Issue #35 | 4.23.2014

4 Reasons Instagram is for Agents

Instagram is the fastest-growing social media platform globally. In just the last six months, it has increased its user-ship by an estimated 23%. Even better for agents is that Instagram is proactively trying to work with businesses; it has even initiated an Instagram Handbook for Brands. If you have not embraced a marketing strategy to employ this social network into your business yet, here are four reasons why you should.

1. People want to see the “ins-and-outs” of real estate

Have you ever considered how many reality television shows are based on the real estate industry? (There are a ton!) This provides a great lesson for agents: real estate is interesting to most people. 

Capitalize on this interest by sharing your experiences preparing one of your listings before it goes live. Use the network to capture the lifestyle and attitudes of your local community and all that it has to offer. Show how happy your clients are when they find their perfect home or when they’re leaving the closing table. As hectic as your job can be, they are certainly not humdrum; there is bound to be beauty in most of the activities and places that are encountered throughout your day.

2. Instagram’s Photo Maps

A unique feature to Instagram is the network’s Photo Map. With this feature, users can showcase where they’ve taken their photos or explore where others have taken photos on a map. Maps take users beyond recently posted photos and let you rediscover previously “Instagrammed” moments.
Photo Maps is a fantastic way for agents to display their familiarity with a certain neighborhood or city. An aesthetically pleasing Instagram photo map mixed with a Google map that shows details such as listings you’ve sold, restaurants you’ve frequented, and local events you’ve been involved with provides evidence that you are a local expert and a great candidate to fulfill their home-buying or selling needs.

3. Personal Web profiles

Instagram used to be exclusively mobile. This changed in early 2013, however, when it created Web profiles. Web profiles display your photos along with your profile photo and bio. This can be one more way to display your real estate expertise if you’re already featuring the “ins-and-outs” tactics. Instagram has also created downloadable badges to help you link and promote your Web profile.

4.  Video tours of properties

It is becoming increasingly difficult to hold someone’s attention in our modern world. Most individuals tend to not read anything longer than a few sentences online, and even visuals are losing their luster. Unless someone is already in love with a property, he or she probably aren’t interested in watching a five-minute video, slideshow or panoramic tour.

Instagram provides agent a great solution as it allows agents to share up to 15 seconds of video at a time by simply pressing and holding the record button, then lifting your finger to stop. There is also the ability to add previously recorded video from your phone. Try showing a 15-second video tour of a property by just capturing one to two seconds in each room.

Another option is utilizing Flipagram. This creates a short video with music using your previously taken photos. You can also share these videos, or your photos, by visiting your page on a desktop Web browser and clicking the share button on the right side of your video. This will generate an embed code for you that you can place into your blog, website or article. Instagram guarantees that everyone will clearly see that the content belongs to you.