The 3 Biggest Instagram Myths that Are Costing Realtors Business

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Have you ever felt like the algorithm was just out to get you? Or that you'll never compete with the real estate influencers of the world?  

It's easy to fall into a negative mindset if your beliefs aren't based on facts. I've heard quite my fair share of myths about Instagram, and while they sound convincing, these myths are completely untrue and limiting your potential. 

So, instead of wasting your time with myths that are stalling your progress, I'm breaking down the three biggest Instagram myths that are costing Realtors business. That way, you can head directly to the success you can absolutely achieve in your unique business by leveraging an Instagram marketing strategy. 

I've heard some very interesting myths over the years about Real Estate marketing on social. And often times, these myths are accompanied by equally bad advice on how to overcome the issue, whether there even is an issue or not. 

I can't tell you how many times I've walked out of a lecture hall shaking my head or have had agents tell me about the latest strategy they heard from a 'guru' that's not actually backed by experience. 

These myths have a snowball effect and take on a life of their own as they're passed from one person to the next, which is a complete shame, because many of these myths stop agents from ever getting started or discourage them before they reach their full potential. 

There are three myths that are not only common, but could be costing you business. So, let's dive right into the first and most popular one - 

Myth 1: The Instagram Algorithm is Out to Get You

This is simply not true, even if you've personally felt like it is. At the end of the day, Instagram is a business, and it's a business owned by Facebook. They want as many people as possible to spend as much time as possible on the platform. So, the algorithm works overtime to try and figure out how to make sure people are staying on Instagram and enjoying their time on the platform. It just makes sense from a business standpoint. 

In fact, there are multiple algorithms at play across the platform, from the feed to the explore page to IGTV to Reels. What they all have in common is they're trying to connect users with the content that they're most likely to engage with. 

So, the algorithm isn't out to get you, it's actually working to connect people with the content they care about. Instagram has shared direct insight into how this works, and we can use this information to our advantage. Because if we know more about how Instagram can connect you with more home buyers and sellers, we can lean into the algorithm and see success. 

Based on the information Instagram has provided, we know they are looking at a variety of factors. 

The first thing they're looking at when they're determining if this is a post relevant to the audience is information about the post itself. What type of content is being shared? A photo? A video? What is it exactly, and what is the post about? From there, how are people responding to it? Is it getting engagement, such as likes? 

Next, they look at information about the 'poster,' or the person sharing the post. When we're thinking about forming those connections, Instagram is looking at whether or not the poster is someone you're following, if they're a friend, and how often they post. Overall, they're trying to figure out if that person is relevant to you and if you're interested in them. 

After that, they look at your activity. What type of content do you tend to engage with? Or, what type of content does your dream home buyer or seller tend to engage with? For example, you'll notice if you spend a lot of time watching reels, you'll start seeing more reels on your explore page (or the page where you can search). Instagram is trying to guess what you'll like most, and this can work in our favor!

{Click here to download my Instagram bio template for Realtors}

Next, they look at your interaction history with the poster. Do you have a history of liking and commenting on this person's posts? That's a signal to the algorithm that two people are connected. After Instagram takes all of this into consideration, they create what's called a 'score of interest.' This score of interest plays into the likelihood of your post being seen. 

This is where you might start to think the score of interest is against you, but that's not true! The score of interest is your opportunity. Because if you're creating quality content that your dream buyer or seller is interested in, and you're being proactive about engaging, Instagram's algorithm can help you connect with more people.

On the back end, the algorithm is trying to figure out where two people are connected. So it's all working to connect people who are sharing posts to people who are most likely to be interested in that post. This works beautifully for us from a real estate marketing standpoint, because we don't want to market to anybody and everybody. We want to make sure we are marketing to and engaging with the right customer for you. 

Instagram also takes into account the interactions on a post and analyzes the time spent on a post. So, are people just scrolling past your post, or are they stopping and spending time there? 

The next thing they'll look at is likes - are users likely to be interested in your post and 'like' it? They'll look at comments, and how likely someone is to leave a comment on the post. They'll also look at saves, and saves are key. Saving is when you click the button that looks like a little flag in the lower right-hand corner of a post that allows you to save it for later. This is a key signal to Instagram that is valuable content. Finally, they look at taps on profile. How likely are people to keep engaging by tapping on your profile after seeing your post? 

Now, all of these metrics are metrics that you're actually in complete control over. If you want more people to spend time on your posts, we can write thoughtful captions, or you can consider sharing more videos. To get more likes, you have to know your dream customer and what they will like, and present that information or post in an educational, entertaining, or inspirational way. Look for those connections. For comments, you can be proactive to get people talking by asking questions or getting people to share their opinions on what you're posting. 

Saving posts is one of my favorite metrics because when people save something, we know that it's so valuable that they want to refer back to it later. You can pinpoint content using your experience as a real estate agent to share insider knowledge that would benefit your customer. And lastly, to get people to tap on your profile, you have to truly connect so that they want to learn more about you and see all that you're posting.

All of this goes back to creating quality content and quality connections. The Instagram algorithm works behind the scenes to try and figure this out, but you are in control of what you post and how you engage with your followers. 

So, the Instagram algorithm is not out to get you - myth completely busted! In fact, we can actually leverage the algorithm to grow your business. 

Myth 2: You need thousands of followers and lots of likes to see success. 

I want you to imagine something with me. Imagine right now that you have 30 people in your living room. After the initial thought of 'why are all of these people here?', your brain probably jumps to making sure your house is ready and preparing food for what could be a large party. 

So why is it that if somebody has 75 or 300 followers, they feel discouraged while 30 people in your living room can feel overwhelming? 

This is still a large number of people and opportunity to connect. If you gave a speech to 75 people, that's a decent-sized conference space. With 300 people, the room is getting much larger. And 1,000 people - now you are at keynote speaker level headlining the conference. 

Social media often distorts our perception and gets us wrapped up in vanity metrics. The reality is, you don't need thousands of followers to see success in your business from Instagram. All it takes is one follower to be one customer. Then, that one follower-turned-customer refers one friend, and the cycle continues. 

Would you rather have 1,000 more followers on Instagram, or work with one more seller this year to list their home? Would you rather have 100 people like your post, or have one person direct message you to help them buy their first home? Which would help your business and impact your life more? 

While having more followers does expand your reach on the platform, it doesn't mean that it'll grow your business. It's having the right followers that matters more. With a marketing plan in place, you can decide exactly who those followers and potential customers are, and how to attract them. 

So, myth two busted - you do not need thousands of followers to be successful. We just need the right followers for you and to create those meaningful connections that will lead to closings. 

Myth 3: It's just too hard to get customers from Instagram

This is the myth that stops so many agents in their tracks. I get it, figuring out exactly how to grow your business on Instagram can be challenging. But before you get into a negative mindset, I want to remind you of something - Instagram is full of potential.

There is absolute potential for you to grow your brand as an agent. There are home buyers and sellers right now who would benefit immensely from your help. There is potential for you to build your business in a way that's not only enjoyable for you, but also works to generate more sales. And when you have the right strategy in place, this is completely possible! 

Instagram doesn't have to be challenging. In fact, it's my favorite platform for real estate marketing. It works across all markets and helps all kinds of agents meet their goals. There's no other social platform out there where you have the opportunity to attract more customers without paying for ads and genuinely connect with more people than on Instagram. 

Instead of being salesy, you can focus on creating value. Instead of manipulating people down a sales funnel, you can form relationships based on trust. Instead of paying for dead-end leads, you can brand yourself in a way that attracts people to you. 

So, I challenge you to pivot your mindset into one of opportunity. It's not too hard, and it's entirely possible to not only get customers but to reach your goals in a way that feels right for you!

{Click here to access my top-rated Instagram marketing course for Realtors!}
Join me inside IG Unlocked for Real Estate to learn what to post and how to connect with more customers through Instagram marketing!

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I’m Heather Colby, host of the “Ideas for Real Estate Podcast.”

If you like what you read here today, I’d encourage you to take a listen to the episodes. :