Every day our world is becoming more and more digitally oriented and specifically, the real estate industry has been making major leaps. Nobody is trying to be the agent that is missing out on deals because they are not up to date with the latest social media practices. Instagram is currently the second fastest growing social media platform and is still considered young compared to other well known social media platforms out there, such as Twitter and Facebook.
In 2015, Instagram had 500 million users and in just three years it has doubled its users, hitting its one billion user milestone. Over two million people and businesses currently use the social media platform to share their message, their products and reach customers in all new ways.
Instagram has its own distinctive value because it is an entirely visual based platform -something no other social media platform provides. This gives Instagram a unique audience which often goes overlooked. One that is likely untapped and that contains many potential buyers and sellers. But don’t worry if you have not joined the community yet, there is still time to take advantage of this great opportunity so you can close more deals. Here are a few things you may not have known about Instagram advertising, as well as some of their best practices.
It’s All about the Visuals
People open up Instagram to look at pictures and videos, not to read large amounts of copy. If you don’t grab the user’s attention immediately, they will just continue scrolling to the next picture that grabs their attention. And if you still need more convincing, statistics show that 90% of the information transmitted to your brain is visual. Which means your advertisements are much more likely to be remembered by buyers and sellers when presented in visual form compared to any type of writing based advertisement.
What It Can Do
Once again, to get the most out of Instagram you MUST create a standout, lasting visual experience for your audience. Visual content allows you to connect with your audience at the highest levels and create the longest lasting messages. According to Medium.com, posts that include images produce 650% higher engagement than text-only posts. So when you are making your next post be sure to include some sort of picture or video of the house that you are trying to show.
With that in mind, over ⅓ of Instagram users take action to purchase online. Which is great for any businesses that are trying to increase their sales and for those customers who are in the final stage of the buying cycle and just need that little extra push. For example, you could make a post showing each room in a house or multiple houses in a single neighborhood. This provides a fantastic visual opportunity for any local buyers that are shopping for a new home. On top of that, it allows you to track both your leads and sales through its Ad Manager platform so that you can track your ROI and get the best results for your ads. If you aren’t familiar with these tools, here is a great resource to learn how to utilize your social media insights so you can boost your business and have the most successful ads.
#hashtags & Keywords
When it comes to Instagram, hashtags, and keywords are going to become just as important as your graphics. Hashtags are best used to guide your viewing experience and drive engagement. Instagram posts with at least one hashtag get at least 12.6% more engagement. So when used strategically and efficiently it can really make a positive transformation in your ad performance.
Hashtags can be used like tags to help users sort content according to their main interests. They can also later be used to make your content appear in specific searches based on what users are looking for. To get the most out of your campaigns, you’ll need to think carefully about what hashtags and keywords you use to ensure your ads don’t end up in the wrong place.
Example of hashtags being used to search for wedding related content
The best thing about hashtags and keywords is that they are not permanent. You can always go back to old posts and change or add other hashtags to see which words go best with your graphics as well as to make sure you are staying up to date with relevant keywords and other social trends.
Benefits
Instagram has many benefits that can help you take your business to the next level. While everyone has their preferences and favorite social media platforms, there are many who prefer Instagram over any other platform, leaving a huge opportunity to connect with new audiences for the first time.
Instagram can also help build up your brand and strengthen the relationship with your followers and potential home buyers/sellers. You have the opportunity to send a message that tells a story which can highlight the greatest aspects of the listings & other services you provide. Today’s buyers live for a high-quality experience and story. So through different types of videos and pictures, you can entice an audience to not only stay connected with your services but to also promote it to all of their friends.
Instagram Stats
Below are some statistics just to give you an idea of how powerful advertising on Instagram can be. (According to Sprout Social)
Insta-conclusion
Being one of the most popular social media platforms today, Instagram offers many options to help you improve and grow your business. The way it connects users is one of a kind, which is why you should take advantage of all the benefits this visually based platform provides. Be sure to develop a strong advertising campaign plan, include eye-catching pictures or videos, and make good use of those hashtags and you’ll be interacting with customers like you have never done before in no time.