By Astrid Matehius
The brands and businesses of today live and thrive online. It’s not just an era of digital marketing, but the status quo.
But where are people spending all their online time? Instagram. It's where your organic reach still exists, and where acquiring followers makes the conversion into customers inevitable.
Young adults are more connected and active on Instagram than any other platform. So how do you utilize it for your real estate business? For content creation and optimization.
Instagram is the doorway to your online visibility.
You need to realize the fact that if you are an agent in a big company that is managed by a marketing agency, you are not going to be as visible or prominent on their website as you could be on your own. You can link yourself to their Facebook or other professional networks, but you will never have the visibility that you can get on Instagram. When you manage your Instagram platform, you will have the opportunity to be the photographer, the content artist, and the social media manager. Your posts are the doorway to your online existence as a REALTOR®.
Related: Visual Storytelling: Tips for Mastering the Art of Instagram
Create a professional image.
You are creating a branded persona for business purposes, and not as a personal account. So go get rid of all your personal content. Objectivity and professionalism with a hint of creativity is about everything you need to build your online reputation as a real estate agent on Instagram.
Start by making or editing your Instagram profile to fit the real estate persona you need to establish. Edit your description acknowledging the years of experience you possess, the specific real estate market you operate in, and your certifications and expertise. Add your phone number and contact info and some friendly emojis, too.
Ditch the old adage of ‘location, location, location’.
You probably have the saying “Location, location, location,” set in stone, but now is the time for “Content, content, content.” I understand that not everyone is an artist, and you may not have a flair for photography or the elements of visual composition, such as the importance of lighting, colors, perspective and angle of the image. However, all of these are essential details in order to be able to stand out in the Instagram feed.
How to do it yourself?
Consult professional advice.
For content creation, you are perfectly capable of doing both visual and descriptive content, but when it comes to optimization, you really need the help of professionals. Luckily, an affordable company called www.SociallyRich.co helps businesses and agents build a large following on Instagram. They allow you to target specific accounts so you can lure competitors' followers your way, and turn them into your own in no time.
Do your homework.
Start off by making two lists. In the first one, enlist the Instagram accounts of your competitors or accounts whose followers are your targeted demographic. This should include Instagram accounts of business in and around your town, city and state. For your second list, research what your target demographic is interested in. These will also form your hashtags within your demographics and within the real estate industry. Once you are done, you've done your market research, categorized the demographic of your consumer, and performed your market optimization.
Visual content is the key.
Get to work and plan to visit your listings with your camera or have your phone ready by your side. Make sure everything is neat and pristine, the windows are clean, subtle decoration elements are added, the light is abundant – in short, it should look almost perfect. Soon you will be rewarded for all your hard work!
Posting pictures on Instagram.
Once you have created your visual content, you are ready to post it on Instagram. Describe your pictures with interesting vocabulary, quotes, artistic concepts that describe the structure of the construction, and why the design is so unique. Use a colloquial language and call to action in a subtle way. This is where your marketing skills will come in handy. Include keywords with hashtags in your descriptions. Just remember that your descriptions need to sound like music to a buyer’s ears. It should explain why this property is the one and only for your potential buyer. All the great elements of the property translate into a visually artistic composition when combined with your description. Know that your consumer loves that!
Never forget that you are selling a lifestyle complete with the ultimate comforts, family values, and architectural art.
Have an effective marketing strategy.
Because both buyers and sellers spend considerable time online searching for their dream properties, it is your responsibility to create content that is helpful for them to make the decision. The people who move there need to know about the neighborhood, recreational areas, transportation, schools, grocery stores, and some fun facts about the community. Your pictures and content are their guide – a kind of visual storytelling – and your tool is Instagram.
So what are you waiting for? Get to it already!
While the content of this article is helpful in terms of photo ready property, it essentially describes a scenario where the home being marketed can be made to look “almost perfect”. The reality of our business is that real estate professionals are often called upon to sell homes that are far less than ideal for homeowners who cannot afford to spend on upgrades.
It would be great to see an article address how to market challenging listings via social media.