How founder-generated content on TikTok and Instagram earned exposure for my small business

It was a Tuesday morning in March 2023 when my colleague and I realised we had hit a roadblock with lead generation. The property market was fairly turbulent and enquiries dropped off for buyers wanting to engage a Buyer’s Advocate. We figured we needed more eyeballs on us, more exposure. Where are people watching content right now? TikTok.

Right there and then, my colleague decided to do a month-long challenge to post property-related content on TikTok, every single day. The results? 50,000 organic views. Nothing wild but certainly a noteworthy uptick in views and with that, a direct increase in our enquiry. This inspired me to start creating content on my account daily and I haven’t stopped since.

One month later, April 2023, we hit a milestone: our first TikTok client. Lisa, a 40-something, single woman, wanted to buy an oversized one-bedroom apartment. My colleague turned to me and said, “See, I told you TikTok could work.” I’ll be honest, I thought this might just be a one-off but oh I was so wrong.

Fast-forward to today, 75 per cent of our clients now come from either TikTok or Instagram. In addition, our content is now watched with great interest by journalists who invite us to provide commentary on market trends. With a modest following of 31,000 across both platforms, let me share with you what I’ve learned.

Educate, do not sell

Knowledge is power and nothing is more powerful than expressing your knowledge through educational content. Explain to your audience the ‘how’ of what you do. People typically watch content to be entertained, educated or inspired. Think of what you enjoy watching online, do you find yourself saying ‘I learnt that on TikTok’ or ‘I heard someone on TikTok saying…’

By providing education, you automatically position yourself as a trusted industry expert.

Everyone loves to share their opinion, let them

My best-performing content has always been a video where I have asked the audience for their view on something. Sometimes I will simply give them a choice between A or B and ask them to vote and explain why. This is a great way to generate engagement and connect with your followers.

There is no such thing as too much content

Creating content has become so ingrained in my day-to-day life, it’s just like brushing my teeth. Posting content is free, isn’t that crazy? Your only limit to exposure is your own willpower to post as much informative content as possible. I post pretty much every single day and I still don’t feel like I’m posting enough. That being said, don’t post for the sake of posting. There is an element of quality over quantity but when it comes to posting quality content that is informative and engaging – there is no limit.

Document everything, it’s content

Don’t overthink it, document everything. Preparing for your next quarter? Document how you set your goals and intentions. Just had a successful outcome for a client? Awesome, that’s a TikTok! Hiring for a new team member? Explain the role on TikTok, tour your office and show them what it would be like to work at your company.

Side note, two of my most recent hires found our company on TikTok – it works!

By following these key principles outlined, there is no doubt in my mind that your business will encounter rapid growth. Not only that, don’t be shocked if you are approached by media for commentary related to your area of expertise. The most unexpected outcome of consistently posting on social media has been the outreach from journalists, podcast hosts and media outlets for commentary. It is apparent that social media presence is almost a prerequisite to be considered a reliable source.

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