Here’s a clear, no-fluff, step-by-step Instagram SEO checklist tailored for marketing real estate on Instagram (optimized for both Instagram search/Explore and overall discoverability).

1) One-time setup (foundation)

1. Switch to Professional Account → Category: Real Estate Agent / Real Estate Service.

2. Public profile: required for search visibility.

3. Handle + Name field:

   • Handle: short + brandable (e.g., @YourNameRealEstate).

   • Name field = keywords + location (e.g., “Realtor • Lake Norman & Mooresville”).

4. Bio (140–150 chars usable): Who you help + where + what, plus 1 clear CTA.

   • Example: “Helping buyers & sellers in Lake Norman/Mooresville. Tours, drone, staging tips. ↓ Book a consult”.

5. Link in bio: Use a single landing page with UTM tracking (?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=profile).

6. Contact buttons: Add Call/Email/Direction; add service area in profile.

7. Highlights: “For Sale”, “Sold”, “Tours”, “Neighborhoods”, “FAQs”. Add keyworded cover titles.

2) Pre-post SEO checklist (every post)

1. Choose the format that travels far in search: Reels > Carousels > Single Image.

2. Geotag the post: Use the exact neighborhood, community, or city (not just “North Carolina”).

3. Media SEO:

   • Add on-screen text with city/neighborhood (“Mooresville • Lake Norman • Waterfront”).

   • Say the location on camera in Reels—the transcript is searchable.

   • Use a clear cover image with readable text (property type + area).

4. Alt text: Manually write it (Edit Alt Text).

   • Example: “Lake Norman waterfront home in Mooresville NC—5 bed modern craftsman with dock and sunset view.”

5. Caption first line (the hook) = primary keyword + value:

   • “Lake Norman waterfront listing in Mooresville: private dock, sunset views, 3-car garage.”

3) Caption SEO (structure you can reuse)

1. Hook line (keyword + location).

2. Feature bullets (2–5 unique selling points buyers search for: beds/baths, schools, HOA, walkability, waterfront, lot size).

3. Local context (proximity to highways, parks, lake access, boat ramps, retail).

4. Credibility (inspection ready, pre-inspected, floor plan, 3D tour link).

5. CTA (DM “LAKE” for full tour / “Book a showing via link in bio”).

6. Hashtags (see section 4).

Caption example (plug-and-play):
“Lake Norman waterfront home in Mooresville—private dock, sunset views, and main-level primary suite. Minutes to [Neighborhood Marina] & [Top School]. 3D tour + floor plan available. DM ‘LAKE’ for the full media kit or tap the link in bio to schedule a showing.”

4) Hashtag strategy (balanced + local)

• Use 10–20 total (test 8–12 vs. 15–20).

• Mix:

  • Core real estate (2–4): #RealEstate #HomeForSale

  • Geo-niche (6–10): #MooresvilleRealEstate #LakeNormanHomes #LakeNormanWaterfront #MooresvilleNC

  • Property type/features (2–4): #WaterfrontHome #ModernCraftsman #OpenConcept

  • Brand (1–2): #[YourBrand] #[YourNameRealEstate]

• Keep them in the caption (easier for search parsing) and rotate sets to avoid repetition.

5) Posting mechanics that boost discoverability

1. Timing: Post when your audience is active (check Insights → Total followers → Most active times).

2. Collab tag: Invite the seller’s agent, your photographer, or builder as a Collab—audiences combine.

3. Tag businesses/locations: Marinas, coffee shops, schools (when relevant) for local reach.

4. Pin key posts: Pin 1–3 of your best listings/“Why buy in Lake Norman” posts to the top of your grid.

5. Stories for velocity: Add 3–5 story frames after posting: teaser → feature → CTA → link sticker to book/showing.

6) Reel optimization (discovery rocket)

1. Title text on cover: “Mooresville Waterfront Tour (Inside!)”.

2. 0–3 seconds hook: “Is this the best view on Lake Norman?”

3. Script skeleton: Hook → 3 features → Neighborhood perk → CTA.

4. Captions on-screen: Always add auto-captions for searchable text.

5. Use relevant audio (but keep it subtle—speech/transcript still king).

6. CTA end card: “DM ‘VIEW’ for the 3D tour • Link in bio”.

7) Cross-channel signals (compounding SEO)

1. Embed the Instagram post on your website listing page/blog recap; add the property’s keywords there.

2. Cross-post to Facebook Page & Google Business Profile (GBP) Updates with the same keywords and link.

3. Pinterest pin (vertical cover + keywords) linking back to your site’s property page.

8) Engagement flywheel (signals IG cares about)

1. In the first 60 minutes: reply to comments, answer DMs, and ask a follow-up question.

2. Encourage saves: “Save this if you’re house-hunting on Lake Norman.”

3. Encourage shares: “Share with someone looking for Mooresville waterfront.”

4. Run Collab Q&A Live weekly (10–15 mins) with a lender/stager → cut clips into Reels.

9) Weekly & monthly rhythm

Weekly:

• 2–3 Reels (listings, area guides, FAQs).

• 1 carousel (photo tour or “Top 5 neighborhoods for boaters”).

• Daily Stories (behind-the-scenes, market stats, quick polls).

Monthly:

• “Market Update” Reel + carousel (keyworded: “Lake Norman Real Estate Market Update”).

• Refresh Highlights with best posts.

• Update pinned posts if a hero listing sells.

10) Measurement & iteration

1. Instagram Insights → Content You Shared: Track Reach, Non-followers Reached, Follows from content, and Profile Activity (Website taps).

2. Find what drives search: Sort top posts by Reach from Search/Explore and replicate the hook + format.

3. Hashtag diagnostics: Compare sets—if none bring impressions, swap in more geo-niche tags.

4. Link tracking: Use UTM on your bio + Stories links. Check clicks in Google Analytics.

5. Keep a simple tracker (date, format, hook, geotag, hashtags, reach, saves, shares, follows, link clicks).

Copy-ready templates

Alt Text (swap details):
“[City/Neighborhood] [property type]—[beds/baths], [key feature], near [landmark/school]; ideal for [buyer type], [unique selling point].”

Hashtag set (example):
#MooresvilleRealEstate #LakeNormanHomes #LakeNormanRealEstate #MooresvilleNC #WaterfrontHome #HomeForSale #NorthCarolinaRealEstate #LakeNormanWaterfront #HouseHunting #JustListed #[YourBrand]

Reel script (30–45s):

• Hook (2–3s): “Lake Norman waterfront with a private dock—let’s tour.”

• Feature 1 (5–7s): Kitchen/island + quick detail.

• Feature 2 (5–7s): Primary suite + view.

• Feature 3 (5–7s): Outdoor living/dock.

• Local perk (5–7s): “5 mins to [Marina/School].”

• CTA (3–5s): “DM ‘LAKE’ for 3D tour • link in bio.”

For More information on Professional Real Estate Media visit:  www.MarkJacobsProductions.com Online Booking available at www.markjacobsproductions.com/booking Check out Residential Real Estate Media  and our Commercial Real Estate Media today.  We also offer AirBnB and VRBO photography and Commercial Media Services  

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