It is undeniable: Instagram is used more and more by companies, in all sectors of activity, because of its performance in communication and marketing. Real estate agencies are on the front line, because their language and that of the app overlap - being primarily visual . This is why creating a real estate agency Instagram account and using it as an acquisition lever can pay off, provided you integrate it effectively into your strategy .
However, Instagram is not as simple a tool as you would like to believe . At least not if you want to use it like a seasoned pro. Knowing how to post on Instagram is one thing; applying good communication practices specific to the real estate sector is another. But there is still a third dimension: the relevant use of the application . A use that takes into account its functionalities, its peculiarities ... and its little secrets, known only to the happy few .
What we offer you, through this article, is to learn how to master these different options in order to optimize your use of Instagram for visibility, engagement and prospect acquisition . We have gathered X tips that will quickly become essential for you. So, launch your app, and follow us!
Tips for posting more effectively via your real estate agency Instagram account
Let's start with a first part dedicated to tips relating to the publication of content via your real estate agency Instagram page, and their optimization for communication and marketing purposes.
1. Use hashtags wisely to boost the reach of your posts
Hashtags are the keystone of a successful communication strategy on the app . Hashtags are those terms preceded by a hash, like #instagram or #immobilier. They can be composed of several words, for example #agenceimmobiliere or #maisonavendre - which makes them difficult to read, but that is not the question, because their usefulness is intertextual.
This is because hashtags are like tags placed on your post , which allow users of the app to find it through the internal search engine. They work much like keywords. If you type "real estate" in Instagram's search tool (the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the page), it lists the hashtags most relevant to your query: #immobilier, #luxury real estate, Hyderabad real estate, etc. By placing the right hashtags, you make your post more likely to be seen beyond your circle of followers.
Yes, but which hashtags to use? There are four kinds: popular , which are generic (#love, # happy…); those specific to an activity (#immobilier); the brands (the name of your real estate agency preceded by #); and bans , banned by Instagram, which may reduce the visibility of your publication if you integrate them (you will find a complete list on this page ).
The idea, for a relevant use of your Warangal real estate agency Instagram account, is to find the right balance between these different possibilities , by playing both on your brand, on your sector of activity, and on emotions. that you want to spark, materialized by popular hashtags. An example related to the presentation of real estate: #immobilier #maisonavendre #sunnyday #perfecthouse # (nomdyourreagence). In addition, do not hesitate to use local hashtags in a communication perspective at the level of your municipality and / or district (#immobilierparis, #immobiliernantes, etc.).
2. Use Stories to communicate about your agency and your goods in the catalog, and to tell your story in an original way.
The Story is a feature initially launched on Snapchat, and later picked up on Instagram. The term refers to ephemeral content, in photo or video format (short clip), which users are encouraged to view for a period of time limited to 24 hours. These Stories have become so well established that brands have made them a privileged instrument to get in touch with their subscribers, increase their visibility, and generate engagement .
In turn, you can use Stories to communicate about your news, to do branding (brand or personal), or simply to highlight goods that you have entered in the catalog, through an original, pleasant and emotional format.
However, a good use of Stories supposes mastering their functionalities . For example, you can add text, hashtags, location stickers, GIFs, or even links under certain conditions (this requires displaying a minimum of 10,000 subscribers). We refer you to this very well done guide , dedicated to companies, to find out more.
3. Illustrate your posts with animated GIFs
Over time, GIFs have become a language in their own right on the web . If by any chance you don't know anything about this visual format, here's an example:
It is a short sequence, taken from video content (film, TV series, program, report, cartoon, etc.), which allows you to express a feeling, to accentuate a message or to highlight content, colorful and often humorous.
GIFs are popular with Instagram users . Adding it to your publications helps boost their visibility and the engagement of your subscribers. You can find them on dedicated platforms like this one (from which we extracted our example above) or create them from scratch via an application like GIF Maker. In addition, there is nothing simpler than embedding a GIF in a post: sites like Giphy display a share to app icon, which you just need to click to see the GIF appear in your post. Instagram of real estate agency.
4. Edit your publications after they are uploaded
You just posted photos of a client's house, but forgot to embed hashtags… Don't panic, any post on Instagram can be edited while online , so you can catch up with any error or correct a possible breach.
All you have to do is find the publication in question in your real estate agency Instagram account (to view them all, you must tap on the profile icon - the bust - at the bottom right of the page), access the options (l (icon with the three small dots, top right), choose "modify", and make the desired changes. The only thing you can't do is edit a published image - you have to delete it and start over.
5. Learn how to post from a computer
Instagram is a mobile-only social network, which means that it can only be used through the ad hoc app on smartphones and tablets. While it is possible to access the site from a computer by opening a traditional browser (Chrome or Safari, for example), the platform only allows you to consult the publications of others , but not to post your own images or videos. .
However, there is a way to use all the features of your real estate agency Instagram account from a computer. To achieve this, you have to "make Instagram believe" that you are indeed connecting from a mobile. Here's the procedure to follow :
Go to the Instagram site from your browser, and access the development tools. On Safari, go to Development / User Agent / iPhone. On Chrome, you have to go to the options, then More tools / Development tools.
Choose the type of phone you want to emulate, by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top left of the page.
Post an image or video just like you would from a mobile.
A technique that can be very useful if you are not comfortable with a smartphone, if you do not have it handy, or simply if you prefer the contact of a tangible keyboard and a mouse to the application's touch manipulation.
Tips for managing your real estate Instagram page on a daily basis
A good real estate agency Instagram strategy shouldn't be limited to posting a few images every now and then. You must also learn to manage the application on a daily basis in order to optimize its operation to generate more engagement and redirect users to your real estate website, where they can convert into qualified prospects. This is the subject of our second part.
6. Write a neat biography
Instagram users do not (yet) know your brand. But it is not enough to qualify yourself as a "real estate agency" or "network of agents" to fill this gap. For the sake of branding , you must use the features of your real estate agency Instagram account, and in particular the biography , to give information about your brand and position yourself both geographically and professionally.
This bio appears at the top of your main page, next to your photo. Do not hesitate to embellish it with precise data: specialty, location, contact details, strengths ... Without forgetting to insert a link to your agency website (or to specific content) , because Instagram is sparse in links external.
7. Change the organization of Instagram filters to highlight the ones you use the most
Instagram offers around 20 native filters for retouching photos - around 40 if you count the hidden ones. Out of all these filters, you probably have your preferences, the ones you use for 99% of your posts.
Precisely, you have the possibility of modifying their organization in order to position those who serve you on a daily basis . To do this, display the list of filters (“Manage” button at the far right of the scrolling bar) and use the two gray lines that appear next to each filter to move them from top to bottom. By tapping on the box on the right, you can also hide them, so as to hide the ones you never use.
8. Edit images without uploading them
Still with regard to filters, know that you can use your real estate agency Instagram account as a tool for editing images , without necessarily uploading them once modified. An option that can be very practical if you want to retouch a photo to integrate it into an email or an instant message.
The principle is simple: you have to follow the usual publication steps, but by putting the phone in airplane mode (the option is accessible in different ways depending on the model of smartphone used, but it is always represented by an icon. plane).
When publishing the image, an error message appears stating that the publication could not be done - because I was not connected to the internet - but, at the same time, the edited content was saved in the album from the device , which made it accessible outside of the app. Before exiting, remember to choose the option "Abandon publishing" so that the application does not publish the image once the connection is reestablished.
9. Send content to your subscribers privately
Your real estate agency Instagram account allows you to deliver your content to certain users or to select groups of users , rather than uploading it and making it visible to everyone.
This feature can be accessed through the post screen, using the down arrow, and then choosing the “direct message” option. The application then suggests that you select the recipient (s) (single user or group). Note that it is possible to create an Instagram group of your choice on this occasion.
This can be interesting in the context of a private exchange with a prospect or a client. Imagine that a prospective buyer, while viewing photos of a property you are responsible for selling, posts a comment asking for specific visuals. You can select the images and send it privately. Ditto if you exchange content with a selling customer.
10. Refer your users to your real estate website
Of course, subscriber engagement is essential. But if you use your real estate agency Instagram account to post content, it's not just in the hope that your followers will react to your posts and post comments. What you ultimately want is for them to become prospects and take action (sign a sales mandate or buy real estate that you have in your catalog).
The goal is to push your users towards your real estate website , generate traffic, and convert. But since Instagram does not allow you to place links in posts (URLs appear there as portions of regular text), except in Stories and under certain conditions, the best thing to do is to insert the URL of your site. in your biography and refer users to it by inserting an ad hoc message in the captions. This will entice them to click on the link to land on your site (or any page on your site, at your convenience, including a blog post).
Tips for doing sector monitoring on Instagram
Let's finish with a third part devoted to the consultation and monitoring of third-party accounts. We have two practical tips for you to keep industry watchful and stay up to date with what's happening on Instagram in your area.
11. Keep a close eye on the Instagram accounts that interest you
On Instagram, making yourself known also means knowing others. There are two good reasons to follow accounts that interest you and interact with their posts: for relational reasons (your commitment to a specific user can be rewarded by a commitment on their part to you. ) and to do sector monitoring (by looking at what other real estate professionals are doing, nationally or locally).
To do this, make sure you don't miss any posts from the most relevant pages you follow. Your real estate agency Instagram account allows you to activate a notification system, so that you can be notified whenever a particular account posts new content. All you have to do is go to the profile options of the desired account, and select "Activate publication notifications". So you won't miss a thing!
12. Look for publications dedicated to a particular geographic area
Wondering if other real estate professionals in your geographic area are using Instagram to communicate? Want to be up to date with everything that is posted around your city or neighborhood? Through your real estate agency Instagram account, you have the possibility to find localized publications in two ways:
By searching manually . Just use the search bar and select "location", then enter the name of the place you are interested in. The publications are listed in chronological order, starting with the most recent. Another solution is to visit a post that relates to your city and tap on the geographic hashtag to see all the related content displayed.
By using geolocation . Instead of choosing "location" in the search bar, select "nearby places", then tap on the hashtags that interest you: Instagram offers you publications classified in order of relevance according to your geographical position.
So you can closely follow what's happening in your city via Instagram , and react to existing posts or be inspired by them. A particularly interesting feature in a communication process at the local level .
Do you know any other tips for using Instagram as efficiently as possible? Do not hesitate to share them by leaving a comment!
