March is Marketing and Branding Month here at Inman. As we enter spring selling season, let’s explore which tried-and-true tactics and cutting-edge innovations are getting deals done in today’s market. We’ll also recognize the industry’s marketing and branding leaders with Inman’s Marketing All-Star Awards.
Instagram has become a crucial marketing outlet for top agents. But many still aren’t sure how to grow their following and what type of content they should be creating. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has the answers and shares them readily on his Instagram account.
If you’re looking to take the guesswork out of what you can do to grow on Instagram, this article will break down the keys to growth that Mosseri has shared.
Sends, shares trigger the algorithm to increase your post’s reach
Here’s what Mosseri had to say:
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Sends, or shares, are the process of someone forwarding a post or reel to someone else. Mosseri said the number of sends is one of the biggest deciding factors on what content the algorithm decides to promote.
The reason Instagram prioritize sends is that their whole hope is to inspire creativity that brings people together. If you click save on a post or reel, it’s usually something you do on your own. But if you find enough value or entertainment in something that you share with someone else, that’s a different type of connection. Instagram is focused on bringing people together, and sends is an indicator that this is happening, but saves matter too, so don’t ignore those, Mosseri said.
Based on the value Instagram puts on sends, what type of content should you be considering?
In a recent interview, Jared James shared with Eric Simon, aka The Broke Agent, that instead of focusing on content that your audience will like, focus instead on content your audience will share with others.
But what are some ideas of content your audience will share? Local content about upcoming improvements or developments is shared regularly, and it creates an opportunity for a number of sends or shares.
This is an example of a reel that Alyssa Curnutt, out of Spokane, Washington, posted about a new indoor farmer’s market that is scheduled to open in May in the area she serves. Not only is this content something people will share with others, but also Curnutt ends the video by asking viewers to share it with anyone they know who loves a farmer’s market, directly asking for her desired result. This is a great example of how sends can increase the reach of the post and expand your audience.
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Why the first 3 seconds of a video are so important
Here’s what Mosseri had to say:
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“The first three seconds of a reel are super important. Now, we call this the hook. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to bait the user or have a cliffhanger, but you do need to get the user’s attention because as they are scrolling through the feed, you have a brief moment when you might actually get them invested in hearing what else you have to say,” Mosseri said.
He went on to provide a few additional suggestions on how to maximize the opportunity during the hook. The first suggestion was to have text on your video. This is due to many people not having the sound on when they are scrolling. The second was to set expectations and let people know what you will be talking about.
Based on this information, formulating a framework for the first three seconds of any video you share should be a priority.
Follow the good formula
When it comes to hooks, I follow an acronym of the word GOOD to make sure I optimize the hooks I use.
G — Get right to it
You only have so much time, so don’t spend time introducing yourself or thanking them for watching the video. Get right to the point.
O — Openly excited
Show up as the best version of yourself. It’s hard for someone else to get excited about what you’re sharing unless you are excited about it as well.
O — Offer insight
Share what the video is about immediately. A catchy intro that says what the video is about will lead to longer watch times. An example of this might be, “Is the real estate market crashing? These are the facts.”
D — Define who it is for it
Offering insight about the video is one way to create a catchy hook, but calling out the ideal viewer of the video can be effective as well. An example of this might be, “If you’re considering buying a home this spring, this video is for you.”
An example of a reel with a great hook is this list of weekday specials for Greenville, North Carolina, by Emily McAllister. Not all posts should be about real estate, and by highlighting five local businesses, McAllister is able to expand her reach and following in her local market.
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Why carousels outperform photos
Here’s what Mosseri had to say:
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There are two main reasons carousels usually have more reach than photos. The first is that having multiple pieces of media in carousels is going to mean more interactions, and with more interactions, this leads to more reach on average. The second is that if someone sees your carousel post but they don’t swipe, Instagram will often give that carousel a second chance and automatically move to that second piece of media for the viewer, Mosseri said.
He also highly recommends you add music so the carousel is eligible to show up in video experiences like the reels tab. If you aren’t sure how to create a carousel post, simply google it or search how to create an Instagram carousel post on YouTube or Instagram.
Carousels can include slides with pictures, text, video or even a combination of the three. Katie Day, out of Houston, Texas, utilized a carousel post to introduce herself and her team to anyone new who finds her page. She utilized photos, video and text to creatively engage new followers by pinning the carousel at the top of her page.
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How often should you post
Here’s what Mosseri had to say:
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Mosseri said the more you post, the more people you have the ability to reach, and this will lead to an increasing following over time. He also said you should always prioritize quality over quantity if you want to grow.
The key is to find a pace in which you can be consistent. If that is one video and one carousel a week, then do that every week.
Whatever the schedule is, where you can consistently post quality content that your ideal follower will engage with, that is how much you should post. He cautions about making a sudden change from posting once a week to three or four times a day, for example, because you run the risk of alienating the group that followed you with a different set of expectations.
The value of posting to stories
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“You’re going to reach more people if you post to feed than if you post to stories. That’s because stories is designed to really connect with others they know in real life, their friends,” Mosseri said.
The way stories are ranked is based on how likely people are to tap on the story in the first place, how likely they are to like the story and how likely they are to reply to that story.
Think of your feed as your ongoing resume. When someone searches for or finds you on Instagram, your feed is their first impression. Put your best foot forward and know that your feed is for conversion or to encourage people to follow you.
Your stories are only up for 24 hours, and these should be more personal, behind-the-scenes types of posts that help you deepen relationships. Stories are how direct messages lead to conversations, and this is where the majority of client conversion happens on Instagram.
The 5 criteria for expanding your content’s reach
Here’s what Mosseri had to say:
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We all want our content recommended to people outside our followers. One key to an expanding reach is to understand what Instagram looks for to determine if a post is eligible for recommendation.
“If you want your content to be eligible to show up to people who have not decided to follow you yet, you need to meet these five criteria,” Mosseri said.
“One, no watermarks. Two, make sure you add audio, particularly important for photos and carousels. Three, if you are posting a video, make sure it is three minutes long or less. Four, make sure the content is original. It doesn’t mean you can’t work with someone else’s content, but you have to significantly make it your own … and five, make sure your account is in good status.”
His reference to no watermarks means not having a video you created on TikTok or an editing app that has their logo on the content and then posting that to Instagram. He also mentioned making sure your account is in good status, which you can check by going to your profile and then to account status.
If your goal is to maximize your reach and grow as fast as possible, use these five criteria as a baseline.
Instagram best practices is your best friend
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If you wish there was a place where Instagram would share tips and ideas on how to grow your audience, look no further than their best practices tab.
Mosseri explained it this way, “What we want to do is empower creators as best we can with good information so that they can make the most interesting and engaging content, which will be great for creators, great for their audiences, and also great for Instagram as a business. “And to that end, we created a new place in the professional dashboard called best practices. If you go there, you will see all of the best practices and the latest organized by type, things like reach, engaging your audience, monetization and other categories.”
You can find this by going to your profile, professional dashboard, and then to best practices.
With Mosseri sharing exactly what they prioritize, now you have the information needed to grow on Instagram. All that is left to do is for you to take action on the knowledge you now have.
Jimmy Burgess is a real estate agent and national team builder with Real Brokerage in northwest Florida, servicing the 30A, Destin, and Panama City Beach markets. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
