Dubai real estate sector is witnessing a surge in interest from Chinese social media platform and TikTok sibling Douyin
The Dubai real estate sector is seeing a surge in interest from Chinese social media platform Douyin.
Buyers and sellers in China are taking significant interest in real estate in Dubai, the UAE and the Middle East as an investment opportunity and are turning to social media for more information.
The UAE and Saudi real estate markets are witnessing a surge in interest from Chinese investors according to a new whitepaper by Navitex, a global digital marketing agency.
Notably, Dubai has emerged as a focal point of interest on the popular Chinese social media platform Douyin, experiencing a significant increase in user views and engagement.
The “Unlocking the Power of Douyin: A Guide for Real Estate Marketers”, whitepaper provides comprehensive insights into the real estate market from a marketing standpoint, outlining essential factors for targeting the Chinese audience.
With a specialised focus on Douyin, Nativex showcases how marketers can leverage the platform’s tools and features to implement precise, localised marketing campaigns.
This approach enables real estate developers to successfully enter the Chinese market and engage with sophisticated buyers for the real estate market.
According to the report, Dubai’s real estate content ranks ninth in terms of views and sixth for engagements, following behind content from Japan, the US, Thailand and South Korea.
Markets like the UK, Australia, Canada, and Singapore are also showing promising potential for investment.
The findings underscore Chinese buyers’ strong interest towards international real estate investments and residential topics, many of whom proactively participate in online dialogues and utilise search tools to unravel the nuances of the real estate market.
By leveraging the insights and experiences shared by others who have previously purchased real estate abroad, potential buyers are better able to inform their decision-making process.
Data from Ocean Engine, Douyin’s digital marketing platform, corroborates this trend, revealing a significant uptick in interest towards the UAE and KSA.
Over the past six months (September 2023 to March 2024), search volume for “Saudi Arabia” on Douyin increased by 198.66 per cent, while search volume for “UAE” skyrocketed by 343.77 per cent.
This trend reflects the strengthening of economic and trade ties between China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Analyst reports indicate the recent inclusion of KSA and the UAE into the BRICS economic bloc, alongside growing partnerships in support of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, are contributing to an increase in foreign direct investments and the expansion of Chinese enterprises setting up operations in these Gulf markets.
Douyin has emerged as a pivotal platform in the real estate segment. As of December 2022, a staggering 80 per cent of China’s top 200 real estate developers have established a presence on Douyin, leveraging its massive user base and engagement rates to bolster their online operations.
With over 410,000 business accounts and more than 160m followers, Douyin presents an unparalleled opportunity for real estate brands to engage with potential buyers effectively.
Leveraging the platform’s expansive user base and capabilities, Nativex demonstrates in the whitepaper how marketers can execute targeted and localised marketing to effectively connect with discerning buyers in the Chinese market.
