Occasionally, the thought of quitting Instagram crosses my mind due to the significant amount of time I dedicate to it weekly. However, I then recognize that doing so would mean depriving myself of a genuine guilty pleasure that helps me navigate each day. After all, who doesn’t find enjoyment in browsing through photos and videos shared by loved ones, acquaintances, and cherished businesses? And I’m not alone in this sentiment. As per recode, the typical Instagram user dedicates 53 minutes daily to the platform.

When it comes to the realm of real estate, it’s hard to imagine a more ideal advertising avenue than a visually engaging and widely used platform like Instagram. Real estate marketing can be remarkably demanding, characterized by intense competition and the frequent challenge of establishing trust. Yet, when executed effectively, the rewards often outweigh the investment. Instagram proves to be an exceptional platform for real estate marketing – individuals typically gravitate towards it to feast their eyes on visually appealing content, so why not showcase your stunning properties there?

Let’s delve into a few compelling reasons why initiating your advertising journey on Instagram should be a priority, starting right now.

The Compelling Case for Instagram Advertising

With over an eighth of the 7.7 billion people globally using Instagram, it makes perfect sense to establish your presence where your target audience is already actively engaged.

Instagram’s appeal extends beyond its status as one of the world’s most popular social media platforms. It also represents a relatively untapped market for real estate professionals. FitSmallBusiness.com reveals that a mere 14% of real estate agents are currently leveraging Instagram. Concurrently, 83% of prospective homebuyers have expressed a desire to view property images online. This means that not only is your intended audience likely on Instagram, but these potential homebuyers are actively seeking visual representations of your listings. This alone presents a compelling argument for embracing Instagram advertising.

Here’s a breakdown of our top 10 tips and strategies to elevate your real estate game on Instagram:

1. Establish Clear and Measurable Instagram Objectives
2. Harness the Power of Location-Based Targeting
3. Embrace Strategic Demographic Targeting
4. Unlock the Potential of Trending Real Estate Hashtags on Instagram
5. Showcase Your Properties Creatively Using Carousel Ads
6. Breathe Life into Your Real Estate Listings with Engaging Video Content
7. Captivate Your Audience with Aspirational and Evocative Imagery
8. Build Trust and Credibility by Sharing Testimonials from Satisfied Clients
9. Craft Concise, Impactful, and Action-Oriented Instagram Ad Copy
10. Optimize Your Advertising Budget Through Effective Ad Scheduling

If you’re prepared to embark on your Instagram advertising adventure, let’s delve deeper into these 10 best practices to gain a competitive edge.

1. Defining Your Goals for Success

Before diving into Instagram advertising, it’s crucial to define your objectives. Are you aiming to connect with individuals looking to purchase their first home? Or perhaps your focus is on attracting renters open to signing a year-long lease. Maybe you’re looking to tap into a completely new market or simply increase brand awareness in your real estate firm’s service area. Regardless of your goals, defining them is the first step towards creating a successful Instagram advertising campaign.

By establishing clear goals upfront, you’ll streamline the process of setting up your initial advertisement when selecting your campaign objective. It will also serve as your guide throughout the process, especially when choosing an ad format (e.g., video ad vs. static image ad vs. carousel ad, or even an Instagram Story ad).

Maintaining a clear understanding of your goals ensures you stay on track, whether it’s selling a property that’s been on the market longer than desired or connecting with a new market in a competitive city your agency is trying to penetrate.

2. The Power of Location-Based Targeting

When you set up your first Instagram ad, you’ll be presented with a multitude of options for creating your target audience. For real estate marketers, location targeting is arguably the most crucial. Make sure to configure this right away.

Instagram’s beauty lies in its ability to get incredibly precise with location targeting using specific zip codes and radius settings. This ensures you’re only displaying ads to people likely to be interested in your properties. Remember to include areas where your audience tends to relocate from. For instance, if you sell homes to first-time buyers on the North Shore, approximately 30-45 minutes from Boston, but your target market often comes from city rentals, target not only the towns where you’re selling but also Boston to capture potential leads looking to move.

3. Maximize Targeting for Optimal Reach

While setting up your location targeting is essential, it shouldn’t be where you stop! Your real estate agency likely has a specific demographic to target based on the types of properties you’re selling or renting. For example, if you’re marketing high-end luxury apartments on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, targeting low-income individuals in their twenties is unlikely to be effective…

Instagram makes it incredibly easy to target the right affluent, older demographic you might be looking for. You could target individuals aged 65 and above who show an interest in women’s clothing and are also frequent international travelers. Whether you want to segment your audience by education, relationship status, life events, or various interests and behaviors, the targeting possibilities are virtually limitless!

I recommend keeping an eye on the audience size meter displayed on the right side of your Ads Manager platform when configuring your Instagram campaign through Facebook. If you go overboard with layering audience targeting filters, you risk limiting yourself to a very small pool of people who might not be ready to make a real estate purchase.

4. Hashtag Research for Maximum Impact

While hashtagging might seem trivial, it can significantly amplify your Instagram content’s reach. According to Sprout Social, Instagram posts incorporating at least one hashtag experience 12.6% higher engagement compared to those without!

“Hashtags not only help social media users organize and categorize content but are also a driving force behind some of today’s most successful marketing campaigns,” notes Maddy Osman on Sprout Social.

But what should your hashtags focus on? Research is key! Numerous tools like RiteTag, ExportTweet, and Hashtagify provide data on trending hashtags. If you’d rather not explore another tool, try these strategies:

• Analyze your analytics to identify common search terms used by your audience.
• Experiment by typing potential hashtag ideas into Instagram to gauge their popularity.
• Observe your competitors’ hashtag strategies.
• Craft a unique branded hashtag campaign involving a giveaway to spark conversations.

Hopefully, these ideas have ignited a spark of inspiration for your hashtag list. The next question is, how many hashtags are optimal per ad? Research by Research has found suggests that 11 hashtags per post yield the best results.

5. Showcase More with Carousel Ads

One of Instagram’s advantages is the flexibility it offers in terms of ad formats. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, carousel ads are a great option for real estate marketers. This format allows you to display multiple images in a catalog-like style, enabling your audience to scroll through and visualize different rooms or properties. It also provides multiple opportunities to attract new leads through captivating visuals.

Take a look at this excellent example from a Seattle-based real estate agency. The advertiser showcases a stunning, newly renovated kitchen from various angles, allowing viewers to see a zoomed-out perspective, a close-up of the island’s exquisite finish, and details of the gas stove and tile work.

Don’t limit yourself to a single, static image for your advertisements! Instead, get creative with angles to provide your audience with a comprehensive view, allowing them to envision themselves residing in that property.

6. Engage Your Audience with Video Ads

Speaking of ad formats, let’s not overlook the power of Instagram video ads! Why restrict yourself to still images when you can showcase your beautiful properties through captivating video content? Videos have a unique ability to draw users in a way that other ad formats simply can’t replicate. And my opinion isn’t isolated…

An Australian Real Estate Group found that listings incorporating video content received a staggering 403% more inquiries compared to those without!

Given the magnitude of the decision-making process involved in real estate, it’s understandable why video content proves so effective. It’s also safe to assume you’re already leveraging video in some capacity within your marketing efforts. Consider repurposing some of your existing video footage for Instagram advertisements.

7. Imagery That Speaks to a Lifestyle

It goes without saying that your imagery needs to be absolutely stunning! This is crucial for your real estate website as well.

Successful real estate professionals often have this aspect down to a science, employing professional photographers to capture the desired aesthetic. Ensure you’re not only selecting high-quality images but also conveying a specific lifestyle to entice potential buyers.

This can also be incorporated into your ad copy. Remember that first impressions are everything! If you can effectively communicate a desirable lifestyle through powerful imagery, you’ve successfully hooked new leads.

Check out the Instagram page of Be Spoke Real Estate:

They excel at appealing to a luxury market through their crisp, modern photography, which aligns perfectly with the style of properties they’re selling.

8. The Power of Client Testimonials

I’m a firm believer in the power of testimonials, especially in the real estate industry. And as a real estate marketer, you should be too! Why? Building trust is paramount in an industry as personal and financially significant as real estate. Your leads are making a life-altering decision with a hefty price tag. Building and maintaining trust is crucial when marketing to your target audience.

What better way to build trust than by letting your satisfied clients speak for you? “A series of videos featuring happy clients in their new homes, sharing how their lives have changed since making the purchase, along with a brief testimonial, can be highly effective,” suggests Matthew Bushery from Placemaster. “This not only provides strong endorsement for your services but also showcases what buyers can achieve by working with you: finding a home they truly love at (presumably) a great price.”

9. Crafting Concise and Effective Ad Copy

While we’ve extensively discussed imagery and ad formats, it’s crucial not to neglect your ad copy! Remember that people primarily use Instagram for visual consumption, not in-depth reading. This doesn’t mean you should disregard your copy altogether, but it does mean keeping it concise, engaging, and to the point. Provide potential buyers with the essential information they need before they even click, including details like price, square footage, location, number of bedrooms, and other key factors directly within your Instagram ad. This ensures you’re respecting everyone’s time, including your own!

Take a look at this excellent example from a local Boston real estate agent:

Instead of a lengthy, overly descriptive paragraph, she gets straight to the point, providing detailed information about the number of bedrooms, location, parking, and more, alongside her catalog ad. This direct approach allows potential buyers to quickly grasp the essentials and determine if they want to explore the property further.

10. Maximize Budget and Reach with Ad Scheduling

As a real estate professional, you understand that certain peak months see people emerge with cash in hand, ready to buy. It’s easy to neglect marketing during these busy periods, but that’s a mistake. You have a much higher chance of selling if you get your listings in front of the right audience on Instagram during these times.

Planning ahead and allocating a slightly larger budget to your ads is key to reaching a broader audience before your competitors snatch them up.

So, when is the optimal time to sell properties? According to Zillow, it all boils down to weather patterns! “In warmer climates like Miami, the ideal window opens in March. However, in areas with harsh winters, like Boston, waiting until mid to late April is your best bet,” advises Zillow.

Zillow also reports that homes sold between mid-March and mid-April tend to sell approximately 15% faster and for 2% more than average listings. “That translates to a national premium exceeding $4,000. In hot markets like San Francisco, it could mean an extra $22,000 in your pocket!” states Zillow.

Fortunately, creating a custom ad schedule is a breeze with Instagram. When setting up your ad, you can define a schedule of specific times and dates in the future when you want it to start running.

I hope these tips provide the nudge you need to elevate your real estate Instagram advertising game. The platform’s potential is undeniable. Now go out there and harness its power!