Is It Time For TikTok?
Is It Time for TikTok?
Taylor Gruenwald is a 26-year-old Cincinnati native that transformed her childhood home into a more modernized rental property, but she didn’t know using TikTok as a tool to show her work would make her “famous.”
The Ohio State grad is a DIYer that has accumulated almost 480,000 followers on TikTok with about 4.5 million likes. She has been covered by major media outlets because of her rise on the app.
Why should remodelers care? Gruenwald's experience shows the rising power of TikTok and what its influence can mean for businesses.
TikTok Influence
Tiktok was originally launched in 2016 by a Chinese technology company called ByteDance. The app was relaunched in its present form in 2018, and gives users the ability to create and share 15-second to 3-minute videos. People around the world use TikTok for numerous reasons, often to showcase a trendy dance or make music snippets.
The platform has a little more than 1 billion users to date and has grown exponentially year-over-year, including a dynamic increase amid last year’s pandemic. According to Wallaroo Media, in the United States, 80% of the platform’s user base is between the ages of 16 and 34.
Greunwald wanted to use the popular app to showcase the progress of her remodeling project. Greunwald thought about renting out the larger space of the home while she was remodeling. “I had always planned to live in the smaller unit and rent the larger unit out until I needed more space, at which point I plan to shift to that unit,” she told Cincinnati magazine.
Incorporating TikTok
The following that Greunwald got from showing the process of her home improvement project was almost done accidentally. With that in mind, the platform could have broad implications for remodelers. “I think it’s great for remodelers to use TikTok. This is the perfect time to build an audience and carve a niche out on a platform like this, before it gets too saturated and you become more and more of a small fish in a big pond,” says Stephen Rangel, digital marketing manager for the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI).
According to Rangel, the time is now, and TikTok is bringing a lot of attention to these remodeling projects. In fact, the hashtag “remodel” on TikTok has around 2.2 billion views.
Do The Demographics Line Up?
The question that always comes up when discussing TikTok and the remodeling industry is, "Do the age demographics of homeowners and the remodeling community line up for this promotion to work?" The answer to this question is simply "no." In spite of a significant uptick in Millennial homebuying, the age of most remodeling clients skews older than TikTok’s demographic. However, connections can still be made to the client through the app.
“Although the age of TikTokers skew younger (more Gen Z), it’s growing a lot in popularity with Millennials who are buying homes now. I’ve seen several articles discussing what a large swath of the home buying market millennials make up now,” says Rangel. According to Forbes, Millennials are moving out of their parents home, or whatever lease they had, and buying houses in large numbers.
“Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are huge for how-to videos. Even if it’s not showing a whole home remodel, you can build a large following with just short videos showing how to do simple handy things around the house that only take a couple minutes. That’s something both Gen Z and their parents could find useful,” added Rangel.
Internal Benefits
Not only can TikTok potentially get clients for your business, but some professionals believe it can also be helpful when it comes to building a team. Within a company, there may be a number of ways to get new remodeling talent, but TikTok is one that more companies may want to consider.
“It’s beneficial from a workforce development perspective. If you’re looking to recruit new Gen Z talent (roughly high school through recent college grad age), that’s the perfect place to do it. That’s where people that age are consuming a large portion of their digital content,” Rangel says.
Inspiration Through TikTok
Every homeowner wants to be included in the process of remodeling their home, and TikTok allows inspiration for ideas they can bring to the business. Giving your client the option to feel a part of the job can be created through TikTok videos.
Gruenwald wasn’t reluctant to give credit to Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and other TikTokers when it came to why she incorporated certain looks for the house. Seeing what else is out there can help both the remodeler and the client.
Remodeling TikTok Accounts To Follow
@taylsg94- Taylor’s account where she is renovating a 3rd den duplex in Ohio
@HGTV- Just like the TV station, the TikTok highlights renovations throughout the house from the bathroom to the dining room
@westonroadrenovation- Scarlet and Ben have about 773 K followers and includes TikToks of their pets amongst their projects
@renovationhusbands- This couple has accumulated 2.5M likes and is renovating their Boston Victorian
@realliferenovation- Alex almost has 1M likes on his different renovations around the house, working on a bathroom now
@mytinyestate- DIY Dean & Borja renovating an estate
@bensondwelling- DIY duo specializing in furniture and home decor
@styletheclutter- DIY home styling and budget interior hacks
@rennovationliving- Becca Larkin shares renovation tips
