If you want to show off your marketing prowess and entice potential clients to enlist your services, you have to show them you know how to market yourself. That’s why getting those little IG squares designed just right is oh so important: You’re not just showing off the house or your expertise or your services – you’re showing off your ability to market your potential client’s home. 

So here’s the first thing you need to stop doing to up-level your Canva designs. Seriously. Do this right now.

Stop over-cluttering your tiny little posts with WAY too much stuff. 

Less is more, my friend. Repeat after me: “Less…is…more.” 

Too much content squished into a tiny little space screams “messy.” And you know what messy means? People just scroll on by without a second glance.

Our brains are wired for simplicity so overcomplicated design gets filed as noise and we scroll along on our merry way. 

 

Here are a few more post DON’Ts to keep in mind: 

ONE
Don’t advertise more than one home per post slide. Keep it simple: Focus your audience’s attention on one home. 

TWO
Don’t share ALL the house highlights directly on the post. (That’s what your caption section is for!) Instead, entice your audience to WANT to read the caption by adding a juicy headline to your post like, “a home like no other…”

THREE
Don’t add every single contact method plus your headshot on your post. Instead, add a submark and add a CTA to your caption. (“DM me for more info” is more than enough.) 

FOUR
Don’t use more than ONE image. IG squares are tiny, and too many images can look cluttered. If you want to showcase a home, stick to carousel posts so your audience can scroll through full-sized photos of the home. (And bask in its beauty. Naturally.)

FIVE
Don’t skip this one! When in doubt, remove and refine. Take a cue from Coco Chanel, who lived by the mantra: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” When you’re done designing your post in Canva, sit back and ask yourself, “What one thing can I remove to refine my design?” (Pro tip: Your headshot does NOT need to be on any of your posts.)

I’m cheering you on from the sidelines! Remember to tag @fourthstreetcreative and send us a DM on the ‘gram if you want us to take a peek at your DIY creations!