Instagram for Real Estate Agents, Realtors, Brokers & Developers in 2022

Instagram remains a robust lead generating tool for real estate professionals in 2022. It’s also become a go-to platform for boosting brand awareness, promoting property listings and engaging with leads or customers. Here are some insightful Instagram stats from Oberloo for 2022 that real estate professionals ought to know:

  • Instagram has 1.3 billion users worldwide in 2022 and is used by one out of every three social media users
  • An average Instagram post contains as many as 10.7 hashtags, to reach new users and grow audiences
  • 70.8 percent of the billion monthly active users on the Instagram app are under the age of 35 (think of how many first-time homebuyers fall into this demographic!)
  • Instagram users spend about 53 minutes a day on the app
  • As many as 70 percent of consumers turn to Instagram to find inspiration for their next purchase
  • The number of Instagram influencers using the #ad hashtag grew by 133 percent
  • 500 million Instagram accounts use Instagram Stories every day (Instagram, 2018). Not just that but 1/3 of the most viewed IG stories are from businesses.
  • 50 percent of Instagram users follow at least one business
  • Brands can generate over 4x more interactions on Instagram compared to Facebook
  • Instagram helps 80% of Instagram users decide to buy a product or service

It’s evident that Instagram has huge potential to help your real estate business reach your target customer market. In this blog, we look at how to use this photo sharing app and what best practices to implement.

Table of Contents

1. Identify your why
2. Establish your who
3. Use relevant real estate content
4. Personalise your brand
5. Use trending hashtags
6. Be responsive

1. Identify your why

Downloading any social media app with no clear strategy in mind is wasted time and effort. You need to identify the why in order to establish clear goals and measurable objectives for using it. Do this by asking yourself the following questions:

  • Are you looking to use Instagram to boost awareness in an area where your business sells properties?
  • Is it to target first time homebuyers?
  • Are you seeking renters in a particular city or suburb?
  • Do you want to use Instagram to enhance your real estate brand in new neighbourhoods?
  • Do you want to provide a more high-end visual dynamic?
  • Are you looking to engage more with your followers?

“Keeping a clear goal in mind throughout the process will ensure that you’re staying on track, whether it’s selling that house that has been lingering on the market for far too long or engaging with that untapped market in the highly competitive new city your agency is attempting to break into.” [Wordstream]

2. Establish your who

Once you’ve determined why you need Instagram, establish who you want to target. Learn what you can about your target audience by looking at your competitor’s audience. Identify the type of followers they have and the content they’re being served. This will help you better understand what your Instagram audience should look like.

Also use Instagram’s analytics tool to gain insights into the demographics of your existing Instagram followers. Find out their age, gender and location and compare this data to that of your existing buyer personas to get a clearer picture of whether there’s a match. Engage in some social listening too to get a better idea of what your target audience is talking about and who is driving those conversations. [Sprout Social]

3. Adapt your real estate content

Make use of your estate marketing material. Create Instagram posts that will resonate with your target audience, addressing their wants and needs. Calendarize your posts to ensure consistency. Be vigilant about changes to Instagram for real estate trends in terms of hashtags, music, etc, and leverage them accordingly.

Different types of Instagram posts for real estate:

  • Carousal: display several images in a catalogue-like style. Your audience can scroll through and view multiple rooms, one room from multiple angles, different properties, the neighbourhood, etc. [Wordstream]
  • Video: a unique way of bringing a property to life that photographs sometimes can’t.
  • Instagram stories: super engaging and a great way to engage with people. Host a quick Q&A session where your audience can ask some real estate questions in real time. Create a poll on a certain topic and get your audience to vote.

4. Personalise your brand

Instagram for real estate provides a unique platform for you to share visual stories of your company and brand. The right use of tone and messaging adds a human touch, showcases your personality, and creates an authentic perception of your business. As this article says, “humanizing is the act of making your brand come alive. It involves conveying a brand image that makes your fans relate with you on a personal level.”

So, what types of posts help you to humanise your brand?

  • use photos of real people who work for your real estate business. People connect with people
  • utilise the story feature to give your followers a behind the scenes look at your company culture
  • share user generated content. This not only humanises your brand; it also gets your client excited
  • incorporate humour into your storytelling, nothing connects people more than a good laugh or banter

When using Instagram for real estate, it’s important to explore what hashtags are trending and which can be integrated into your own content. Leveraging both increases the likelihood of your posts being seen and engaged with. According to The Close, these are the 107 top real estate hashtags on Instagram, Twitter & more for 2022:

General Real Estate Hashtags

  • #realty
  • #realestate
  • #homes
  • #realtorlife
  • #brokerage
  • #realestate
  • #listing
  • #greatvalue
  • #instarealestate
  • #instalisting
  • #Realtors
  • #NAR
  • #luxuryrealestate
  • #mansion
  • #HUDhome
  • #foreclosure
  • #househunting
  • #makememove
  • #luxuryliving
  • #homegoals
  • #housegoals
  • #investmentproperty
  • #emptynest
  • #broker
  • #realestateagent
  • #locationlocationlocation
  • #FSBO
  • #ICNY

Listing Hashtags for Real Estate

  • #houseforsale
  • #homesforsale
  • #virtualtour
  • #luxurylistings
  • #justsold
  • #openhouse
  • #offmarketlistings
  • #pocketlisting
  • #newlisting
  • #homeforsale
  • #renovated
  • #marblecounters
  • #eatinkitchen
  • #motherinlawsuite
  • #petfriendly
  • #dogfriendly
  • #catfriendly
  • #condo
  • #coop
  • #twofamily
  • #midcenturymodern
  • #colonial
  • #Victorian
  • #bungalow
  • #shotgunshack
  • #starterhome
  • #cashcow
  • #caprate
  • #dreamhome
  • #fixandflip
  • #turnkeyinvestment
  • #curbappeal
  • #justsold
  • #selling
  • #townhouse
  • #brownstone
  • #frontporch
  • #parking
  • #pool

Neighbourhood Hashtags

  • #walkableneighborhood
  • #walkscore
  • #HOA
  • #treelinedstreets
  • #downtown
  • #uptown
  • #yourneighborhood + style of home
  • #yourneighborhood + real estate
  • #yourneighborhood + home for sale
  • #yourneighborhood + realty
  • #yourneighborhood + life
  • #yourneighborhood + living
  • #closest big city + real estate
  • #closest big city + home for sale
  • #closest big city + realty
  • #closest big city + life
  • #closest big city + living
  • #prettyarea
  • #closetothebeach
  • #greattransportation

Branding Hashtags for Real Estate

  • #yourbrokerage
  • #realestateexperts
  • #referrals
  • #yourpersonalbrand
  • #reducedfee
  • #discountbroker
  • #your farm area + expert
  • #your farm area + brokerage
  • #your farm area + personal branding

Fun Real Estate Hashtags

  • #wontlast!
  • #callnow!
  • #bringthedog
  • #poochfriendly
  • #freecookies
  • #freewine
  • #motivationmonday
  • #thursdaythoughts
  • #justRealtorthings
  • #riseandgrind
  • #condogoals

More info on the use of real estate hashtags can be found in this article.

6. Be responsive

Posting on Instagram without responding to comments is not enough. Make the time to engage in conversation with your customers, be this through the comments they leave or the queries your posts generate. Always be responsive to establish rapport and to personalize the interaction.

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