A few years ago, I made a commitment to myself to jump into TikTok – more as a safe space to practice my video skills than as a main focus to build my business as a loan officer. I thought I could test the waters on TikTok and apply what I learned to Instagram and Facebook. To my surprise, my TikTok account took off far more than my other social media accounts – to the point where most of my leads now come through TikTok!

If you’re thinking of making TikTok one of your lead generation strategies but aren’t sure where to start – or are concerned about the future of the platform – here are 3 lessons from my journey that may help you.

1. Commit to consistency

Consistency is the cornerstone of success on any social media platform, including TikTok. Sticking to a consistent posting schedule keeps your audience engaged with you and can build trust over time. You never know when a post will reach a prospective borrower at just the right time to trigger them to reach out to you! I dedicate time most Sundays to batch film video content for the rest of the week. That way, I have a steady stream of posts queued up without having to cut into my most productive hours during the week. 

2. Balance educational and personal content 

One of the key lessons I've learned on TikTok is the importance of posting both educational content and more “fun” content. I see more engagement and increase my followers with entertaining skits or personal stories, so those are key to building my audience. But most of my actual leads come from my bread-and-butter educational posts, where I try to demystify the mortgage process for my followers. You need both kinds of content to succeed, in my experience! 

3. Be ready to adapt to change

Recent uncertainties surrounding TikTok's future have prompted me to start building my content in a way where I can transition to other platforms if necessary. I make sure that at least some of the content I create for TikTok is short enough to be used on Instagram and Facebook or in YouTube shorts. I’m also taking the uncertainty as motivation to finally start creating longer video content for YouTube. 

Right now, TikTok remains a vital part of my marketing strategy, and I encourage other loan officers to explore its possibilities because I’ve seen how it can work! But I know that being proactive about looking for the next big trends is important as well. Whether on TikTok or elsewhere, video is a powerful way to reach consumers directly to build your brand.

Hear more from Mandy on how she uses TikTok in this recent video conversation with the editor of Loan Officer Hub:

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The opinions and insights expressed in this blog are solely those of its author, Mandy Phillips, and do not necessarily represent the views of either Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation or any of its parent, affiliates, or subsidiaries (collectively, “MGIC”). Neither MGIC nor any of its officers, directors, employees or agents makes any representations or warranties of any kind regarding the soundness, reliability, accuracy or completeness of any opinion, insight, recommendation, data, or other information contained in this blog, or its suitability for any intended purpose.