The typical Instagram post received over 15.66 comments, 513.37 likes, and 19.79 saves in 2024.

Instagram image posts usually get about 2,002 views while carousel posts around 2,641 views.

Reels on Instagram receive 22% more engagement than regular video posts.

More and more real estate brokerage firms are jumping into Instagram marketing after seeing these numbers. They hope that like other marketers, they’ll be able to better connect with potential clients, promote their listings and services and build their brand presence through Instagram. However, only a small number of these Realtors succeed with Instagram marketing, while many fail to make it work.

Wondering why so many real estate agents fail to make Instagram marketing work for them? It's because Realtors often make a lot of rookie errors on Instagram that stop them from fully benefiting from the platform. So, if you want to make the most of Instagram marketing, make sure to avoid these common mistakes that other Realtors usually make.

Missteps Realtors Should Watch Out For When Using Instagram For Marketing

MISTAKE #1 - Not Maintaining a Regular Posting Schedule

People follow real estate brokerage firms on Instagram hoping to see the latest property listings, housing market updates, and other helpful tips. However, if they notice that you only post once in a while and you do not share as many helpful updates, they may soon hit the unfollow button.

Following an inconsistent posting schedule on Instagram can also affect your brand image. An Instagram feed filled with old posts may make you seem like you’re not committed to your real estate business. Additionally, the Instagram algorithm tends to favour accounts that post regularly. So, in case you don’t keep up with posting, your content may not show up on follower’s feeds, lowering your visibility. In short, not posting regularly on Instagram can hurt your engagement, brand image, and also account reach.

What Realtors Should Do Instead?

The most influential Realtors on Instagram usually follow a specific schedule for posting. This is something you should do too if your real estate brokerage company is planning to use Instagram for marketing. Also, you can use scheduling tools to automate your posts so you can easily stay on track.

MISTAKE #2 - Uploading Poor-Quality Photos That Fail to Grab Attention

Instagram is a visual platform that users use to see appealing content. It is only when they see eye-catching images or videos that they wait to look at the post and engage in it. But if they come across blurry images or dark, unappealing videos, they quickly scroll through. Such poor-quality photos make a property look less appealing than it actually is.

What Realtors Should Do Instead?

To shoot the photos and videos for your Instagram content, invest in a good camera or hire a professional photographer. Even if you can’t afford to invest in a professional photographer, there are simple ways in which you can improve photo quality. First, try to take the listing photos during the day when the rooms are well-lit. If necessary, use additional light sources to brighten up the dark spaces in the property. Second, you must see if the rooms are clean, uncluttered, and visually balanced in the frame.

MISTAKE #3 - Overwhelming Your Audience with Too Many Promotional Posts

Most real estate brokerage firms make the mistake of filling their feed with nothing but property listings and “buy now” posts. By doing so, they make their followers quickly lose interest in their Instagram page and stop engaging with their content. After all, Instagram is a social platform which means people come here to connect, share, and engage - not just to see sales pitches.

What Realtors Should Do Instead?

Keep in mind that you should mix promotional posts with engaging and informative content on your Instagram feed. You must aim for an 80/20 rule - 80% of your posts should be valuable such as housing market updates and home-buying or selling tips. On the other hand, 20% of your posts should be about promoting your listings and services.

MISTAKE #4 - Failing to Actively Engage with Your Audience on Instagram

When your Instagram audience comments on your posts or sends you a message, they’re taking time to reach out to your brokerage. So, if you ignore them, you’re sending the message that your real estate brokerage firm doesn’t care about its audience. This can lead to people losing interest in you and your real estate services.

Plus, Instagram’s algorithm favours accounts that get a high level of engagement. This means if you’re not responding to comments on Instagram or interacting with your followers, your posts might not show up in as many people’s feeds. In short, by not engaging you’re essentially hurting your brand’s visibility on Instagram.

What Realtors Should Do Instead?

Designate someone in your firm to regularly check your Instagram account and respond to comments and messages as soon as possible. This task doesn’t have to take a lot of time - just a few minutes to check your account each day can do it. Even if someone leaves a simple comment on your listings such as a great house, reply with a “thank you” to keep the conversation going.

Also, don’t just wait for people to comment on your posts - take the initiative and engage with others. You can do that by commenting on posts of local businesses or any other community-related content. This shows that your real estate brokerage firm is active and keeps your brokerage name in front of potential clients. Additionally, use the interactive features of Instagram such as polls, question boxes, and stories to engage with your followers.

MISTAKE #5 - Not Taking Advantage of the Platform's Available Features

You might be thinking it’s enough to post appealing photos and videos of a property listing and leave it at that. However, you also need to keep in mind that Instagram offers users a lot of features to better connect and engage with their audience. By ignoring these features, you are basically limiting your growth and engagement on the social media platform.

What Realtors Should Do Instead?

You must spend time exploring the different features such as Stories, Reels, polls, question stickers, and everything else, Discuss with your real estate brokerage team how you can best use these features to connect and engage with your audience.

MISTAKE #6 - Excessive Use of Hashtags in Instagram Posts

People tend to ignore posts that are just crammed with too many hashtags. This makes your brokerage look spammy and might hurt your credibility. Using too many hashtags also attracts a lot of irrelevant followers who aren’t actually interested in your listings or real estate services.

Additionally, Instagram’s algorithms take note of this mistake made by Realtors. If you’re using way too many hashtags that don’t directly relate to the content you’ve posted, Instagram might limit your post’s reach. Instead of helping your post go viral, it could actually get your post buried among other content and make it less visible to your target audience.

What Realtors Should Do Instead?

Real estate brokerage firms should use only a handful of relevant hashtags that directly connect with your content and audience. You must insert around 5 to 10 solid, well-researched hashtags that target your local audience as well as the general.

Lastly, Realtors, keep in mind that you’ll not see breakthrough results on Instagram for your real estate business in a single week or even month. You need to steer clear of the above mistakes, keep learning, and engaging with your audience and gradually you can make Instagram work for your real estate business.