Instagram is one of the most visual and user-friendly social media platforms. It also has over a billion active monthly users. That’s why it’s such a big deal.
As a real estate agent, Instagram could act as both a portfolio and a lead generator. Don’t just rely on your agency or other real estate websites to get your clients. Make it easy on home buyers and sellers by letting them view the types of listings you represent, learn what areas you specialize in, and stay on top of your upcoming events right from their social media feed.
First, let’s go over a few reasons why you should have a real estate Instagram:
- Instagram has multiple visual components that make it perfect for showing off your listings.
- It’s free and all your potential clients are already on it.
- On average, Instagram posts get 10x more engagement than Facebook posts.
- You’re not dealing with being in an overly saturated market like on a real estate platform (i.e. Zillow).
- Your recent posts with the most likes will jump to the top of your followers’ feeds and you can rank higher in an Instagram search with proper hashtags than you would on google with traditional SEO tactics.
- In most cases, clients will continue to follow you after the sale. So they’ll be more likely to refer your services to their friends and family–they might even do this directly on Instagram.
Now that we’ve gone over why you should have a real estate Instagram, let’s go over how you can actually use it to boost your business:
Establish who you want to target so you can figure out what type of content you need to post.
So who is your ideal Instagram lead? How old are they? What’s their income? Are they married or single? Do they have kids? Once you know the type of lead you want to target, it’s easier to post content you think they’ll be interested in.
For example, you wouldn’t focus on creating content about luxury high rises if your ideal lead is someone interested in finding a nice starter home for their family.
Optimize your Instagram page for business.
If you already have a Facebook page for your business, make sure you link it to your new or existing real estate Instagram account. This also allows you to have a business Instagram account (rather than a personal one), which gives you access to Instagram’s analytics.
You also want to create a compelling bio that includes relevant keywords. It helps to explain your niche and location, and to also include your contact info and real estate website.
Set your branding.
Think about your audience and what types of photos they find visually appealing. Choose a specific filter, color pallet, or style for your photos and stick with that in order to maintain a cohesive Instagram grid. Make sure you’re always posting high-quality images that reflect the quality of your business.
Research hashtags and get familiar with them.
Hashtags help get your posts out in front of a larger audience and make them searchable. Realtors who use hashtags effectively tend to see over 12% more engagement than those who skip them.
Some popular options:
- Use hashtags related to your city or neighborhood to connect to users searching in that area.
- #RealEstate and#Realtor to help people find you while looking for a real estate agency.
- #NewListing, #JustListed, #JustSold, and #ForSale as a way to browse popular and/or new listings, and increase the feeling of exclusivity for your followers.
- #OpenHouse, #HouseHunting, #DreamHome, #StarterHome, #Flip, #Investment, #LuxuryLiving, #MillionDollarListing these hashtags also connect specific buyers to specific properties and events.
- #DIY, #CurbAppeal, and #UpdatedCharm for before-and-afters of properties you’ve been a part of.
Share additional “Instagram exclusive” content.
Instagram Stories and IGTV are great ways to show behind-the-scenes shots or walkthroughs of your properties. This allows you to give your follows the inside scoop and exclusive opportunities like giveaways and sneak-peeks into properties that haven’t been listed yet.
While there is a learning curve to growing your Instagram, it will only take some practice and consistency to become one of the best realtors in your area. Create an Instagram business account for your real estate business, determine your ideal lead and your branding, plan out a content calendar for the next month, and start posting!
If you’re looking for more tips, check out our other blog posts here!