Did you see Instagrams Newest Updates?!
Hopefully in between Open Houses, running errands, meeting inspectors and all of the usual REALTOR® things - you’re finding some time for YOU.
As you know, Social Media is one of my FAVORITE things ever. I even go as far as calling it “the best free gift given to Agents” - and I mean it. From Facebook, to Instagram and even Tik Tok (yes, I know, but it’s unavoidable) there are COUNTLESS ways to promote your business, market yourself, and best of all - CONNECT with your database.
Let’s talk a little about my personal fave platform, Instagram. It’s been the summer of changes over there! So you’ve probably been seeing a lot of info coming out about new updates and features in testing. It can be overwhelming, but don’t fear! I’m here to help guide you through them.
Let’s get into the newest updates:
Re-posting & Re-sharing?
This past week, Instagram confirmed they are now testing a new feature… Re-sharing your already posted post. The announcement of this feature has already caught a lot of slack, with people worried that their feeds will continue to get bombarded with posts from people and profiles they don’t follow. But it could prove useful for REALTORS® who want to drive more traffic to the homes they’re marketing or important informative posts they’ve shared… It is still in testing, so I’ll share more as it comes out!
Vertical Photos are Coming…
During a recent Q&A, Adam Mosseri (head of Instagram), shared that they are testing “Tall Photos” with aspect ratio 9:16. This means our normal grids, with square, 1:1 photos - may be changing to feature taller, slimmer thumbnails. Basically, Reels and Photos will look more alike - so it’s time to ditch the square cropping tool!
Pinning your Favorite Posts!
Instagram recently added the feature to now be able to "pin" 3 posts of your choosing to the top of your Grid. In my humble opinion, this is a great new feature for REALTORS® to take advantage of. Did you make a Reel that performed well? Do you have a new listing you want everyone to see when they visit your profile? Or maybe you have a Welcome Post explaining who you are and what you do? Pin it! No longer will your best posts get lost in your Grid.
Instagram Maps
While this isn’t technically new, Instagram is making improvements and upgrades to it’s Maps. As Agents who rely a lot on locations, this could prove to be a useful tool in our pockets. Whether highlighting our business fronts, or maybe even featuring new listings on Maps as a way to drive attention… There are plenty of ways to utilize the Maps feature as they continue to grow it.
Reels, Reels and more Reels…
I know, it’s intimidating - but I promise you need to start doing them! And here’s why; In the never-ending journey to compete with Tik Tok, Instagram is focusing all of its efforts on building the Reels feature. Even Adam Mosseri said it himself! Reels are currently favored by the Instagram Algorithm, which means they’re showing up on peoples feeds more than photos, and even being recommended more to people who aren’t following the creator. All of this to say, Reels are the #1 way to grow your following, reach more people and build new connections.
WHEW, I know that was a lot of new information! But I promise, it’s worth it to know!
Social Media is an amazing tool for Real Estate Professionals. It can be a source of anxiety, or a time sucker - but when used correctly, it’s a completely free way to build your business, stay top of mind and genuinely connect with people.
Friends, your database AND your future clients are online, and it’s time to join them!
If this information was helpful, but you still aren’t sure about HOW to utilize Social Media for Real Estate, I’ve got you covered. From the basics of Instagram and Facebook, to learning how to create Reels and Tik Toks, my Social Agent Bootcamp program covers it ALL.
Designed to help you optimize and strategize how you use Social Media to build your Database and create connections, Social Agent Bootcamp will give you all of the basics, the tools, and the systems needed to succeed online.
Plus, with all of the apparent changes happening in our everyday online platforms - it’s always good to be in the KNOW.
But no matter what new features are “trending”, the best part about using Social Media will always be the connections and relationships you build. And at the end of the day, those are what matter MOST.