● Give shout-outs to other businesses when you can. Not only does this help you build relationships, but it gives you more visibility. Did you recently have lunch at a local taco spot with a client? Tag that establishment. Did you stage a home recently and borrow furniture from a friendly business? Give them a mention on your page. #18: Instagram Instagram is simpler than Facebook, but there are still multiple ways to use the platform to your advantage. Obviously, you can take anything that you're doing on Facebook and simply repurpose it for Instagram — or vice versa. In fact, most of the things I just talked about for Facebook, you can replicate on Instagram. Additionally, Instagram Stories are really popular, and there are a lot of different ways to get conversations started and engage with people. Using the right hashtags in your posts is a great way to connect with other people who are interested in the same topics. Here are some key pointers: ● First, opt for an actual business account, rather than a personal account — they’re slightly different. Your business account should be focused on real estate, so keep your family and travel photos on another feed. Make sure your bio and profile picture are related to your business, as well, and most definitely include your website! ● Since Instagram is visual, it doesn’t hurt to have a color scheme, “style” of posting and “mood” that suits your business. Are you coastal and casual? Luxurious? Bohemian? Let that shine through your posts. ● What should you post? Decide ahead of time what content will work best. Attractive photos of listings or homes you recently sold are an obvious choice, as are “Stories” (short videos you can post to run on your profile for a set amount of time). You can show clips of home tours or record short videos inviting people to your open houses. Always use the best photos you have — nothing blurry, grainy or dull. Try out the built-in filters to enhance photos, but don’t go overboard. Your “Story” should drive viewers to your feed as much as possible and make them curious about you. ● Aim for a few photo posts a week, and try to post as late in the day as possible, or even in the evening, when more people are scrolling through and likely to see your post. Stories can be posted more often, and should be, since they last only 24 hours. ● Use the “Insights” feature to gain knowledge about your followers, such as their ages, locations, genders and times of day they visit your feed. ● “Regram” posts from influential people in the industry — or anyone you think is worth a follow — and give them a shout-out in your caption. People will likely return the favor.
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