TikTok, You Ready?

Social Media for Student Housing

By Erica Rascón on Nov 13, 2019 in Marketing

The real estate industry is known to sometimes lag on making use of the latest technology. But since you’re reading this, you are interested in breaking the status quo. TikTok has more installs than Facebook and Instagram combined. It continues to grow rapidly, rewarding early adopters in student housing with an engaged fan base.

What is TikTok?

TikTok is one of the newer social media platforms that it taking the globe by storm. It’s passed through several naming conventions over time, but TikTok as it is now known hit the market in 2016 and has experienced phenomenal growth ever since.

Last year, TikTok became the most-downloaded free app on the Apple App Store in the US and ranked first on Google Play. As of June 2018, TikTok boasted 500 million monthly active users worldwide and about 80 million US downloads.

TikTok is a music-centric app that allows users to create videos from 3 seconds to 15 seconds long. Short videos can be strung together to form 60 second segments. The possibilities for viral content are endless.

The TikTok demographic is perfect for student housing marketers. About 20 percent of users are under the age of 20. Another 20 percent are ages 20-24. You can influence youth in middle school and high school on a popular and growing platform. Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app.

The platform is now monetized. Sponsorships are available. You can also collaborate with “influencers” in simple yet impactful ways, like featuring a college sweatshirt in their video or receiving a shout out. Get creative!

How Can TikTok Work for You?

TikTok places your content in the hands of your key demographic. Its vertical layout ensures that your content will be seen rather than being ignored in the margins of the screen.

Anyone with social media experience will get the hang of TikTok with a bit of practice. The bonus is that you only need about 15 seconds of content to make an impact. You’ve got 15 seconds, right? The challenge is telling your story in that matter of time. Thanks to the wide range of interest groups on TikTok, that may be easier than it sounds.

Viral videos on TikTok generally fall into ten categories. Use the list the start creating your own content. TikTok rewards frequency and consistency, so aim to post at least 3 times a day. This frequent scheduling also means that you have an opportunity to quickly learn what is (and isn’t) going to work.

Since TikTok uses hashtags, you can also piggyback off current students’ content. That’s right, let them do the marketing for you! For campus events, create a hashtag that TikTok users can apply to their content. Sift through the content for the highest quality pieces and then use a third party repost app to share with your audience.

Get in early to grow your following. As a result, you’re more likely to have your content added the Trending home page and recommend profiles on third party sites. Do not wait to make your presence known on TikTok!

Learn more about quick and easy social media marketing for your student housing properties.