There is a fair number of social media platforms out there, from Facebook to Twitter to Vine.
And perhaps one of the more overlooked resources — especially sad given its popularity among millenials — is the photo sharing website Instagram.
Instagram boasts more than 150 million users and is a simple way to capture and share photos on your phone.
As a millennial and part of the generation of future homeowners, Instagram is where I gravitate most.
Unlike other platforms, Instagram only hosts photos, and as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
However, the real estate industry still has yet to fully capture this audience.
Currently, if you search the hashtag Realtor, you only get 98,681 posts. And although others contain more results, this is still miniscule compared to words like vegan, which has almost 3 million pictures. If you want to see and learn from a group that has thrived on Instagram, look no further than the food community.
But with each platform comes its own rules of etiquette. So, here are five tips from an avid user on what not to do on Instgram and how to make your pictures captivate people, complete with stunning examples of the strategy being done right.
1. Make sure you are not in the photo.
The bathroom is notorious for this since it is hard not to capture yourself in the mirror, but it is still possible. While selfie was officially added to the dictionary, you are picturing the house, not you.
2. De-Clutter.
This one may seem simple but make sure you have everything clean and organized. If you are buying a home, you do not want to see clutter or items tossed around. The photo needs to encapsulate the feeling of home the same way a model home is set up to make you feel the comfort of home.
3. Use other applications to enhance your photo.
Instagram may be the host of your photo, but there are a lot of editing apps that help you make sure your photo looks intriguing, including framing, text and cropping apps.
4. Do not be afraid of hashtags.
But at the same time, make sure your words are fitting. The hashtags are your connection to future homebuyers on Instagram. As they search terms, you are hoping they will stumble across your page. Appropriate terms include: home, house, real estate, the city you are in, the state you are in, etc. (click here to see a link with all the hashtags)
5. Take professional photos.
Just because the app is on your phone does not mean that you have to use the camera on your phone. You are able to upload any photo onto Instagran — as long as it is saved on your phone, it is usable. Users of Instagram appreciate good photography. After all, it is a picture-sharing platform.
For good examples of good picture technique, feel free to look at Instagram’s profile. While it is not of houses, it can show you the level of creativity and work that goes on behind the scenes of a photo.
