Instagram, the fastest growing social network in 2015, has 400 million monthly active users with more than 2.5 billion photos liked every day. According to Pew Research Center, 28 percent of adult Internet users utilize Instagram with 49 percent of users checking Instagram daily, and 73 percent of users checking the platform at least once a week. Now is the time to generate new leads for your properties by harnessing the power of Instagram.
Not only is social media more cost effective than traditional advertising, but it also produces targeted and measurable results. If we break it down in terms of numbers, social media has reduced traditional marketing costs for businesses by 45 percent while simultaneously increasing revenue by 24 percent.
The potential to gain leads through social media is clear, but you may be wondering what makes Instagram more effective than other social media platforms. If I were asked to describe Instagram, I would use the term “unique,” and I truly believe that Instagram benefits on its individuality. Unlike Facebook and Pinterest, Instagram does not use a smart feed where algorithms and artificial intelligence determine what appears in your feed. When Instagram users post a picture or video, their followers, who happen to be browsing the app at the same time, will see the post in their feed.
Instagram also focuses on individual and creative content where sites like Facebook and Pinterest rely on shared content. Through the creation of their own visual stories, business owners can build their brand while gaining new leads. Additionally, engagement on Instagram is instantaneous. You are able to see your followers interacting in real time.
Now that you know all the benefits of having a presence on Instagram, here are some tips on how to use it to generate leads.
First and foremost, you must provide a trackable link to your website in your Instagram bio so that your leads have a place to land. Doing this will help you track the results of your profile’s effectiveness. Keep in mind that the one link that Instagram provides for you in your profile is not trackable. If you want precise analytics on your Instagram results, you will need to create a landing page just for Instagram.
Next, it is essential to take high-quality pictures and videos. Although this may seem like an obvious rule of thumb, it is important to remember that Instagram is a visual platform so sharing valuable and compelling content is vital. In other words, you must transfer the beauty of your property to the screen of the app.
Hashtags are the magnets that will attract new leads. Your content can be found by people who are not following you via the Explore tab as well as in the News tab, making it imperative to use relevant hashtags in your posts. Using local hashtags and creating branded hashtags that you and your followers can track over time is a good idea. You can also encourage residents to post on Instagram and use your branded hashtags. Introduce a small incentive to inspire them to participate such as creating a contest where the best photo is reposted on your property’s page.
A shortcut to Instagram success is to find influencers and collaborate. Influencers are people, publications, businesses, or organizations that have a large following with high engagement. Start now by following your favorite local influencers. Once you have an idea of who you would like to work with, think of ways you can collaborate that both fit with their brand and your goals to generate leads. It could be a food blogger hosting a small tasting in your lobby or clubhouse, or a design blogger sprucing up a model apartment home while sharing tips on apartment living. The goal is to leverage the influencer’s authority and trust to attract new leads. Most of these influencers will expect compensation for this valuable service.
Advertising on Instagram is also a great option if you want to deliver measurable results for your properties quickly. You can choose your own budget, and it can be as little as one dollar per day depending on your objectives. Instagram ads can be created via Facebook’s Ads Manager and can be targeted by location, demographics, interests, and user actions.
Instagram is one of the few platforms where you can have a call to action in every single caption. Use them! Effective calls to action have the power to convert casual browsers into residents. Be sure to tell people what you want them to do once they read your caption. For example, an effective call to action would be, “Use the link in our profile to schedule a tour today.”
There are other small tips to keep in mind such as consistency. Posting sporadically is not going to get you where you need to be in terms of followers, engagement, and most importantly, lead generation. Also, be sure to respond to as many comments as you can. It is important to moderate your comments on the regular basis so your followers remain engaged.
Over the next few years, Instagram is positioned to capitalize on some of the biggest social, technological, and content-related trends. Its revamped Search & Explore feature makes marketing content easier, it’s highly visual feed is perfect for showcasing posts, and it’s 100% mobile with all of its traffic already coming from mobile devices. Follow the tips above, and you will be aligning your business for successful lead generation using Instagram.