How often should I post to Instagram?

I want 18 Reels per week, 27 long-form videos every 3 days, 35 stories by 7pm, 23.5 image posts per 4 hours, and throw in an Instagram Guide in your spare time…  11 times per week.

Kidding.

Let’s be real. You are a real estate professional whose passion is to help people buy and sell homes.

You are NOT spending 40-60 hours a week creating marketing content.

So, let’s get real about tools such as Reels and posting on Instagram generally.

Posting to your feed daily could prove to be awesome, sure. But only if your content truly serves your audience as helpful and/or entertaining, doesn’t eat into too much of your day, and doesn’t replace the act of you engaging on Instagram. More on that in a bit.

Let’s look at a few do’s and don’ts to arrive at a plan that will work for you.

1. Don’t post just to post. I’m not saying you can’t have fun. (Oh, yours truly would be a gigantic hypocrite if I said that.) I am saying that a solid number of your posts should underscore your authority in real estate. Heck, you can even combine trending audio files with a real estate message and still demonstrate your knowledge of the market while having fun. CoffeeContracts.com actually offers these types of Reels ideas to you in case you want to check them out.

2. Listen to/analyze what your audience likes. You can see what is resonating with your audience by checking your own views and insights. I learned quickly at @kristi_kennelly that my followers like tech tips, but they really like funny, relatable trending Reels. So, I alternate. Another tool to use to help you understand what the public wants and get you “unstuck” with content ideas is AnswerThePublic.com. Type in keywords such as “real estate market” and see what consumers are asking Google – literally see the phrases people are typing into Search. Make Reels that answer those questions.

3. Automate some of your content. Yup – I said it. Oh, the controversy! Some coaches and speakers will say you should never…ever automate your socials. Welp, I disagree. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to find a balance. A tool such as RateMyAgent.com, for example, can automatically post your listings, solds, and client reviews to your socials, including Instagram, taking that task off your plate. Why wouldn’t you remind your audience every so often that you are in real estate, you’re active, and you’re very good at it? The key is to make this type of automated content complimentary to your overall plan, not your entire plan.

4. Share more of you. It’s perfectly acceptable to share your interests and give people a glimpse into your life on Instagram. These posts will likely get the most engagement – I’m talking kids, pets, grandkids, food, hobbies… It gives people other ways to connect with you. And again, it’s likely where more engagement will happen. Watch this – I’m giving you a link to see more of my personal life. My family and I made a parody of Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind. Check it out here. Do you feel like you know me a little better? Bet you do.

5. Don’t let memorization be your obstacle. Should you give a market update? Yes. Is it ok to look at another screen or piece of paper to get your statistics or notes? Yes. Video does not have to be polished. No one expects you to remember a monologue. Keep your material short, sweet, look at a couple of notes if you need to, and go for it. 

6. Engage. Engagement with your current followers is half the battle. Like posts, leave meaningful comments. It shows people you care and it shows Instagram you are participating. Change your mindset. It’s not always about YOUR content. 

So, how do you put this together in a final “schedule” for Instagram?

Try this on for size. If it doesn’t fit exactly the way you want, change it. But it’s a starting point for a weekly routine that may make sense.

Monday – 

1. Engage with your followers for 5 minutes. 
2. Post about something fun you did over the weekend. Personal content usually gets more engagement. The people who view and like this content will likely see your next post. 

Tuesday – 

1. Engage with your followers for 5 minutes. 
2. Post an educational Reel. Answer a frequently asked question, tell a short story with a point. Be of service and leverage Reels. 

Wednesday – Take a break. Use some automated content like a listing, a just sold, or a client review.

Thursday –

1. Engage with your followers for 5 minutes.
2. Post a market update in a Reel. Bring it up on your computer screen, or have the notes handy. Relay the information. Underscore your authority in real estate.
3. OR, make a Reel of a property tour. Add some music. (Bonus: Smile and wave and give a quick intro at the beginning.)

Friday – 

1. Engage with your followers for 5 minutes. 
2. Have fun. Make a Reel with trending audio, highlight a local business or neighborhood gem, talk about something you love. Be you.

Whew. Ok – you may not totally agree, so mix it up. Share your posts and Reels to stories. Do some behind-the-scenes Stories that feel right for you. 

Reels can get you in front of many new eyeballs at the moment because of the TikTok/Instagram rivalry. Both platforms are pushing short-form video to the masses and content providers are benefitting in droves.

Consistent is… whatever is consistent for you. Determine what you can handle right now, then be willing to adapt based on which content performs well… and what new trend hits us.

Oh, with regard to Reels. I DO NOT recommend you spend hours editing on your phones. The idea is to be thoughtful about what you say, but get it done in one take, add captions in one tap, hashtag appropriately and get on with your day. 

If your social plan is not effective AND efficient, then we need to look at simplifying it or alternative strategies. Again, you love helping people buy and sell homes. Stressing over content or endlessly editing is not what we’re after. 

Simple and done. That’s the plan. 

Follow me at @kristi_kennelly on the Gram for more tech tips and… shenanigans.