Barbara Corcoran first proved herself by carving a path through one of the toughest industries in the world, New York real estate. Decades later, she has stepped into another crowded arena and managed to stand out once again.
This time, her new area of expertise is not New York’s high rises. It is what you see on your screen while scrolling. She has an audience of 1.1 million on TikTok and 1.2 million on Instagram.
Adaptability has been at the core of Barbara Corcoran’s career. She spent 23 years building the Corcoran Group before selling it for $66 million in 2001, but her drive didn’t stop there.
Today, we know her as an investor, bestselling author, speaker, and longtime Shark of the Tank.
Barbara Corcoran’s Social Media Secrets
Barbara Corcoran described her base philosophy: “I think you just hop on everything out there and try it out. You have to see what works.” Building on that, Corcoran went on to outline her approach to thriving online. She basically offered a blueprint for entrepreneurs looking to sharpen their marketing game.
She explained that lasting success on social platforms relies on three key elements:
- Authenticity: Be real, relatable, and let your true personality shine.
- Differentiation: Stand out by leaning into what makes you unique.
- Likeability: Give people a reason to root for you so they keep coming back.
Corcoran explained that audiences online gravitate toward personalities who feel genuine and different from the rest. They also ideally want someone they can cheer for. “You have to make sure people like you and want to stay in touch with you. Then they keep coming back,” she said.
The rules can point you in the right direction, but what really makes your social media work is letting your own values, experiences, and personality drive the content.
Barbara expanded, saying, “I’m a real estate expert. I know I’m an entrepreneur. I know I’m motivational by nature. And I know that I’m funny. So those are my four buckets that I’m always dipping into. I never post anything that doesn’t teach something or make people laugh.”
Barbara on Social Media Blunders Everyone Makes
According to Barbara, putting all your eggs in one basket is a bad mistake with respect to social media. Her own words on the matter are:
“You know the number one mistake people make on social media? They take all their content and post it on one platform. It might be their favorite platform, but it’s a mistake. Take the same content and post it everywhere.”
She continued explaining her point by adding, “What if one disappears? You get much more value if you post it across the board—every single platform. So today, make it a mission to post everything on every platform. Just do a different version of the same content and get it out there.”
Her inputs drew overwhelming support at the time, with commenters not only agreeing but also sharing their own tips. One urged creators to always save their videos in case platforms shift, while another suggested tweaking content to better match each platform’s culture.
Finding Your Voice with Barbara Corcoran’s Approach
Barbara Corcoran is known for many things, but playing it safe is not one of them. She treats social media like she treats running her company, a space to experiment, share what she knows, and connect with people in a way that feels natural. That’s why her content feels fresh and relatable across generations.
That mindset has kept her relevant across various sectors, whether she’s selling apartments in Manhattan or making millions laugh on TikTok.
For entrepreneurs trying to carve out their space online, her advice is pretty straightforward and not that deep. Embrace who you are, keep putting yourself out there, and don’t be afraid to take chances. In business or on social media, confidence and experimentation are the real growth hacks.
