# Instagram Reels for real estate agents How real estate agents can use Instagram Reels for listings: video specs, covers, the first frame, music rights, collab posts, captions, hashtags and Stories. ## Get the format right Reels are vertical videos that fill a phone screen. At the time of writing, Instagram recommends a 9:16 aspect ratio at 1080 × 1920 pixels. Check Instagram's current guidance before you rely on these numbers, because the platform changes its specs and length limits from time to time. A few practical points on format: - **Film vertically from the start.** Cropping a horizontal video to vertical throws away most of the frame and usually cuts off the best part of the room. - **Keep it short for listings.** Fifteen to sixty seconds is enough for one room, one feature or one piece of news. Save the full walkthrough for YouTube or your website. - **Leave room for the interface.** The bottom of the frame is covered by the caption, and the right side by the like, comment and share buttons. Keep text and important details in the middle. - **Use your best light.** Shoot in daylight, turn on every lamp, open the blinds. A phone in good light beats an expensive camera in a dark room. ## Choose a cover image The cover is the still that shows on your profile grid and in some parts of the app. You can pick a frame from the video or upload a separate image when you post. For a listing, a strong exterior shot or the best interior room usually works. Add a short line of text if you like, such as the neighborhood name or "Just listed," but keep it inside the center square, because the grid crops the cover to a square or close to it. If you post a lot of listings, a consistent cover style makes your grid look organized: same font, same position, same kind of shot. ## Make the first frame count Most people decide whether to keep watching in the first second or two. Don't open on your logo, a black screen or a slow fade. - Open on the most interesting thing in the home. - Start with movement: a door opening, a slow push into the kitchen. - Put a few words on screen right away so people know what they're looking at. - If you're on camera, start talking immediately. Skip "Hi everyone, welcome back." ## Use music you're allowed to use Music rights on Instagram depend on your account type. Business accounts have access to a limited music library of tracks cleared for commercial use, and many popular songs aren't in it. Creator and personal accounts see more music, but using a popular song to promote a business can still be a problem. Read Instagram's current music guidelines for your account type before you build a listing video around a song. The safest options are licensed music from the library you're offered, music you've licensed yourself, or original music you own. An original song about the home has one more advantage: nobody else's Reel sounds like yours. [Hit Listing](https://hitlisting.com/) writes and records an original song about each listing and cuts your photos into vertical videos timed to the music, at 15, 30, 60 or 90 seconds or the full song. Your first song is free. ## Collab posts with your sellers Instagram lets you invite another account as a collaborator on a post. When they accept, the Reel appears on both profiles and shares one set of likes and comments. For a listing, inviting the sellers (with their permission) can put the Reel in front of their friends and neighbors, people who might know someone looking. You can also collaborate with your listing photographer, stager or brokerage. Agree on the caption first, because it shows on both profiles. Not every seller wants their home on their own profile, so ask, and respect a no. ## Write a useful caption The caption doesn't have to be long. A simple structure works for most listings: 1. **The hook line.** The neighborhood and the standout feature, in one sentence. 2. **Two or three facts.** Bedrooms, bathrooms, a feature buyers ask about, the open-house date. 3. **What to do next.** "Message me for a showing" or "Link in bio for photos and details." Turn on captions for any speech in the video, and check them for mistakes before posting. Many people watch with the sound off. Keep the caption factual and Fair Housing safe: describe the home and nearby amenities, never who should live there. "Three bedrooms, a fenced yard and a short walk to the park" is fine. "Perfect for a young family" is not. Our [Fair Housing guide](https://hitlisting.com/guides/fair-housing-safe-listing-marketing) has more examples. ## Hashtags, in moderation Hashtags help Instagram understand what a post is about, but more isn't better. A handful of specific tags beats thirty generic ones. Good choices are your city, your neighborhood, a local real estate tag your market uses, and a tag for the listing stage, like #justlisted, #openhouse or #sold. Skip tags that describe people rather than property. ## Use Stories alongside Reels Reels reach new people. Stories reach the people who already follow you. Use both. - **Share each new Reel to your Story** so followers see it even if the algorithm doesn't show it to them. - **Post behind-the-scenes clips** from the photo shoot or open-house setup. Stories can be rougher than Reels. - **Use the question and poll stickers.** "Which room is your favorite?" or "What do you want to see next?" gives you ideas for the next Reel. - **Add a link sticker** to the listing page or your website. ## Save listings to highlights Stories disappear after 24 hours, but highlights stay on your profile. Create a highlight for each active listing, or one for "Listings" and one for "Sold," and save the Story clips to it. When someone visits your profile, they can see your current homes and your track record without scrolling through the grid. Give highlights simple names and simple covers. When a listing sells, move its clips to your "Sold" highlight or remove them, so your current listings stay easy to find. ## Frequently asked questions ### What size should an Instagram Reel be? At the time of writing, Instagram recommends 9:16 at 1080 × 1920 pixels. Check Instagram's current guidance, because specs and length limits change. ### Can I use any song in a listing Reel? No. Business accounts get a limited library of music cleared for commercial use, and many popular songs aren't in it. Use music from that library, music you've licensed, or original music you own. ### Should I post the same video as a Reel and on TikTok? You can, and many agents do. Remove the other platform's watermark first, check that the music is cleared on both, and adjust the caption and hashtags for each app. ### How many hashtags should I use? A handful of specific ones: your city, your neighborhood, a local real estate tag, and the listing stage. There's no benefit to filling the caption with generic tags.