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Daily Videos: Leveraging Instagram and TikTok to Reach Tomorrow’s Homebuyers

DAILY VIDEOS: LEVERAGING INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK TO REACH TOMORROW'S HOMEBUYERS
 September 24, 2024 |  Marketing, Social Media |  time management, inspection industry, Facebook, LinkedIm, YouTube, digital marketing

By Stepha Vesper, NPI, Inc.'s Senior Marketing Communications Strategist

When it comes to digital marketing, the common rule of thumb is to be present wherever your audience is. In the home inspection industry, there’s little mystery surrounding where agents spend the most time: Facebook, with a sprinkling of Instagram here and there, and maybe LinkedIn for certain markets.

Social media is a constantly evolving beast that’s very much influenced by the trends of the day, however, and whatever is popular today will likely be quite different than what’s popular a few years from now. This brings us to TikTok.

TikTok, for those who somehow don’t know at this point, is a social media platform based around sharing short-form video content that has become wildly popular with Gen Zers in particular (people born between 1997 and 2012). Check out our previous article on the platform!

While TikTok veers towards this younger demographic, and they are less likely to be looking for a home or working as a REALTOR today, this group is on track to become more and more relevant in the coming years. Plus, with the recent NAR lawsuit settlement (read more from experts at CBS news), direct-to-consumer marketing on platforms like TikTok may become an essential practice today.

To get ahead of the trend, let’s discuss how inspectors can utilize short-form video content creation on social media to boost their presence in a way that’s realistic and won’t overwhelm their busy schedules.

Social Media and Your Google Business Listing
The first main caveat that must be made is that it can be tough to measure ROI on social media investments. An active Facebook business page that posts daily and receives tons of engagement most definitely is a positive for an inspection business, but determining exactly how many new jobs that page generated isn’t so clear.

In addition, while an assumption may be made that active social media pages can directly improve ranking on Google, Google doesn’t factor this into their algorithm at this time. Social media strategists at Local Falcon speak more on the relationship between social media and Google business listings, but it may be important to note that Bing currently does factor in social media activity into their results, and Google has experimented with this in the past.

An active social media page may have a bigger impact on Google in the future, but digital marketing strategies of today still greatly benefit businesses by funneling more leads to their business websites and to their phones. Again, businesses need to be wherever their audience is. If TikTok and Instagram are the next big hangout for homebuyers, it would be wise to carve your own space there as well.

Optimizing Activity According to TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube’s Algorithms
Now as we take a look at TikTok and the other prominent platforms that favor short-form video creation (Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts), there are a few easy things to note when it comes to building presence. First, their algorithms love consistent content output. For many business owners, this tends to translate to the one-video-a-day strategy.

Posting a high quality video every day can seem like a daunting task - especially for those that haven’t even posted their first one yet. But after dedicating yourself to this habit, you’ll be shocked at how quickly your TikTok or Instagram engagement dwarfs your social media efforts elsewhere. Why is this the case? Well, let’s talk about TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube’s algorithms (in brief).

We’ve previously discussed why it can be valuable to gain an understanding of your favorite social media’s algorithm for marketing purposes. To understand TikTok’s algorithm, it’s best to start with the “For You” page.

TikTok’s “For You” page (FYP) is the platform’s primary feed, designed to promote content that users are most likely to engage with. Namely, they’re looking at likes, shares, and whether the viewer watched the video until the end. Notably, TikTok also doesn’t favor established creators as much as other platforms, which means that new users can generate a following more quickly. New, consistent content that people interact with will be recommended very often on TikTok.

Instagram’s algorithm is usually known for elevating posts with high-quality images, optimized publish times, and relevant hashtags. But Instagram’s Reels section (focused on short-form videos, like TikTok) broadly lines up with TikTok’s algorithm priorities, as does YouTube’s Shorts section.

In summary, that’s three different platforms with similar paths to high interaction, which all can be cross-posted with the same content easily. The only question is, how do you make content that is easy to produce and highly engaging?

What Types of Content Should You Create?
Short-form videos for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube shorts do not need to be expensive. In fact, low-budget content might be preferred in the current landscape.

With the rise of AI-based content, many marketing analysts believe that authenticity is quickly becoming the most sought after element on social media. This, conveniently, means that simple videos involving a single person and a phone perform better than ever. For home inspectors, it’s best to focus on educational content primarily, with entertaining content as a secondary element, and strictly promotional content peppered in every now and then.

Look for opportunities while on an inspection to shoot a short video explaining a home maintenance quirk, an interesting/rare find, or even an element you discovered that is a good example of something done right! Home inspectors see many different homes every week, which means countless opportunities to take a few minute break and shoot a video.

Note: Be sure to leave out any identifying features of the home, especially if it’s still on the market!

Other concepts that can perform well are reactions (to things like DIY videos or online home tours), or even podcast-formatted videos for those that are ambitious. Remember, you can cut up longer videos into shorter segments for content well into the future.

The main thing to keep in mind for success here is to not be afraid if things aren’t perfect. If you have a cobweb on your shoulder from exploring an attic or if you fumble over a word or two, these elements only add to a sense of authenticity.

Digital marketing doesn’t have to be a massive time sink! Here’s more advice on managing your time with social media.

Questions about how NPI boosts your online marketing presence? Learn more right here.

About the Author
Stepha Vesper, Senior Marketing Communications Strategist
Stepha holds two advanced writing degrees and has more than nine years’ experience creating blog articles, PR pitches, emails, website copy, print mailers, social media posts, newsletters, and taglines. Stepha also specializes in marketing training, strategy, and consultation, particularly in the areas of social media and email marketing. Her favorite part of her job at NPI is assisting franchisees with their digital marketing strategies so they reach their goals faster.