it is Marketing and Branding Month Here in Inman. As we enter the competitive spring selling season, let’s take a look at some of the proven strategies and cutting-edge innovations that are closing deals in today’s market.We will also recognize industry marketing and brand leaders through Inman Marketing All-Star Award.
Instagram is a powerful tool that agencies use to generate leads, market their business, and deepen existing relationships. But how can we do this without coming across as salesy or needy?
These 15 agencies, team leaders, and trainers can help you find the perfect mix of content to grow your Instagram channel.
Brad McCallum works for The McCallum Group at REAL Broker Canada in Calgary. McCallum used video playlist tours to source leads early in his career, building his business from the ground up. He continues to innovate with creative and inspiring content that attracts buyers and sellers to his business.
With over 26,000 followers on Instagram and over 44,000 subscribers on YouTube, McCallum is an Instagram account that agents interested in seeing great content created should follow.
Barak Sky is part of Long and Foster’s Sky Group and serves the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia markets. Sky has done a great job of diversifying the types of content he produces, from fun films to creative team profiles. He uses videos, photos and posts to tell the story of who he is and what he does.
His consistent content production has allowed him to grow his profile to approximately 50,000 followers. If you’re looking for a profile to emulate, this is a great place to start.
Jake Garay is part of the Garay-Michaud team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties, servicing the Hudson Valley, New York. Garay uses interview-style headshot videos to deliver educational content tailored to attract his ideal clients.
He also mixes in team and checklist posts, but his interview-style videos (cut down from longer videos to short clips) are where his account really shines. If you’re looking for a way to provide educational and entertaining video content, Garay’s account is a perfect model.
Jimmy Mackin is Co-Founder and CEO of Curaytor. His profile states that he is “on a mission to be the most emulated person in real estate.” It seems to me that he may have accomplished this mission.
McGinn shares some of the best, most actionable strategies I’ve seen. He openly shares what’s currently working for Curaytor clients, making his account a must-watch for agents looking to grow their business.
Kevin Holmes is with the ReeceNichols Holmes Group in Kansas City, Missouri. Holmes has amassed over 38,000 followers on Instagram by authentically sharing his passion for his career and personal life. His portfolio of real estate content is highlighted by sharing content from The Huddle podcast, which he co-hosts with ReeceNichols agent Kaleb Drinkgern.
This podcast features interviews with interesting people from the Kansas City area and focuses on sports figures. The authenticity of the podcast content shared through short videos on Instagram brings balance to his page and attracts his ideal customers. Holmes’ page proves that combining entertainment with valuable business information is the real secret to Instagram success.
Marley Presswood partners with REAL Brokerage to serve the Mount Pleasant and Charleston, SC markets. Presswood is an example of combining highly professional content with more personal stories, helping her create new, deeper connections with her followers.
The style of videos she creates to share her favorite restaurants, parks, and amenities in and around Charleston is the type of content that builds community and trust. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance work and hobbies to grow your business, this is the account for you.
Andrew Wyndham @Where
Andrew Undem is the owner and managing partner of The Sure Group at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty, which serves the Baltimore metro area. Undem’s use of green screen footage, photography, and comedy-style content has enabled him to achieve over $1 billion in sales during his career.
He uses stories to share details of his day at work and documents his day with his family to engage his followers. If you’re looking for a unique way to turn boring market statistics into a fun video, look no further than his “Housing of the Month” series.
Ricky Carruth works for eXp Realty in Orange Beach, Alabama. He has amassed over 271,000 followers on Instagram by providing actionable ideas on how agencies can grow their businesses. His mix of posts, green screen video content, and interview-style videos gives agents multiple avenues for growth.
Carruth is always experimenting with new types of content. Because of the size of his audience, if you watch the type of posts that attract the most engagement, you can be successful by mimicking that type of content in your local market. Ricky Carruth is a perfect example of getting results through consistent, innovative content.
Jay Johnson is with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida, serving the Florida Panhandle’s 30A market. Johnson is a great example of how you don’t need a huge following to build a thriving business.
His “Friday Finds” series, where he shares his favorite homes on the market every Friday, has attracted a growing audience. His thick Southern accent, coupled with his fun delivery, resulted in three listings last week, all of which asked if they could be featured in a Find Friday video if they listed their home with him.
Johnson did nearly $25 million in sales in 2023, in just his second full year in the industry, thanks in large part to the leads he generated on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. This is another example of how being authentic to yourself attracts the people you should be working with.
Katie Day is a Team Leader on The Real Brokerage’s MOVEMETOTX team, serving the Houston, Texas market. Day is an example of consistent content that mixes valuable local market intelligence, agent education that showcases her expertise, and lifestyle content that helps her followers connect with her personally.
Day’s account has more than 6,100 posts, and her persistence has earned her more than 37,000 followers. This wouldn’t happen if fans didn’t find value in her content. If you’re looking for a balanced, well-thought-out Instagram strategy, this is the one you should follow.
Marie Boatsman works at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate, serving the Portland, OR area. Boatsman brings elegance to her video content, mixing listing highlights, design trends, and buyer/seller tips.
She also uses Instagram Stories to provide more personal connections, including her family and life outside of work. It’s worth a look if you want to bring a level of style and elegance to your account.
Brigette and Jay Modglin work with the Modglin Collection of Kentwood Real Estate to serve the Denver, Colorado market. Their blend of stunning photography, real estate highlight posts, and lifestyle videos is the perfect content mix to engage clients and build relationships.
A great example is their recent post where they filmed a relaxing ski run, with music triggering the emotions of being on the slopes and the physical cravings of that moment. If you’re looking for high-level lifestyle videos, check out the Modglin Collection.
Haley Ingram is the founder of Coffee & Contracts, a company that helps real estate agents grow their businesses through social media marketing. As a former agent, Ingram has a unique understanding of marketing real estate and real estate agents through Instagram.
Her content is timely and actionable, which has led her to over 74,000 Instagram followers. If you want to know how to market yourself and your business, Coffee and Contracts is a must-read.
Eric Simon is the founder of The Broke Agent. Simon has a unique way of pointing out the craziness of the real estate industry in a way that’s so spot-on you can’t help but laugh. If laughter is medicine for the soul, then broke brokers are the doctors for the real estate world.
Ryan Serhant is the founder and CEO of Serhant. He has truly set the standard for personal branding in real estate. With over 1.9 million followers on Instagram, no list of Instagram accounts for real estate agents to follow would be complete without Serhant.
This is a list of agents and trainers that I follow, but I’m sure there are many worth following that are not included in this list. Please leave your suggestions in the comments below.
