Real Estate Social Media: Optimizing Your Instagram Usage

We’re back with some sweet real estate social media tips geared specifically to experts in buying and selling property! In case you missed it, head over to our last post about how to optimize your personal Facebook profile to cultivate and capture real estate leads.

Today, we’re focusing on the ‘Gram. And for those of you who don’t speak millennial, that’s the social media platform Instagram. Particularly if your ideal client falls in the 18-45 age range, you’ve got to be on Instagram to interact and target that age range.

Awhile back, we published a post all about how to optimize your Insta profile. Those tips are still relevant, but with how often the platform changes we’ve got some new tips and tricks for best-practice real estate social media on Instagram.

Generate Leads with Stories

Instagram Stories appear at the top of every user’s feed page. More and more people are viewing and engaging with Stories each day, and over the last year ‘Story’ views have surpassed Feed views.

Stories are more than just posting quick updates (although they are SUPER useful for that as well – check out our tips for getting the most use out of your Stories here!). IG Stories allow the account owner to ask targeted questions to their followers to up engagement. But for real estate professionals, the answers to the questions you ask can immediately generate potential leads! Here are a few questions to ask in your Stories:

• Will you be selling your home this fall?
• Do you plan to move within the next year?
• Is the real estate world currently in a buyers’ or sellers’ market?
• What is the #1 feature you look for in a dream home?
• What do you consider a “luxury” property?

Build Up a Channel of Content with Instagram TV (IGTV)

Especially in the face of the #2020 pandemic, finding new ways to show houses gives you a leg up on the competition. Since you’re already on Instagram, take advantage of Instagram TV (IGTV). Create a channel from your Instagram account and then record videos directly from your phone that upload to your profile. Think of it like a YouTube channel, but you already have a following with your Insta followers.

IGTV is its own app. Just head to the app store, download, login with your IG details, and get started! We’re betting this isn’t your first go-around at recording virtual tours; take what you normally do and showcase your listings on your social media. One of the coolest features about IGTV is that Instagram gives users suggestions on what to watch when someone they follow makes a new post.

Instagram Reels

The latest trend to roll out on the platform is Instagram Reels. If you’ve heard of TikTok, or watched any of the videos, this is IG’s way of redirecting social media users away from TikTok back to their own platform.

Reels are 15-second video clips that can be combined with music and audio, as well as edited with filters and stickers. Increasingly popular, Reels are a great way to present yourself and your real estate business in a new format to your followers, as well as attract new followers!

Some potential applications for Reels for real estate:

• a mash-up of your day with a specific song; (think answering phone calls, leading home tours, signing paperwork, and slapping that big fat SOLD sticker on your listing signs)
• a sped-up video of a home walkthrough
• ask a popular question as a client (film yourself in a “casual” outfit, then change into your “realtor” wear. Or recruit a colleague or family member to be the client!)

One big thing to keep in mind is that Instagram favours user content and engagement in video format. Over 50% of Instagram users open the app just to watch Insta Stories as opposed to scrolling the feed. If you can transform your Instagram account to incorporate a variety of content and content-types (ie. photos, videos, etc.), you should see an increase in engagement. The algorithm (how Instagram determines which content to show in users’ feeds) will favour your content and your account if you are diversified and consistent with your creation and posting frequency!

How Can You Navigate All These Changes?!

If you aren’t sure what, how, or when to post to your real estate social media account, don’t worry. There’s a program for that!

The Nimble Agent is a digital marketing program specifically designed for real estate agents. We take our proven marketing strategies and apply them to our real estate clients’ online presence. The Nimble Agent helps realtors capture leads with simple, scalable digital marketing strategies. You know how to convert, let us take care of the time-consuming task of lead generation.

The Nimble Agent team will guide you through the creation AND execution of a strategic, cost-effective digital marketing plan so you can take your real estate business to the next level. Set up a call with chief digital strategist Kara McMaster by email at info@nimbleagent.com or kara@mcmasterdigital.com or head to the website and book your free consultation call today!