5 beginner ideas for real estate agents on Instagram

Instagram and real estate are a match made in heaven. 

There are millions and millions of users on Instagram at any given moment. The photo-laden platform is a perfect place for real estate agents to show off listings and advertise their services. 

Think of what qualities make up the photos you love to see on Instagram. It’s a subject that researchers at North Carolina State University have studied. Among the keys they found were that people love to see rich colors. They’re also fond of design extremes — either minimalistic or complex.

Those are some of the features of photos that were popular. More likes and interactions can lead to more followers, and investing in professional photography from Lighthouse Visuals is guaranteed to elevate your social media content. You’ll never need to put a filter on one of our photos!

Of course, the end goal isn’t just to build your followers. It is to get those followers to reach out to you and hire you! Conversions like that from Instagram are tougher than on most other platforms because it doesn’t support links quite as well as Facebook and Twitter. Your best bet will be to push users to a link in a bio, or to highlight posts on your story and add a link button to the story post.

Here are some ideas for content that can help real estate agents step up their Instagram presence.

Ways real estate agents can improve their Instagram marketing

Idea: Catch eyes with virtual twilight images. This post-production service creates stunning photos that let people imagine what a home looks like as the blue sky melds with the purple and orange hues of dusk. These are the kinds of warm colors that make up some of the best real estate photos on Instagram. 

Idea: Have a promotional video made of a listing. These videos are some of the most engaging content you can use to showcase a home for sale. A well-produced video can elicit an emotional reaction in a way other visuals can’t. These videos can be cut down to 60 seconds or shorter and be made into reels, too, giving you another place where fresh eyes can find your content. 

Idea: Take full advantage of Instagram’s carousels. This one is easy — the more photos, the merrier. Instagram allows a post to have as many as 10 photos. First, start with a traditional exterior shot either from a tripod or drone. Then highlight some of the most popular spaces like the kitchen and dining area, bedrooms, and living room. Take your followers on a journey through the listing as they swipe. You can also get creative and spread a wide-angle shot over multiple slides. 

Idea: Highlight posts on your story. Did you just share photos of a new listing? Click on the button that looks like a paper airplane and hit “add post to your story.” Then click on the stickers button on the top right and search for a “for sale” sticker. You can also go back to older listing photos and add a “sold” sticker, then post it to your story. Drop a link to your website on these, too.

Idea: Host a live Q&A. This is one of the best ways to engage your followers. Start off with some of the questions you know people have about, for example, buying or selling a house for the first time. Then hand it over to viewers for their questions. Live videos are great for hosting virtual open houses, as well.

Instagram is a space where real estate agents can greatly improve their brand and marketing if they put in the effort. Professional photography will help sell more homes faster, and using that marketing content to elevate your social media presence will ensure you get the most out of that investment.

Connect with a Lighthouse Visuals Marketing Content Advisor today to learn more about how our services can bolster your real estate business.