle/brand content.
1. The short video format is ideal for sharing quick business tips. These don’t have to be too drawn out—you want to have a single idea that you can get across quickly and succinctly. You might want to turn some bigger ideas into a series, such as:
- What’s going on in your market
- How to prep a home for sale
- How to pick an agent
- How to plan a first home purchase
2. When a home is clear or beautifully staged, it might be a good candidate for a video presentation. The listing agent doesn’t necessarily have to use this as an ad for the specific home, but more as “see the lovely homes we have here in Anytown, USA” content. No narration is needed—give your video a boost by selecting a trending song as the only soundtrack.
3. Lifestyle and brand content runs the gamut. Dancing or lip-syncing to a trending song, preparing a batch of cookies at home or introducing viewers to a favorite neighborhood park or animal shelter are all ways to help potential clients see a more relaxed side of you.
Don’t be discouraged if you have a small number of likes or followers. Your ideal client may not be on TikTok, but their nephew or daughter-in-law might be. Building an approachable TikTok presence can be yet another part of your overall marketing plan.
So far, Balgavy has a posting strategy that is working for her. “I’m not necessarily on TikTok to try to create leads or have an actual buyer message me or something,” she says. “I’m more about connecting with REALTORS® because we have lots of people relocating to Arkansas right now from all different parts of the country. A REALTOR® in California reached out to me with a referral, but I had to refer it out because it was Northwest Arkansas, not in Central Arkansas, where I am. So, the opportunity is there—I just tell people that this is something that’s creative. You can have fun with it.”
Other TikTok Considerations
- DIY or hire a pro? It is fairly easy to create a video with a smartphone, but if you are putting together a series or shooting a large home/property, you may want to engage a videographer to get a more polished product.
- Cross-post to Instagram and Pinterest. TikTok’s algorithm responds positively when you post on other platforms, as well, where you might have longer or broader content.
- Use TikTok’s tools to add titles and labels to your video. Don’t forget to tag! Use those hashtags to draw in interested viewers and nudge the algorithm. The most popular include: #realtor #realestate #realestateagent #realtorlife #home #househunting #forsale
In the webinar recording “Everything About TikTok,” you can find more information on how to get started and maximize this platform for your business. Visit CRS.com/webinars for more.
Photo: iStock.com/mapodile
