Do it for the ‘Gram: The Real Estate Pro’s Guide to Getting Started on Instagram

Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users and the highest engagement rate of any social platform.

Believe it or not, we’re almost a decade in to the colorful, filtered world of Instagram. Founded in 2010, Instagram began as a platform for sharing photos with friends. In the nine years since, it’s evolved into a cultural icon, complete with it’s own language, celebrities (influencers, anyone?), a variety of content options, and more. For real estate pros, IG can seem like another thing to try and keep up with in an already hectic schedule. But believe it or not, ‘gramming it up can become an essential part of your online marketing and advertising efforts.  

Start at the start: Why Should I be on Instagram?

Let’s start with the obvious - Instagram is an extremely visual platform. You need to have a lot of nice looking content - photos, graphics, videos, etc. - in order to be active on IG. We’re willing to bet this is what scares most people off. But it’s also becoming an essential platform like Facebook.

Instagram has more than 1 billion active users each month. Over 70% of businesses are now on IG, and 80% of users follow at least one brand. More importantly, IG boasts a 2.2% engagement rate. For context, Facebook’s rate is only 0.22% (don’t just take our word on all this - you can check out a ton of current Instagram stats here). 

And though businesses as a whole are swarming to get ‘gramming, real estate pros are still trying to figure out the best way to add IG to their social marketing. NAR’s 2017 Digital Report found that while some 80% of pros now use Facebook, only 14% were using IG.

All of this leads to our main point: you need to be on Instagram if you want to grow your online brand and stay ahead of the industry curve.

Still don’t believe us? Check out this deep-dive into the importance of Instagram marketing then come back. Don’t worry, we’ll wait!

OK I’m sold! How do I set up my account?

You don’t need to have a ton of information on you to get started. You will need to have a smartphone with the Instagram app. Instagram is a mobile platform first and foremost. And while they do have a desktop site, you can’t post or sign up on desktop. Instagram’s initial setup process is fairly simple. You’ll want to start out by filling in the following four main profile sections.

• Account Names: You’ll want to have your top picks for your IG handle/username ready (learn more about picking social handles here). You’ll also need to decide on your display name. Users will be able to search for your account by either your @handle or by your Full Display Name. Handles and display names are each limited to 30 characters. 

• Profile Picture: If you already have a Facebook account, we recommend using the same profile pic for two reasons:

  • Size and shape are the same - both IG and Facebook use a circular display.

  • Consistency - it keeps your branding the same on both platforms. 

• Contact Info: Instagram requires either a phone number or email address to log in. We recommend using your professional email address, particularly for business profiles, since the contact info you provide will be listed in your profile for users to click and call or email. You’re also able to add more contact information to business profiles if you want to have both phone and email listed.

• Brief Bio: You only have 150 characters to work with so it needs to be short and sweet. If you’re an agent, you should consider tagging to your broker’s account (if they have one) in your profile. You can also add a link to your site in your bio. This link can end up being one of the most valuable features on your profile if you use it right, but we’ll get to that.

Business vs. Personal: Which account do I need?

Whether you’re already on Instagram or you’re looking to get started, it’s important to look at the platform’s two account options. 

• Personal: this is the original, standard option. When you initially sign up you’ll create a personal account. You can convert to a business account immediately after (we’ll get to that) but all IG accounts begin as personal. 

• Business: there are several key differences that set these apart from personal accounts. Business accounts come with analytics for you to track your profile, posts, and Stories performances. You can add a CTA button for people to contact you via phone or email in your profile. Business accounts also allow you to run ads on Instagram.

We highly recommend switching to a business profile for your account on day one because it provides you with the tools and options needed to grow both now and in the future. But if you’ve already started your account or don’t want to jump straight to a business account yet no need to worry - you can convert the profile at any time.

Converting to a business account at any time only takes a few minutes. The only requirement to convert your profile is having it set to be public, not private. You can find Instagram’s conversion instructions here. 

Bring it all together: Connecting to Facebook

Since business profiles offer more than personal, why wouldn’t you want to start out with one? There’s only one reason: the Facebook factor. Instagram uses Facebook to authenticate business profiles so the two pretty much have to be connected. 

If you already have a Facebook business page…

The process should be simple. When you create your business account (or want to switch your personal to business) you will be prompted to log into Facebook. Once you log in, you’ll be able to see all of the pages you manage/own on Facebook. Pick the one you want to connect and you’re done!

You can connect your Facebook and Instagram profiles through either platform. Here are the guidelines for connecting from the Instagram app and from your Facebook account. 

If you don’t have a Facebook business page…

Fear not. You can set up or convert to a business profile without it. In doing so, a Facebook business listing is automatically created, which you can then claim on Facebook. Instagram makes it fairly easy to then find and claim that listing - you can find out more here.

Bottom Line

Don’t let Instagram’s highly filtered reputation scare you off! It’s a great platform to engage with consumers and grow your brand. Now that your account is up and running, check out our next piece on the dos and don’ts of posting on Instagram to help you build your following and steer clear of spammy behaviors.