For many years, traditional marketing methods such as print ads and radio campaigns were the most effective ways for real estate agents to find new clients. However, in recent years social media has become a popular method of attracting potential buyers.
Social media is a world that connects everyone to everything. It’s the main source of information for this digital era, which makes it a perfect tool for real estate marketing.
In this article, you will learn 7 tips for real estate agents to succeed in real estate marketing. So, let’s dive in!
7 Tips to Use Instagram for Real Estate Agents
Instagram is one of the best platforms for real estate agents to use because it’s free and easy, while still generating high traffic.
The platform has been growing fast over the past few years for its capability. The fact that it allows users to apply visual content in sharing their information means everything good you can expect from a marketing tool.
And since the real estate industry is one of the largest industries in the world, it makes sense that a real estate agent would want to use Instagram to reach their customers.
Besides, modern consumers have become more demanding than ever. They don’t just need information about good houses, but solutions.
And it is through Instagram ads for real estate agents that one can relay such data with ease to a wide range of users. For any serious real estate agent, Instagram is the go-to platform if you want to succeed. If you use Instagram in a good way, you will get incredible results.
These seven tips should help you leverage this tool.
1. Feature current properties and developments
When you run a real estate business you list properties, Instagram is one good avenue to explore for getting better leads. The reason being that Instagram has a lot of potential clients who are constantly on the lookout for new listings and developments in their area.
As stated above, the social network is the home of the modern generation. You can always tell how far the world has gone in terms of technological development through these sites. And it doesn’t even matter where you are in the world, social media promises a global reach.
Perhaps you have already noticed that most people no longer use print and broadcast media to get information. This is because social media information is more readily accessible. It’s easy to get and come in real-time.
Research done by leading firms shows that about 94% of American adults use social media sites like Instagram at least once per month (USPRwire). If they see something interesting or attractive on these platforms, such as your listing, then it becomes easier to convert them into possible prospects without much effort.
This means more income coming in subsequently. You need to have Instagram accounts with a big following and make it an Instagram real estate business.
How to:
Post photos
Let’s say you have an open house going on soon. You can promote this event through Instagram photos so people know what kind of property they’re walking into when they come to visit.
You can also post pictures of the property you’re trying to sell on Instagram.
People who come across your account will know what they look like in detail and be able to find more about them at a later date when they have decided they want one.
Research has shown that visual content has more effect on people than text. As they say, a single picture can tell a thousand words. With Instagram, you are connected to a whole world of opportunities.
People looking for new homes can check out those pictures and start booking as soon a possible. As a real estate agent, you should already have a nose for new properties and hot spots. It should therefore not be hard to walk around and find or search for good listings.
Post evolving information
Consumers are always looking for something new. You want to make sure your followers have useful and new information all the time. Repeating content makes you seem like you don’t have any ideas, and you don’t know the industry very well.
The idea here is to make the buyer or the seller trust your instincts for offering solutions. And this comes only if you can show that you have the right tools to offer what they need.
So, having a huge Instagram following and posting photos alone is not enough. A good real estate agent is always aggressive.
Besides posting photos, it’s important for real estate agents with an Instagram account to ensure their content is constantly evolving and growing. For instance, consider using real estate hashtags (#) before each word or phrase (e.g., #realestateagent).
This helps other members of this social media platform identify your posts easily. At the same time, you’ll be able to increase visibility within the app itself by having higher-ranking pages which are easier for potential clients to find than if there were no tags included.
Use hashtags for real estate
Instagram for real estate agents is a home for all your marketing needs. This is the place where you will find a community of other real estate agents, buyers, and sellers. Just like any other social platform, there are several social cues you can use to boost your real estate business.
Hashtags are an excellent way to make your Instagram account stand out from the rest. They draw attention to it so that people can find you. This is a great strategy for real estate agents who want to connect with potential clients.
They are able to post their own content and then provide links or tags which correspond with other pages on Instagram to capture the followers of the tagged accounts.
Remember, your Instagram is no different from other accounts on the platform. What makes the difference is how you use Instagram posts and Instagram stories to attract more customers.
Hashtags are the perfect way for Instagram users to get their stories to a wide audience. It should not be different for a real estate agent.
Once you have put up your Instagram posts, you need to ensure it does not just stay dormant, targeting your followers alone. The good thing about hashtags is that everyone can see them, taking you to a vantage point on the market.
Besides there are apps like Followers Track for Instagram that lets you track how many people are following you.
2. Feature Future Properties and Developments
Did you know that a lot of people buy their homes before they are even completed? As a real estate agent, you need to know all the properties in your region, even those that are still in the planning phase. If you wait until it’s complete, someone else may beat you to it.
Luckily, there is already Instagram to give you a boost, ensuring you reach your customers in time. This is where posting new content comes in. Let your followers know that they can always count on you to find what they need.
You can feature your property on real estate Instagram even before it’s ready. This is a great way to show potential buyers that there is something coming up soon, and they should keep checking back.
There are different kinds of buyers. In this case, you are targeting those who are always on the lookout for new developments. What they need is to see a structure coming up and they will come out to invest.
Also, note that most buyers get their properties on mortgages. They can use that application period to look for new properties, which may not be ready by the time the loan is secured. Your photos of upcoming properties may be just what they need.
Showcasing a property doesn’t have anything to do with its completion. You can showcase your real estate property as soon as you start developing it. Simple things like posting renderings can be a perfect way to arouse curiosity among potential buyers, and thus start generating leads for the property even before it is ready.
This type of promotion can work really well, especially if you have an opening soon and are looking for more leads in order to close deals faster.
Do not forget that real estate often relies on word-of-mouth advertising so this would be like spending some money upfront with no return yet – except it will be social media instead of paper flyers or phone calls.
Why is posting future properties a good idea?
- It does not take much effort. One good thing about this exercise is that you never have to put in too much of your effort. In other words, you can still go on with other marketing activities while posting the photos. Also, it will save you the time you would have spent identifying these properties if you waited until they are complete.
- It does not cost money. Posting future properties on Instagram does not affect your marketing budget. If anything, it cuts it down in the long run. You simply post photos of the properties using catchy captions and allow potential buyers to look at them.
- Help your customers. One thing you must avoid to succeed in your real estate business is being too salesy. Sometimes it’s good to just post useful information for your customers without expecting them to buy anything. Posting future properties on your Instagram page can get you more traffic. That should be a win already.
- Save for the future. These are the same properties you will be selling in the next few months or years. Posting before they are completed only assures an early booking. You will then have something to sell by the time they are completed.
One aim of having Instagram for real estate accounts is to keep it growing. When new followers join your cycle, they will only stay if you have something worth considering.
3. Showcase aspirational real estate with Instagram
In addition to the aforementioned method of promoting your real estate property on Instagram, you can also showcase aspirational properties for potential clients.
This would be a great way to get people interested in what they could own themselves and start dreaming about it. It’s even better if you have an upcoming open house event or release new listings that are available.
To do this, find pictures from other places with similar homes and use them as inspiration for yours. You can either take a picture yourself or someone else’s photo and post it onto your account.
Simply change up the background color (to match yours) while leaving everything else untouched. If possible, try using hashtags like “#dreamhome” when posting these images too since many users search those terms.
How does this help you become a better real estate agent?
It is not just enough being good at what you do, you need to get people to like you. And one way of doing this is by showing them their problem and a way out.
Inspirational real estate could be the trigger that someone else has been missing to buy a new property. You could be the person who shows them what they are missing and how easy it can be to get it.
Apart from that, these photos can act as:
- An inspiration for future buyers. Someone may not have the money to invest in a property right now. But by looking at what you have posted, they may start saving for the same, with the hope of owning that property someday. Many people have photos of their dream homes saved for many years. And when they are ready, you will be the first person to contact them. You will be like their personal motivators.
- Direction to finding local properties. Most real estate photos shared on Instagram showcase the region they are set in. We all know that buyers consider the community very seriously. As the market expands, they want to check out some of the best places to live in. Aspirational real estate gets them excited about these places. Sooner or later, they will reach out asking for more information. And that is how you expand your market.
- And interest builder. If you want to create more interest in your account from your followers, give them something unique. These don’t have to be images of existing properties. You can just use them to trigger interest, and they offer other properties with similar features.
4. Let audiences know about your successes
Most potential buyers want to associate themselves with real estate agents and agencies that are successful. As such, boasting a bit about your successes isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can be a nice strategy to use when people are considering which real estate agent or agency to choose.
It’s not bragging, but rather letting your target audience into your life. You don’t have to share everything, just enough to gain their trust.
A successful real estate agency is established on building rapport with its customers. Competition is high, with everyone trying to look better. It’s the way you present yourself before other Instagram users that make all the difference.
You can share a blog or two about your successes without being too obvious that you are selling. Social media is a place where people meet and interact, make it so. Feed your followers with some tips on how to succeed on the market, or how to get a good house.
Some agents have even found success with “behind the scenes” posts, in which they share stories about how a house has been taken care of by them before it’s sold.
They can include photos from their days spent working at an open house and anecdotes that might demonstrate their professionalism. e.g., “I’ve always wanted my own pet but I know this fluffy white cat would miss me too much if I brought him home”.
These types of posts also help potential clients feel more comfortable knowing what an agent does on any given day. And makes your Instagram account look less like you’re just posting pretty pictures.
The importance of sharing your successes with your real estate Instagram audience is that it sets you apart from other agents. It shows that you are the exact type of person they want and that they can be confident with your service.
Describe your achievements in detail, elaborate, and mention some of the clients you worked with and if possible, ask your clients to give you a thumbs-up.
5. Promote Specials and Open Houses regularly
Posting a special or an open house on Instagram is one of the easiest ways to get potential clients interested in your services and coming into your office. Instagram is a social media site, so the more followers you have on Instagram – the bigger your audience.
Ever since Instagram was integrated with Facebook a few years ago, it has grown into a giant advertising platform.
It’s no longer just about meeting new people and discovering other parts of the world. It’s also about finding a good place to live. And so, posting specials and open houses could be a good way to capture the interest of potential buyers.
Since your Instagram account is possibly linked to your other social media accounts already, you are sure to get traffic from various directions.
Being a time-sensitive platform, real estate Instagram can be a little bit challenging if you want to post a long-lasting special. But as a savvy realtor, you can use it for specials like current prices, discounts, and some special locations that your clients might love.
And as you engage with your audience on some specials, always make sure that your posts are not too serious. Instagram is a place of humor, where sellers and buyers meet and make some fun over a listing.
This way, you can be sure that most of your followers get to see the specials you’ve posted as they engage in some light moments over it.
6. Let your audience know who’s behind the real estate Instagram
For your audience to think of engaging your real estate account, they will want to know who is behind it. Most Instagram users who can turn out to be potential clients want to deal with reputable real estate agents and firms.
Your stories need to inspire others to know you better. Understand that your audience is not only there to learn about real estate stuff, but to connect with the person. You can have all the best tips on investing in real estate, but lack the rapport that makes the sale.
Highlighting details about yourself as well as your team can give you a strong foot start when it comes to competing for clients on the platform. Note that it is not just your professional qualifications that matter here. You need to go beyond and over that by letting your followers know the person behind the professional.
By listing photos of things like your pets, your family members, your friends, or even the charity that your firm is engaged in can be of great help to your firm.
These might look like small things, but they are what your clients will use to identify themselves with your business. Most Instagram real estate agents in New York have the best Instagram accounts.
7. Provide useful information for your followers
When you provide helpful information or educational content, it is like providing your followers with a resource that will help them learn how to succeed in real estate.
This can be done through videos where you teach people about the market value of their homes and some common mistakes when buying houses. Instagram has been one of the fastest-growing social media platforms for years now, so do not miss out on this opportunity by sharing valuable insights in regards to success as a real estate agent.
Do not be afraid to post pictures and video clips from important moments at work such as open house events or even just what they did during school holidays. These could give potential clients an idea of who they are dealing with when making inquiries into properties that interest them.
Not only does Instagram provide you with a sense of how your life is on the job, but it also offers an insight into what kind of person they are outside of work. Using Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and having best practices in these social networks enhances incredible sales.
Showcase your personality by posting pictures that show off who you are. This’s important if someone makes contact through Instagram to ask about them and potentially business opportunities such as conferences or networking events.
Since Instagram stories can only be viewed for 24 hours after uploading, this allows agents to take clients behind the scenes at different properties. Then, people see what goes on and other things related to real estate like open houses without having potential buyers constantly asking why they cannot keep watching.
Here are examples of useful information to post:
- Educational content. Some users will be looking for educational content about the real estate world. Your Instagram for real estate could be the perfect place to share this information.
- News. Are there new regulations in your region affecting real estate? What are the upcoming real estate events? Such information and more could be valuable to some users. You will be surprised at just how much traffic it brings, with the potential to sell more houses.
- Tips. Share tips on how to invest in real estate, how to buy a new home or how to be a good real estate agent among others.
You have to make new leads for your potential customers and know the target group. You can get tips from any national association as well as local agents.
Marketing efforts should be in your mind always. Start your brand and make a blog that will help you sell homes. On the feed region, check what your competitors are doing. The personal information that you provide, the page info and the branding is essential.
Conclusion
If you’re a real estate agent looking for ways to stand out from the competition online, then an Instagram account may be your best bet.
By using this social media platform as part of your marketing strategy and showcasing properties in different stages of development, you’ll provide more value to potential home buyers and sellers while also boosting your own profile on the web.
We are here to help you create a content-driven plan that will help grow your business through both traditional advertising methods like print ads or TV commercials, but also through digital channels like social media. Contact us today!
