The Instagram Effect
On October 6, 2010, Instagram officially launched. By the end of the year, more than one million people had created accounts — a number dwarfed by the one billion people who currently use it today.
Long known as a social media platform for lifestyle bloggers, food critics, and fashionistas, the photo-sharing juggernaut is a creative sandbox where entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes can play.
Included in that list are school teachers, professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, bus drivers, airline pilots, restaurant chefs, construction workers, and, yes, real estate agents.
It’s no secret the Internet is a powerful tool. Yet, only within the last few years have we seen those entrepreneurs and businesses fling sand and leverage the power of technology. Thank you, social media.
Instagram for Real Estate Agents
Whether you just got your license or have been selling homes for thirty years, Instagram has the power to help real estate agents and teams connect with buyers and sellers, get listings, and make money.
Here are four things to consider as you use Instagram for your business:
1. Establish consistency with your Instagram presence.
There are two types of Instagram users: Those who understand why it works, when to use it, and how it can play a significant role in any given social media strategy. And those who don’t.
Unfortunately, those in the latter group make little noise and realistically serve the sound that no follower wants to hear: crickets. (Chirp, chirp.)
When you establish a rhythm, you offer value and entertainment in a way that people enjoy. Share all aspects of your life, from family vacations to inspirational quotes to business experiences such as your latest real estate listing or you at your open house.
2. Be strategic with the link in your Instagram profile.
While building your Instagram page should be a priority in your social media strategy, it should only scratch the surface of what you want a visitor to do. Likes and follows are great, but a bonafide lead is better.
There might be several places you want people who are viewing your Instagram page to go. Be smart and use the link in your profile as a roadmap of sorts. Think Link in Profile, Linktree, or even the option we are looking to provide those who sign up for an Agent Engine account.
Social media should serve as a cog in your real estate business wheel, all while aiming to leverage the power of digital distribution to send potential buyers and sellers to the place that matters most: your website.
3. Hashtags are your friend, so use them wisely.
Like all things in life, everything in moderation. Yes, this means there can be too much of a good thing, so make sure you stay out of Instagram jail and your follower’s dog house by doing what makes sense.
Instead of stuffing your posts with every hashtag you can think of, choose ones specific to your post and general audience. Not only will they be more targeted, but they’ll also help boost visibility.
Are you looking for ways to leverage Instagram? Zillow Premier Agent has a helpful guide to using hashtags in real estate. And listen up; according to their report, nearly 70% of sellers prefer an agent who promotes listings on social media.
4. Connect with your team, and vice versa.
While Instagram only allows one website URL per profile, you can take advantage and strategically add links to other accounts where your visitors are most likely to look.
If you are on a real estate team, you can cross-promote by adding a link to the team’s profile in yours. Conversely, if you manage social media for your team’s account, place a link to each individual in the profile section.
An excellent example of this is Christina Fitzer, a Seattle-based agent and co-owner of the top-producing Dwell Home Team. Christina links to her team’s Instagram page in her profile while including a link to their website.
Taking Advantage of Instagram
Instagram is the sixth most visited website globally and reaches more than 140 million users in the United States. On average, users spend 30 minutes per day on the platform, and more than 80% use Instagram to help research products and services.
Given that real estate is a visual industry, where much of the process occurs via the Internet, Instagram is a proven and effective digital marketing tool.
We may not have all the answers, but we are willing to have some fun, try new things, and work towards building our brand. In fact, I will personally be managing the Agent Engine Instagram account and plan to spend a significant amount of time and energy there.
Give us a follow, like our posts, or stalk our page. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something by watching us.
Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something by watching us.
