All real estate agents should learn about TikTok. This app exploded in popularity over the past few years, and all industries are taking advantage of its power to reach potential buyers. The platform is an excellent way to market a real estate agency and available properties.

Here is how and why to use TikTok for marketing so real estate agencies can make the most of this platform and reach interested buyers.

What Is TikTok?

Before marketing on the platform, it is important to understand what TikTok is and how companies and individual creators utilize it.

Chinese technological company ByteDance launched the app in 2017 and still owns it. There are two versions: Douyin in China and TikTok everywhere else. Aside from Douyin offering e-commerce and TikTok providing access to international users, they are similar. The concept is the same with both apps — users create short-term videos to inform or entertain an audience that follows them.

TikTok exploded in popularity over the years, gaining a spike in users during the 2020 global lockdown as a way for people to connect when they felt alone. The video length was originally just a few seconds long, but the platform expanded the time limit to 10 minutes. This makes it easier for companies to market their products.

When a user first signs up for TikTok, a menu of different categories appears, allowing users to choose what content they most want to see. The algorithm compiles some of the most popular videos within these categories and places them on the user's "For You" page. As people spend more time on the platform, the algorithm picks up on their searches and the creators they interact with the most, adjusting the page to fit their current interests.

Aside from the "For You" page, users have two other options for exploring content. The "Discover" page lets users peek into what's popular on the platform. The "Live" page shows users currently livestreaming on the app. All three pages play a role in a TikTok creator’s success.

The app is popular with many demographics, but most social media users in Generation Z are on it. These people are leaving the nest, establishing careers and getting married, so they are a vital population for a real estate company to reach. Recent data shows that 42% of Gen Z turn to the application before purchasing.

How to Market via TikTok

There are two methods of marketing on TikTok — organic content and purchased advertisements. Successful companies know how to utilize both to their advantage and even use them simultaneously.

Organic Content

A business creates free content on a standard account, just as an individual user would. It can grow in popularity and appear on more users’ “For You” pages.

There are ways to make organic content stand out and increase its chance of going viral.

Hop onto trends: Make videos that follow user trends, such as dances, viral sounds or challenges.
Be funny: Some of the highest-rated TikTok videos are funny, so put some humor into the content.
Give advice: More people are using the app to find advice on problems or decisions they must make.
Use hashtags: These are a goldmine for many users. The algorithm picks up tags and assigns the video to users searching for those terms.
Keep it short: While longer videos are great for sharing stories, 10-minute marketing videos will likely cause users to keep scrolling. Short but engaging content should bring more success.
Grab viewers immediately: TikTok has users swipe up and down to see different content. Get them interested in something engaging before they scroll past.
Collaborate: Reach out to other content creators to promote products or services through videos that can grow both audiences.

An agency could establish a presence with users worldwide by creating organic content and becoming more prominent in its market. Organic content fits in more naturally with the other videos on TikTok since companies don’t have to worry about wasting their advertising money. They can also crosspost these videos to Instagram stories or a YouTube channel.

TikTok allows companies to pay for advertisements the platform will distribute to the target audience. Do this if the agency has a business account on the app. It can select options for advertising.

Open the Ads Manager: Unlike most other features, this is best on the platform's desktop version.
Select an advertising goal: Choose from the options available, such as increasing customer interactions or generating leads.
Choose a demographic: Target the ad toward various gender identities, ages and locations. There are also options to advertise to users who like different content, such as people who enjoy homebuying or renovation content.
Set the budget: Choose between a daily and lifetime budget for the campaign. The more spent, the more users will see the advertisement.
Create the ad: Choose either an already-created video or make one. Do not do anything differently — create an engaging video including business information.
Submit the ad: After hitting the "submit" button, the ad will appear in its target demographic's feed.

Other ways to create paid advertisements include branded hashtag challenges where the tag goes back to the content. Agencies can also do a brand takeover that uses tags, videos and other promotional materials to get the most exposure possible during the campaign. These options are pricier than creating a video advertisement. Still, they could be worth it if a real estate company is looking for multiple investors or needs to sell a property quickly.

Why Real Estate Marketing Is Moving to TikTok

More buyers are seeking homes online, and TikTok is a great place to showcase different properties.

Realtors are finding ways to create unique and engaging content within the homes they are trying to sell, showing them off without making an overly obvious advertisement. They can arrange for potential buyers to see the video or seek to capture those interested in moving to the area.

Many real estate agents are creating a mix of content, focusing on giving practical advice, making comedic videos and doing “day-in-the-life” scenes. Don’t be afraid of hoping for trends or getting creative. The more variety, the more likely the agency will catch many people’s attention.

Promoting properties to Generation Z on the app makes sense. It’s easy for homebuyers to get overwhelmed by online listings. There are no competing properties on TikTok. That listing is the only one viewers will explore.

It’s unlikely that someone in the area will expect to see a potential home on their “For You” page, which could spark their curiosity when they see the video. They can contact the office or search for that specific listing online to learn more.

Marketing Real Estate on TikTok

Today’s young adults use TikTok to search for information, and it makes sense to market to them on the platform as they look for their first homes. At the very least, users will become familiar with an agency when ready to start their house search.

Utilizing all avenues possible can help a real estate agent find a buyer sooner than later while securing the best deal for their clients. Using TikTok will help the agency stand out and be noticed, especially among younger generations that rely on it to inform their decisions.