Reaching thousands of people with a single post, sharing property information, and geo-targeting potential clients with paid ads are all benefits of using social platforms for your real estate business. When using any platform, however, there are specific steps you can take to optimize your efforts, especially when posting photos or updates.
Luckily, most social platforms have become photo-forward, which presents real estate agents like you with an opportunity to get property photos seen by more interested buyers. These five tips will help you improve your social media property photos, optimizing your efforts so you get maximum benefit.
- Research the Platform
Social media platforms each have their own best practices for posting photos. When using Facebook, for example, you can post multiple pictures of a property in one status, or create an album dedicated to a single, standout listing. With Instagram, on the other hand, you can only upload one image at a time, and your followers may become agitated if their timeline is flooded with multiple posts in a row.
Here are a few tips for taking advantage of each platform’s unique style:
- The preferred style and sizing on Pinterest is long and rectangular, while Twitter is short and rectangular. Start optimizing your property photos by cropping them to fit the style of the platform. (Here’s a cheat sheet for sizing on every social site.)
- If you can only upload one image on Instagram, capture every amazing piece of the property by creating a collage. Put a link to the listing in the caption itself or in your bio, and point people there: “Check out this amazing property on Hazelnut Drive! Get more info—link in bio.” This is a common practice among businesses on Instagram, so your followers will understand right away.
- Work with What You Have
While having an expensive camera to shoot property photos is an added bonus, you don’t have to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars to get high-quality shots. The new iPhone 7 has the ability to take high-quality photos, with a wide-angle lens, telephoto lens and quad-LED True Tone flash. The iPhone 7 Plus has the ability to take photos with a larger depth of field, which is perfect for capturing every angle of your property. Bottom line: If you’re working with a tight budget, you don’t always need expensive cameras or professional photographers.
- Showcase Unique Designs
When presenting a listing on any social media platform, it’s important that you highlight the best features. This starts by professionally staging the home, which sets you up for success: “We’ve been able to raise the price on our homes up to 25 percent or even more just from having beautiful staging and design touches,” says Paul Moore, founder of Smith Mountain Homes.
When you find those special design touches, photograph them. These small details are what make a property most appealing or unique among similar options. This could be the new granite counter tops, updated appliances, authentic hardwood floors, raised ceilings, delicate crown molding, etc.
Showcase these details on your social platforms, rather than just a photo of the outside of the house. A stunning wood floor glistening in the morning sun will jump out at anyone who scrolls by.
- Remember the Rule of Thirds
Even the most beautiful homes won’t look appealing if the composition is poor. This is where the Rule of Thirds comes into play. The idea is simple.
“When you look through your viewfinder or at the LCD screen, imagine a tic-tac-toe grid over the scene,” advises experts at Nikon. “These gridlines are a guide to help you frame your image and won’t show up in your final picture.”
Where the lines intersect is where you want your subject to be—not in the center of your photo but slightly to the side at either the top or bottom. See the example below:
- Perspective
When shooting an entire property, make sure to capture a variety of angles in order to create different perspectives. Photos can be deceiving, so it’s important to give prospective buyers the full picture. For example, if you show just one image of the house looking straight on, but had to crop out most of the huge front yard, you’re missing out on a valuable piece of the property. Use a wide-angle camera lens to truly showcase the grandeur of the big dining room or the perfect placement of a fireplace in the living room. There are a variety of lenses that you can clip into your cell phone to get these interesting angles.
Caroline Davis has worked in marketing for three years and regularly shares her experience in business via blogging.
This was originally published on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall. Visit the blog daily for housing and real estate tips and trends. Like Housecall on Facebook and follow @HousecallBlog on Twitter.
