I have compiled a list of 15 Instagram tips for Real Estate Agents to create a successful marketing strategy for your business. Instagram is a visual social media platform that is exploding in new global users and engagement leading to brand visibility, traffic, and sales. Below are the strategies, tips, and hacks to help your profile, photos, and videos stand out amongst 500 million+ daily users.
 

1. Business Account

Transitioning from a personal account to a business account is important because there are insights that you can use to find the demographics for your followers, the time of day that your followers are engaging, their physical location, and age range. You also have contact information visible below your profile for your prospects to easily call or text, email, and get driving directions.

 

2. Branding

Your brand defines who you are, how you are special, and unique. On Instagram most importantly it shows why a user should follow you over the other competitors in your niche. When you build a brand, you can begin to build an audience beyond your personal sphere, friends and family that would follow you regardless. A brand begins with a compelling bio, memorable profile photo, and styled professional photography. Correct branding builds authority and trust and earning clients.

 

3. Bio/Profile

Your bio or profile is an important piece of real estate allowing up to 150 characters to use as a funnel to share your services. Optimize your about me bio staying creative, speak to your audience, and use emojis to break up the text. You get only one clickable link in Instagram which is the best avenue for driving sales and traffic. Try LinkTree or Caard which both allow you to have a link landing page. Now you can have multiple landing pages with your website, Zillow, YouTube channel, and other social media profiles.  

 

4. License Number

You must have your license number in your bio the same as on all other social media channels. Failure to do so could mean significant fines and other consequences. As a Real Estate Agent, you can't use a fictitious business name ending in real estate or realty, or brand ourselves apart from the brokerage whom holds your license. Unfortunately, part of your 150-character limit must be dedicated to our state licensing requirements.

 

5. Social Proof

Social proof is important for branding and authority. The higher your vanity metrics the more convincing you are to a new prospect that you are an expert and reputable. No matter how tempted you are to give your new profile a 10,000 follower boost DON'T. If you buy fake likes it will ruin your account, could get you shadow banned, and if you have tons of followers and not a comparable ratio of likes and comments on your post it announces to the world that you are a fraud. Not to mention it doesn't take long to scroll through someone's followers to see unfavorable looking accounts. 

 

6. Consistency

Growing an Instagram account requires daily discipline with consistent posts, theme, and style. When Instagram changed their algorithm from chronological post order to algorithmic prioritizing posts based on the likelihood you're interested in it, consistency became even more important.  Now Instagram's algorithm rewards consistency.

 

7. Photos

Your photo aesthetics are the most important aspect of Instagram. You must take the time to create a photo strategy, plan your layout, and be willing to brighten, crop, enhance, and edit for eye-catching photography. It will be very difficult to grow your account organically beyond your sphere if your photos are blurry, have poor lighting, and are off brand.

 

8. Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories is a great way to share in the moment photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. You are able to save your Stories indefinitely by adding them to the "highlights" feature that puts Stories right on your profile. Highlights are wonderful for showcasing listings, testimonials and much more!

 

9. Add Locations

It's imperative to add a location on each post tagging where you are, the location of the photo, or the spot you want to highlight if it's a non-location specific post. Location sharing in an Instagram photo or video can help you attract new followers around the same place or show your photos to users browsing through geotagged photos.

 

10. Tag People

Tag people, businesses, and products relevant to your post. The tagged user will get a notification and the tagged post becomes a part of their profile. If you are eating out with friends and tag the restaurant, you'll also want to see if the restaurant has created their own unique hashtag and add that to your post as well. Often times businesses will reshare user photos and reciprocate helping you reach more targeted audiences.

 

11. Instagram Hashtags

Hashtags are an aspiring SEO's dream. You can rank quicker and higher than with traditional search engine marketing. A hashtag helps you get noticed in the hashtag deck, for users who are searching based on #. If you use hashtags that are too popular you will get lost in the feed and it becomes a waste. If you use the exact same set of hashtags over and over again it could get you shadow banned. Best practices are to use relevant hashtags to your niche, location, product, and service.

 

12. Call to Action

Adding a call to action is inbound marketing 101. Try to implement some form of call to action on all posts and stories to increase engagement for your profile. Some common examples are “call me today”, “click the link in my bio” and “share with someone”.

 

13. Prospecting

Reaching new potential prospects has never been easier with Instagram's hashtag deck, explore page, and the ability to direct message anyone that you follow. You can even search by location to begin building your network in a certain area. Commenting on local posts will help the Instagram algorithm give you more love in your preferred geographical area.

 

14. Reciprocity

Unless you are already fabulous and famous, reasonably following back and engaging is critical. I've noticed myself that once you comment on other's posts, the Instagram algorithm will reward you with suggesting your account to other higher-level users. Robo liking is not enough to move the needle. Best practices are to like or reply on comments to your posts as well.  Reciprocity builds your audience.

 

15. Delete Off Brand Content

If you have an existing account clean it up. It's meaningless if you have 200 likes on a post that is off brand and doesn't flow well with your feed.

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Ariana Berta

Posted 6/9/21