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.
Each week on Trending, digital marketer Jessi Healey dives into what’s buzzing in social media and why it matters for real estate professionals. From viral trends to platform changes, she’ll break it all down so you know what’s worth your time — and what’s not.
Social media platforms are continuing to fine-tune engagement, discovery, and monetization, rolling out new features, tests and policy shifts that will shape how brands and creators interact.
Instagram is testing new ways to build community and boost content discovery while TikTok refines its approach to photo posts with storytelling-driven best practices. Meanwhile, YouTube, Pinterest and Reddit are adjusting moderation strategies, and LinkedIn is making newsletters and articles more dynamic with native videos.
And in the background, TikTok’s uncertain future in the U.S. is still a hot topic, with President Trump claiming a deal is “coming soon.”
Instagram is leaning into community and content discovery
Instagram is testing multiple new features aimed at making content more discoverable and interactive:
Community Chats: A real-time group chat feature that allows up to 250 people to join a discussion. Admins can remove messages and members to keep the space moderated.
Blue search links in comments: Links to related search topics appear at the top of comment sections, making it easier to discover similar content — a clear move to mimic TikTok’s search-based engagement model.
Reels ‘Blends’: A new messaging feature allows users to co-view a curated feed of recommended Reels with a friend.
Why this matters:
- Community Chats could drive more engagement within niche audiences, creating new ways for brands to build direct connections.
- Search-linked comments could shift how users discover content, making keyword strategy even more critical for visibility.
- Blends reinforces Reels as a social experience, making shared content feel more personalized and interactive.
For real estate professionals, these updates could open new ways to build engagement, whether through localized community chats, smarter keyword strategies or interactive content sharing.
TikTok wants better photo posts — not just ‘photo dumps’
TikTok is pushing for high-quality, story-driven photo posts, moving away from random photo dumps in favor of engaging, structured narratives.
Best practices include:
- A strong title to stop the scroll
- High-quality, consistently cropped images for a clean look
- A clear beginning, middle and end to create a narrative
- On-screen text to build storytelling elements
- Music and captions to enhance engagement
Trending themes include:
- Memes and humor
- Recipes and tutorials
- Event highlights
- Human interest stories
For real estate professionals, this is a reminder that photo carousels are still valuable — but they need a story-driven approach to be effective.
President Trump claims a TikTok deal is ‘coming soon’
TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain, and now President Trump is claiming a deal is in the works. According to Reuters, Trump’s administration is in talks with four different groups about a potential sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
What does this mean?
- There’s still no clear resolution on TikTok’s fate in the U.S.
- Multiple buyers are in play, but regulatory approval remains a challenge.
- For now, TikTok operates as usual, but brands should have a contingency plan in case of major shifts.
For businesses that rely on TikTok for marketing, this is another reminder that platform uncertainty can be disruptive — so diversifying content across platforms is key.
YouTube, Pinterest and Reddit refine content controls
Pinterest adds AI labels: AI-generated images will now have a foreground label, making it clearer when content has been modified or created with AI.
Reddit tests pre-post rule notifications: Users will get a heads-up if their post violates subreddit rules before they hit publish — reducing the chances of auto-removal.
YouTube tightens ad reviews: The platform is now manually reviewing more videos for ad suitability, assigning them green, yellow or red ratings. Creators can request a human review for yellow-rated content.
Why this matters:
- AI labeling is expanding, making content authenticity more visible.
- Pre-post rule checks could reduce frustrations on Reddit, especially in tightly moderated subreddits.
- YouTube’s ad rating system may impact monetization strategies, meaning creators will need to adjust content if they rely on ad revenue.
LinkedIn finally allows native videos in newsletters
LinkedIn is making newsletters and long-form content more dynamic with native video embedding.
Why this matters for real estate professionals:
- Market updates, listing videos and educational content can now be embedded in LinkedIn newsletters, making them more engaging.
- Video testimonials or walkthroughs can add credibility and visual appeal.
- Multimedia improves retention as audiences continue to shift toward video-first content consumption.
For those already using LinkedIn to build authority and share industry insights, this is a big opportunity to increase engagement.
TL;DR (too long, didn’t read)
- 💬 Instagram is testing Community Chats: Groups of up to 250 people with moderation tools for admins.
- 🔍 Instagram adds search links in comments: Users can click on terms to find related content, similar to TikTok’s search integration.
- 📸 TikTok’s photo post best practices: Story-driven photo carousels are key — title, text, music and clean formatting all matter.
- 💰 Trump teases a TikTok deal: No clear outcome yet, but talks are happening with multiple groups.
- 📍 Pinterest labels AI-generated content: Expect more transparency (or at least the appearance of it).
- 🤖 Reddit rolls out pre-post rule checks: Users now get notifications about subreddit violations before posting.
- 🎬 YouTube tightens ad reviews: Creators can request human reviews for ad suitability ratings.
- 🎥 LinkedIn now supports video in articles/newsletters: Great for real estate pros sharing market insights or listing videos.
Social media shifts fast. Whether it’s community-driven updates, AI labeling or platform sales, staying ahead is the key to staying visible.
Jessi Healey is a freelance writer and social media manager specializing in real estate. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, or Bluesky.
