{"id":13285,"date":"2019-12-30T13:47:29","date_gmt":"2019-12-30T21:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=13285"},"modified":"2020-01-02T23:05:55","modified_gmt":"2020-01-03T07:05:55","slug":"agent-real-estate-instagram-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/agent-real-estate-instagram-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Steps to an Instagram Strategy That Will Actually Bring in Real Estate Leads"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ask a real estate agent if they love social media, and the answer will probably be “yes.” It’s the industry’s No. 1 source of high-quality leads, according to the National Association of Realtors’ recent report, Real Estate in a Digital Age<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Then ask that agent if they love Instagram, and the answer will probably be “no.” In that same study, only 39% of agents who use social media for business are on Instagram — far less than the 97% who use Facebook and 59% who use LinkedIn.<\/p>\n

There’s a disconnect between real estate agents and Instagram. Is it because agents haven’t figured out how to take advantage of Instagram’s unique opportunities?<\/p>\n

“Nine times out of 10, when I speak to an agent, they don’t have any strategy for the content that goes into their Instagram,” says Danielle Garofalo, Chief Business Development Officer at CORE Real Estate in New York City<\/a> and a public speaker on using Instagram in real estate.<\/p>\n

You can<\/em> turn Instagram — and all your social media platforms, for that matter — into a powerful source of new leads. And because the average person spends almost an entire hour on Instagram<\/a> every single day, it’s one of the best places to connect with existing and potential clients. Instagram helps you build a unique and trustworthy personal brand \u2014 photo by photo, story by story.<\/p>\n

It’ll take serious intentionality, time, and effort. It’s not enough<\/em> to just set up an Instagram account with your name, contact info, and a bio that tells clients where you’re licensed. It’s not enough<\/em> to just post pretty pictures of homes. (Avoid the stock photos, please!) You have to attract potential clients with smart, authentic content and then nurture them by responding in a timely fashion to their inquiries and engagements. In short, every post needs to be intentional, because every post is a chance to sell yourself.<\/p>\n

Ready to develop a killer Instagram strategy that attracts clients? We talked to industry experts in both social media and real estate to get their insight and advice, and collected these seven tips to help even the most successful agents take your Instagram strategy to the next level.<\/p>\n

1. Know yourself, know your audience: Identify your focus and speak to it<\/h2>\n

Each and every real estate agent is unique \u2014 in the ways that you work with clients and in the kinds of work you do. So, what are you passionate about, and what can you talk about with both authority and personality?<\/p>\n

Garofalo recommends asking yourself, Who am I? Who is my audience?<\/em>, and then creating an Instagram strategy based around your answers. “Take a look at your audience right now and take a look at your business. See where your business comes from. The people who are following you are typically your pool of people who are going to bring you business.”<\/p>\n

For example, if you work regularly with nervous first-time homebuyers, or that’s who is following you, speak directly to that audience in helpful posts that show you know what you’re doing and that you care.<\/p>\n

Maybe you’re passionate or knowledgeable about a specific kind of home or decor. If so, run with it and turn your passion into content! Share a specific post on the same day each week about something you love. Kaitlyn Gottlieb, an agent in Calgary, regularly shares a “Marble Monday” post to show her interests and passions:<\/p>\n

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[ Marble Monday \ud83d\ude0d] My favourite inspo day of the week! For Realtors who\u2019s busiest work day are Thursday\u2019s through the weekend (all of us \ud83d\ude4b\ud83c\udffc\u200d\u2640\ufe0f), Monday is the perfect reset day; a day to plan, energize, motivate for the upcoming week, and for myself, to find inspiration for myself and my clients! With our ongoing & upcoming Reno plans, my obsession with marble and love for stunning designs, it isn\u2019t hard to find inspiration with the talented @verandainterior who showcases full slab marble in this gorgeous home! The hood fan is the perfect finisher & I can\u2019t get enough! \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 \u2022 #marblemonday #homeinspiration #interiordesign #yyc #calgarybuilder #luxuryhome #interiordesigner #calgary #verandahomes #marble #marblekitchen #renovate #custom #hoodfan #interiors123 #realtor #realestate #homeinspo<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Kaitlyn A Gottlieb (Green)<\/a> (@kaitlyn.gottlieb) on