Are you using Snapchat in your real estate business? Well, you should be. The service’s disappearing Stories feature has reinvented social media and is currently changing the game for publishers’ shared content. (It’s also insanely popular with millennials, too). Now, not to be left behind, the Facebook-owned Instagram wants to in on the action.
Thanks to a recent Instagram update, users can now post pictures and videos that disappear after 24 hours, sharing everyday moments as they happen in real time. The company even added a drawing tool and text capabilities to try to mimic the flair of its competitor. These Stories never appear in the main Instagram feed and can be found across the top of the screen upon startup. Like the service’s new algorithm-based feed, Stories will be dished out the same way, so you can prominently see updates from people you interact with the most.
The goal for Instagram is to get more people to remain on their platform as long as possible, without jumping ship to others. Also like Snapchat, Insta’s experience is quick and casual; users can post updates on-the-go, without much thought—perfect for the time-crunched REALTOR®.
Whether you use Snapchat or Instagram, using a Stories platform helps you speak directly to your customer base and showcase the wowing features or amenities of a listing. Like all social media, it can also help your buyers and sellers get to know the real you, which keeps you top of mind the next time they have real estate business to conduct.
Which should you use with so many choices? Our suggestion: if you’re already on Instagram, there’s no reason not to jump aboard its built-in Stories feature, especially if you’ve been putting off getting to know Snapchat. However, Snapchat’s Story capabilities hit the market first and is currently more in depth than Instagram’s, with location-based filters, rewinding and fast-forwarding options, and those devilishly fun masking lenses.
So, which should you use? Decisions, decisions! There’s no right or wrong answer here, as long as you’re immersed somewhere in the social world. But the better question—the right question—is: Which one are your buyers and sellers on?
This post was originally posted on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall. Check the blog daily for top real estate tips and trends.
