Instagram is a photo and video sharing platform with more than 500 million active daily users worldwide. Nearly a tenth of the population uses this social network and that’s a lot of exposure. While there are other social media platforms available, Instagram presents a unique opportunity for home builders.
Facebook and LinkedIn are some other popular social media platforms with an established online presence. There are over 80 million business pages on Facebook and the number is similar for LinkedIn, presenting a lot of business competition on these two platforms. Home builders must not only find a way to stand out and garner audience attention, but they must also keep up with ever-changing algorithms in the process.
While Instagram offers home builders massive amounts of targeted exposure, there are other characteristics that make this platform essential for the success of the modern homebuilder. For instance, almost 35% of Instagram users are millennials and according to the National Association of Realtors, millennials are currently the largest group of homebuyers. A whopping 40 percent of Gen Xer’s are on the platform, too (the second largest group). Here are some other key points to consider.
Showcase design talent
According to the Bokka Group’s 2016-2017 Home Buyer Conversion Report, homebuyers are turning to social media more than ever to find and research potential home builders. With almost half of all internet searches originating from mobile devices, Instagram is primed for business. The platform has a clean responsive interface that was specifically designed for pictures and mobile first.
People just love looking at pictures of homes, both inside and out. They love seeing different designs, getting ideas and sometimes just dreaming. The Instagram platform gives builders a chance to showcase their talent and professionalism with different home designs and this catches the attention of a targeted audience. In fact, 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business account on the platform.
Use stories and hashtags to engage with followers
Home builders can also communicate via stories and give virtual tours of their creation with video. Over 500 million people use stories every day and a third of the most viewed stories are created by businesses, yet there are only two million monthly advertisers on the platform. This leaves a lot of room for home builders to grow their following with a targeted audience of potential buyers.
Stories and hashtags are a fantastic way to engage with users on the platform and engagement drives traffic. While active hyperlinks can’t be added to Instagram posts, they can be inserted into the Business Bio and that is almost as good. Home builders can also mention their website in post comments and use calls to action to generate additional site traffic.
No algorithms
Another attractive feature for home builders is that there are no changing algorithms to keep up with. As a community of followers grows, relevant posts will automatically appear in their feed. This also means that home builders can use pertinent hashtags to increase exposure. Unfamiliar platform users can be exposed to home builders through simple hashtags or stories that start meaningful engagement and eventually propagate relationships.
The Instagram platform makes it easy for home builders to post productively. They provide detailed metrics about user demographics, locations and behaviors for home builders and businesses to make informed decisions about scheduling posts. With an array of eye-catching options to help make posts more appealing to audience members, Instagram can definitely work for home builders.
While Instagram use is growing at a breakneck pace, the business competition on the platform is still in its infancy, giving home builders a unique opportunity to showcase specific talents and attract attention. Furthermore, the competition among local businesses is still minimal, allowing home builders to grow a strong local audience in their primary area of operations.
Questions to ask before getting on the Instagram train
Is Instagram worth it?
It’s definitely not the highest traffic driver of your website, but as the fastest growing social media platform, this should be supplemental to your overall strategy.
What goals should I have for Instagram?
Again, as long as you do not treat this as a lead generating machine, building brand awareness and promoting educational pieces about your company’s particular building methods, beliefs, and values can go a long way to remain top of mind when homebuyers are ready to take that next step.
Modern home builders who want to thrive must stay ahead of the curve when it comes to marketing. Knowing where and how to find the next generation of homebuyers is at the top of the list. Sure, you can do what you’ve always done and that may work for a little while. However, the newest generation of homebuyers won’t be found on the same old social media platforms. While they may use a real estate agent, chances are they have already researched a home builder long before they make contact. If you want to ensure that you are the home builder at the forefront of their thoughts when it comes time to purchase, contact BDX today to see how we can make that happen.
