In the real estate industry, marketing is everything. It's what gets the word out about your properties, attracts potential buyers, and ultimately leads to sales. In today's digital age, social media has become one of the most effective marketing channels for real estate professionals.
However, two platforms stand out: TikTok and Instagram. These two apps have taken the world by storm, gaining millions of users every day. This fact invites the question, "Which platform is best for promoting real estate marketing?"
We'll compare TikTok and Instagram below, considering the benefits and drawbacks of both for real estate marketing. The purpose is to assist you in determining which platform is best for your real estate firm, regardless of whether you are an agent, broker, or marketing. Let's get started!
Assessing the Strengths and Weaknesses of Each Platform for Real Estate Marketing
While TikTok and Instagram both provide unique chances to contact and engage with potential buyers and sellers in the real estate sector, they also have key characteristics that may limit their success for specific types of real estate campaigns. As a result, it is hard to pick between the two platforms without first examining their respective strengths and drawbacks for real estate marketing efforts. Let us investigate further!
TikTok:
Strengths:
- Viral Content Potential: TikTok is well known for its ability to make content go viral quickly, an advantage for real estate agents looking to get their brand in front of a new audience as soon as possible.
- Younger User Base: The majority of TikTok users are under 30 years old, making it valuable if you're targeting younger home buyers.
- Authenticity: TikTok's users value authenticity and creativity. These preferences provide an opportunity for you to showcase your unique personalities and style.
Weaknesses:
- Limited Content Options: TikTok's video format can limit the types of shareable content. So it may be limiting if you're looking to showcase your listings in different ways.
- Algorithm Challenges: TikTok's algorithm can be difficult to predict, and that makes it challenging for real estate agents to find their target audience.
Strengths:
- Established User Base: Instagram's user base is established and includes a wide range of age groups, making it ideal if you seek to reach a diverse audience.
- Varied Content Options: Instagram allows various types of content, including photos, videos, and stories, so agents can showcase their listings however they prefer.
- Hashtag Use: Instagram's hashtag system allows agents to reach a wider audience by targeting specific niches or topics.
Weaknesses:
- Limited Organic Reach: Instagram's algorithm can limit the visibility of posts, increasing the challenge of getting your content in front of a large audience without paid advertising.
- Saturation: The real estate industry is competitive on Instagram, and agents may struggle to stand out among the many accounts and listings already on the platform.
Understanding Algorithms: What Do Both Platforms Want?
On both Tik Tok and Instagram, algorithms play a significant role in determining which content appears on a user's feed. Therefore, understanding the algorithm for each can help real estate agents optimize their content for maximum visibility and engagement.
TikTok
On TikTok, the algorithm is primarily based on engagement and interaction. The platform's algorithm is designed to promote videos that receive many likes, shares, and comments. Consequently, real estate agents need to create content that encourages engagement from their audience. You can do so by asking questions, using trending sounds or hashtags, or using the duet feature to collaborate with other users of the app.
Instagram's algorithm is more complex and involves several factors which include engagement, timeliness, relevance, and relationship. It uses machine learning to analyze user behavior and predict which content they're most likely to have interest in. To increase the visibility of your content, focus on creating high-quality content which is not only relevant to your target audience, but also largely relatable.
Analyzing the Types of Content That Perform Best on Each Platform
TikTok and Instagram have the same priority: content that is sure to keep users engaged for longer periods. Regardless, their algorithms work differently, as do the types of content that users want to see. We've highlighted these possibilities below.
TikTok
- Property Tours: Short-form video property tours that highlight unique features of a home are likely to sell on TikTok.
- Behind-the-scenes: Behind-the-scenes glimpses of the homebuying process or the daily life of a real estate agent can provide an authentic look into the industry. And, remember, TikTok users love authenticity!
- Humorous Content: Humorous content that showcases your personality and style often excites the TikTok audience.
- High-quality Photos: High-quality photos that show off an asset's features are sure to capture the attention of Instagram users.
- Stories: Instagram stories can be used to show behind-the-scenes content, promote upcoming events or open houses, and highlight a real estate agent's personal brand.
- Video content: Video content, including property tours and virtual tours, can also perform well on Instagram.
Which Platform is Better for Different Types of Real Estate Promotions?
When it comes to promoting real estate, choosing the right platform is vital to reaching your target audience and achieving your marketing goals. Here's a breakdown of which platform is better for different types of real estate promotions:
Brand Building
It's a tight call, but Instagram may be the better choice for building a real estate brand due to its more established user base and wider reach. With Instagram's focus on visual content and storytelling, agents can showcase their expertise and personality, creating a loyal following.
Luxury Properties
Luxury properties often require a more high-end marketing approach, and Instagram's focus on visual content and its more mature audience allow for more polished and professional marketing. These features also make the app more suitable for commercial real estate promotions.
Starter Homes
TikTok is an excellent platform for reaching first-time home buyers who are typically younger and more price-sensitive. The platform's user base is mostly skewed towards Gen Z and Millennials, who are more likely to be looking for starter homes.
Lead Generation
Instagram can easily drive traffic to a real estate website or landing page and is therefore preferable when the aim is to generate leads. You can use the platform to promote your listings and website, so potential homebuyers can contact you directly.
Real Estate Education
TikTok is an excellent platform for real estate education, as it allows sharing informative content in a short-form, easily digestible format. You can create quick videos that answer common questions about the homebuying process or provide tips for first-time homebuyers.
Rental Properties
TikTok can be effective for promoting rental properties, particularly among younger renters who are more likely to use the app. Agents can use the platform to showcase rental properties in a fun and engaging way, using music and creative visuals to grab viewers' attention.
Niche Properties
We recommend Instagram for niche properties, such as eco-friendly homes or historic properties. This is because it allows you to target specific audiences, to whom you can showcase your property's special qualities.
Strategies for Using TikTok to Promote Real Estate Listings
TikTok is a fantastic tool for real estate marketing. It can help you create a unique selling proposition which most of its users are always eager to see. Showing the extra benefits available to your clients such as providing a complimentary moving truck for example, will be more appreciated here.
However, you must be intentional about using the platform correctly, otherwise your videos stand little to no chance of going viral. Fortunately, it takes only a few tips to generate real estate sales on the app. The following are the top five!
Create Short and Engaging Videos
TikTok is all about short-form videos that are creative and entertaining. Use this platform to showcase your properties in an exclusive, fun way, whether it's a virtual tour or a showcase of the the property's best features
Use Trending Sounds and Hashtags
TikTok is known for its viral trends, sounds, and hashtags. Incorporating them into your videos give you an edge, making it easier for your content to reach a wider audience and potentially go viral.
Showcase Your Personality
One of the advantages of TikTok is the ability to showcase your personality. Don't be afraid to be yourself and inject some humor or creativity into your videos. Let your audience know who you are when you're not marketing property, as it will build trust and increase your followership.
Use Influencer Marketing
Collaborating with influencers will help you reach a larger audience and gain more leads. Look for influencers in the real estate or home décor space to partner with for effective results.
Share Before and After Renovation Videos
Home renovation is a popular topic on TikTok. If you have a property that has undergone renovations, share before and after videos to show off the transformation and attract potential buyers.
Strategies for Using Instagram to Promote Real Estate Listings
If you prefer using Instagram to push your real estate marketing ideas, you're in safe hands. A real estate marketing plan that incorporates the platform has unique benefits, thanks to its more mature audience. Use this resource as you should, and it'll be as effective as email marketing, pay per click advertising, or any other real estate marketing idea.
How do you get your content to the right person and convince them that your personal brand is the best out of the numerous alternatives? These recommendations will help!
Specialize in Visually Appealing Content
It's important to use visually compelling content to maximize the impact of your real estate marketing efforts on Instagram. The platform focuses on aesthetics and visual appeal, so potential buyers may overlook subpart visuals.
Use Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories offer a great opportunity to provide a sneak peek into the property or the homebuying process. Additionally, you can use Stories to highlight the neighborhood and surrounding area, giving future clients a better sense of what it's like to live there.
Incorporate Hashtags
Using relevant hashtags increases your chances of reaching qualified leads and prospective clients on Instagram. Conduct extensive research to discover the most popular hashtags in your local community or niche, and include them in your posts.
Engage With Followers
Respond to comments and direct messages in a timely manner, and use Instagram's interactive features like polls and Q&A stickers to encourage engagement. Remember to also include clear contact details in your bio, especially if you're a real estate coach
Collaborate With Influencers
Collaborating with popular local influencers or industry experts can help you expand your reach to a wider audience and build your reputation as a knowledgeable and experienced real estate professional.
Bottom Line: TikTok or Instagram?
As the battle of the social media giants, TikTok and Instagram, rages on, the verdict is still out on which platform is better for real estate marketing. Each has its unique strengths and weaknesses that make them viable options for promoting listings, building a brand, and generating leads. So it's up to you to determine which platform best suits your goals and target audience.
But it mustn't be a matter of choosing one platform over the other. A comprehensive marketing plan can optimize both platforms to achieve the best marketing results. Have you thought about what you can achieve by succeeding with the younger and more mature audiences on TikTok and Instagram, respectively?
Note, though, that regardless of the platform(s) chosen, success in real estate marketing on social media requires a commitment to creating quality content, engaging with followers, and staying up-to-date on industry trends.
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FAQs
It depends on your goals and the types of real estate listings you're promoting. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, as discussed in the article.
Yes, both platforms have the potential to generate leads for real estate agents, especially if they create engaging content that resonates with viewers and use the right marketing techniques.
Hashtags are an effective way to reach new audiences and increase the visibility of content on both platforms. We strongly advise researching and using relevant hashtags to reach your target audience.
It depends on the resources available and the goals of the agent or broker. For some, focusing on one platform may be help to be more focused, while others may find success on both TikTok and Instagram. It's important to prioritize and allocate resources accordingly.