18 March 2024

SMARTPHONES & SOCIAL MEDIA: JULIA MORTIMER’S REAL ESTATE TACTICS

We were thrilled to chat with Julia Mortimer from Real Estate Imagery to discover how her training sessions are empowering real estate professionals to make the most of their smartphones and social media, tips for executing a compelling pre-launch campaign and expert insights on shooting properties with a smartphone. 

After 20 years of experience in the real estate industry and a decade of running a real estate photography and floor plan business, Julia Mortimer saw a gap in the market.  

She noticed that while technology is integrating into most aspects of daily life, many agents and property managers still scratch their heads over how to fully leverage their smartphones in their work. 

So, Julia took her passion and vast knowledge for real estate photography, and created Real Estate Imagery, offering online and in-person masterclasses, tailor-made for real estate pros looking to elevate their smartphone photography and social media game.  

“In that training, we start with the most important aspect, which is the property shots,” Julia said. 

“I teach agents how to activate their phone’s wide-angle lens, how to choose the correct angle and get the vertical and horizontal angles of the image straight, and the importance of getting those images edited to look as beautiful and professional as possible.” 

Simplified Smartphone Photography with SnapSnapSnap 

Throughout her training sessions, Julia introduces her clients to our photography app SnapSnapSnap, a game-changer for easily capturing incredible real estate images on an iPhone.  

“SnapSnapSnap is something that agents can use to their advantage to get their photos looking market-ready and save a lot of time and money at the same time,” she said. 

“The app is great because all the settings are ready to go – all you need to do is open the app and start taking photos. 

“With the press of a button, the app will take bracketed images, which is the gold standard for real estate photography,” Julia said.  

HDR bracketing involves taking multiple shots of the same scene at different exposures, and with editing, blending them to create an evenly exposed image. Without it, details can be lost, resulting in unprofessional-looking images that don’t adequately showcase the property.  

To blend the bracketed images together, Julia relies on her favorite BoxBrownie.com edit: Image Enhancement.  

“I love the Image Enhancement edit – it’s the one I use the most and I think it gives you the most bang for your buck,” Julia said.  

“Depending on when you shoot a property, you can’t always get the sky looking like a perfect sunny day. 

“With Image Enhancement, a beautiful blue sky and green grass can be added to the image, plus the image is brightened and straightened, which all contributes to creating an exceptional image,” she said.  

Julia’s Top Tips for Real Estate Smartphone Photography 

Julia shared some expert tips for capturing sensational property photos with a smartphone:  

• Start with the right tools: “All you need is a smartphone with a built-in wide-angle lens. All the new Samsung phones have them, and any models from the iPhone 11 and up have them too. Once you have that wide-angle lens, you’ll be able to take a beautiful real estate photo, and everything else can be learned,” Julia said.  
• Clean the camera lens: “It sounds like a simple thing, but before you take any photos, make sure you clean the camera lens. Getting rid of the fingerprints, smudges and dust is so important. If you leave them there, they are going to put a hazy effect over your image,” Julia said.  
• Nail the hero shot: “Eighty percent of the time, the hero shot of the listing is the exterior shot of the property. Make sure you take a variety of angles: one from the left, one from the right and one directly in front of the property. Then all you have to do is send them away to be edited,” Julia said. 

Social Media Mastery 

Julia has a deep understanding of the power that social media holds in real estate marketing.  

From personal brand building to pre-launch property campaigns, throughout her sessions Julia educates her clients on how to leverage their social media presence effectively, and it all starts with attention-grabbing photos. 

“To start harnessing social media to your full potential, you must have established engagement with your audience. Gaining that engagement starts with posting beautiful photos consistently,” Julia said.  

Once an audience is established, Julia says the benefits of using social media start rolling in. 

“Nowadays, so many buyers and renters look for properties through social media, so you need to market your listings there,” she said.  

“Buyers’ agents will usually follow other agents on social media, and it's very likely that one could look at your post and determine that the property could be a good fit for their client.” 

For real estate pros, Julia says a social media profile acts like an online resume as well. 

“An agent or property manager’s social media profile needs to be engaging and personal. You should be showcasing your personality and how you engage with the community, but also strike a balance with posting property images as well,” she said. 

When posting property images to social media, Julia has an expert tip to attract buyers to a post.  

“Ensuring the photos are edited is incredibly important, but I also recommend adding text to them as well. It helps your post get more attention and gives you the chance to convey another message about what the property has to offer,” Julia said. 

“I recommend adding some text in the top left or bottom right corner. You want to keep it short and catchy, so don’t overdo it.” 

The Power of a Pre-Launch Campaign 

Julia’s expertise in property marketing through social media is exemplified by her strategic approach to leveraging pre-launch campaigns.  

She emphasizes the importance of capturing a compelling hero shot as soon as a listing is acquired, which can be as simple as making a quick trip to the property and taking an exterior shot with SnapSnapSnap.  

This approach allows for the creation of anticipation through a pre-launch campaign, maximizing early interest and awareness among potential buyers.  

“Once you’ve won a listing, it’s a great time to capture one hero shot,” Julia said. 

“It might be days or weeks before that property is going to actually hit the market, but it’s an awesome opportunity to start a pre-launch campaign.” 

In one instance, a team of agents who underwent Julia’s training successfully implemented this strategy, capturing three impressive images on a smartphone and initiating a pre-launch campaign on social media.  

Within three days, the property attracted a buyer who was already following the agency on Instagram, resulting in a swift sale and satisfied stakeholders on all sides.  

“The result was happy sellers, happy buyers, and the agents were very pleased that their new smartphone photography and social media skills had allowed them to pull off a beautiful pre-launch campaign,” Julia said. 

Want to become a smartphone photography pro just like Julia? Get started by downloading SnapSnapSnap – the easiest, fastest and most cost-effective way to shoot stunning real estate photos on your iPhone! 

 

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