How Real Estate Agents Can Prepare for a Potential TikTok Ban
With TikTok facing a potential ban in the U.S. on January 19, 2025, many real estate professionals who have built their brands and generated leads through the platform are now considering their next steps. The social media app has been a game-changer for agents, allowing them to reach younger buyers, educate audiences, and showcase properties in an engaging way. But with uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future, top real estate influencers are sharing how they’re preparing to adapt.
Randy Baruh is an associate broker with Compass based in New York City, who has built a follower count of over 300,000 on his TikTok. Baruh’s content includes videos showing o" luxury New York listings, debunking common myths about real estate, short comedy sketches and more. Asked about how concerned he is whether the ban will impact his business on a scale of one to 10, answered “maybe a five.” “If I was getting a lot of appointments from TikTok and that was a huge lead generator for us, it might be di"erent,” Baruh explains. “We don’t really use TikTok as the lead generation tool. We use it as a marketing tool.”
Why TikTok’s Potential Ban Matters for Real Estate Agents
TikTok has been a powerful tool for real estate professionals, with some agents generating the majority of their leads from the platform. The app’s algorithm allows organic reach and virality, which has helped many grow their businesses without spending a dime on advertising.
However, with the U.S. government citing security concerns related to TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, the app may soon be removed from app stores. This would prevent new users from downloading it, and over time, lack of updates could make it unusable.
How Top Real Estate Influencers Are Responding
Many TikTok-savvy agents are already taking proactive steps to protect their brands and continue reaching clients, regardless of the ban’s outcome. Here’s how they’re adjusting:
Diversifying Across Platforms – Agents are repurposing TikTok content for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook to maintain audience engagement. The ability to distribute the same video across multiple channels ensures that no single platform dictates their reach.
Building a Direct Audience Connection – Many professionals are emphasizing email newsletters and CRM systems to nurture leads outside of social media. By collecting email subscribers, agents can maintain control over their audience regardless of platform restrictions.
Leveraging Alternative Social Media Platforms – Some are exploring newer apps like Lemon8 (another ByteDance-owned platform) and doubling down on video content strategies that work across different platforms.
Focusing on Brand, Not Just Platform – As New York real estate agent Randy Baruh explains, TikTok has been a great marketing tool, but it isn’t the foundation of his business. His success is built on strong real estate fundamentals—relationships, expertise, and adaptability.
The Future of Real Estate Marketing in a Post-TikTok World
Even if TikTok disappears, the principles of engaging, educational, and entertaining content will remain. Successful agents are those who evolve with the landscape. Whether it’s through Instagram, YouTube, or emerging platforms, video will continue to be a driving force in real estate marketing.
Agents should take this moment to strengthen their multi-platform strategy and ensure they aren’t overly reliant on any one social media site. By focusing on audience engagement and direct communication channels, real estate professionals can future-proof their businesses against any digital disruption.