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Every week on Trending, digital marketer Jessi Healey dives into what’s buzzing in social media and why it issues for actual property professionals. From viral tendencies to platform adjustments, she’ll break all of it down so you understand what’s price your time — and what’s not.
January is commonly a protracted, uninteresting month, however not this yr. With the TikTok ban nonetheless on the way in which (regardless of a probably-temporary reprieve), the ripple results are being extensively felt, and one thing new within the social media panorama appears to pop up each day.
This week, we check out new apps like Xiaohongshu (Purple E-book) and Flashes, leveraging highly effective instruments like YouTube Shorts, and navigating person tendencies on Meta platforms.
Are you able to go purple?
With TikTok coming and going, some customers are migrating to a different Chinese language app, Purple Word (Xiaohongshu, also referred to as Purple E-book). Not too long ago, it grew to become the most downloaded app and has welcomed an inflow of what customers name “TikTok refugees.” Chinese language Xiaohongshu customers are excited concerning the wave of American newcomers, posting welcome movies and even providing classes in Mandarin for English audio system.
However is Xiaohongshu various for actual property brokers? In all probability not — not less than for now. Whereas brokers with a TikTok following would possibly discover it price exploring to see if their viewers has moved there, the app at the moment lacks important options like promoting choices or the flexibility to incorporate hyperlinks in profiles.
Moreover, a lot of the app is in Mandarin, which might make navigation difficult for non-speakers, and Xiaohongshu shall be topic to the identical restrictions that TikTok is.
That stated, staying conscious of the place your preferrred purchasers are spending time is all the time worthwhile. Observing the content material they interact with will help you create relatable, genuine content material. Even with out direct promoting, this may very well be a chance to attach along with your viewers in significant methods.
TikTok or not?
TikTok went darkish and returned, however the looming ban remains to be a menace, because the Supreme Courtroom has upheld the laws requiring a sale or a ban. For now, it appears the app has a bit of extra time to search for an answer.
Does that basically have an effect on actual property brokers, although? Sure. The lack of the platform for advertising functions may disrupt advertising methods for 1 in 6 actual property brokers, in response to a report from the Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors.
To adapt, actual property professionals should diversify and pivot so as to add platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Fb Dwell whereas additionally leveraging e mail advertising, Website positioning-driven blogs and neighborhood engagement.
Cynthia Seifert, founding father of KeyLeads, emphasizes the significance of resilience, stating, “Exploring alternative platforms will allow agents to continue creating engaging video content while diversifying their audience reach.” Staying agile shall be key to navigating these adjustments and uncovering new alternatives for progress.
There isn’t a assure that TikTok shall be salvaged completely. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply one thing can’t change.
Go quick with YouTube
YouTube has lengthy been the go-to platform for studying absolutely anything and stays the chief in long-form video content material. Nonetheless, YouTube Shorts — a characteristic just like Instagram Reels or TikTok movies — has been gaining vital momentum.
With TikTok’s future nonetheless unsure, YouTube Shorts gives a compelling various for creators and entrepreneurs. Certainly one of its key benefits is its seamless integration into YouTube’s platform, making it simple to repurpose content material. Customers can now take longer movies and rapidly trim them into Shorts, saving time whereas maximizing their content material’s attain.
For actual property brokers, that is an extremely highly effective and handy device. Video content material is without doubt one of the most partaking types of advertising, and, with YouTube Shorts, brokers can create bite-sized, impactful movies that showcase properties, share ideas or spotlight native market insights.
When you’re not already leveraging video in your technique, now could be the right time to begin. Platforms like YouTube Shorts make it simpler than ever to achieve and have interaction along with your viewers.
Bluesky will get flashy
A brand new photo-sharing app known as Flashes is coming quickly, designed to work seamlessly with Bluesky, which now has over 27.5 million customers. The brand new app is constructed with the identical decentralized know-how as Bluesky.
Flashes shall be a separate app centered on sharing photographs and movies. It gives a easy, acquainted design, just like standard apps like Instagram, however provides customers extra management by its open and decentralized system, offering a recent technique to join on-line.
This new addition will increase the attraction of Bluesky for a lot of and will assist push the platform as a viable advertising channel for actual property brokers.
The nice Meta exodus
In response to the TikTok ban and the most recent developments in fact-checking on Meta, many customers have opted to go away the platform fully in protest. It’s nonetheless not clear if this may harm the promoting on Meta’s platforms like Fb and Instagram, however it’s price keeping track of.
It’s additionally one other nice reminder to all the time be pushing your viewers to attach with you through your individual web site, weblog and e-newsletter.
Takeaways for actual property brokers:
- Discover Xiaohongshu (Purple E-book) for viewers insights, however don’t depend on it for promoting.
- Monitor the TikTok scenario intently — adjustments are nonetheless potential.
- Construct a robust presence on YouTube, particularly with Shorts, to repurpose and maximize your video content material.
- Give attention to rising your web site, weblog and e mail listing to take care of management over your viewers connections.
- Keep agile and able to adapt your advertising technique to shifting platforms and tendencies.
Diversify your technique, prioritize genuine connections and deal with platforms that align along with your targets. By adapting to those adjustments, you can’t solely keep your visibility but in addition uncover new alternatives to attach along with your viewers in significant and impactful methods.
Jessi Healey is a contract author and social media supervisor specializing in actual property. Discover her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, or Bluesky.