How to Use Instagram Green Screen: An Agent’s Guide (+ Tips)

Instagram is a favorite among real estate agents for showcasing listings, building brand awareness, and connecting with potential clients. But now, with the Instagram green screen feature, savvy agents can take their Stories and Reels to a whole new level. Over the last six months, I’ve been using the green screen effect on my Instagram, @lukeacree, to create more appealing and engaging reels, attracting about 5,000 views per video (one even got 1.5 million views!)

While the numbers vary, I can say with absolute certainty that engagement has gone way up since adding green screen videos to my Instagram. My followers have grown to more than 36K. And I’m going to teach you how to do it. I’ll lay out the steps for how to do green screen on Instagram plus ideas for content and tips to ensure that your videos look their best.

What Is a Green Screen?

Before getting into how to use an Instagram green screen, let’s review what a green screen is all about. A green screen is a background used in video production that allows you to digitally add a different image or video in place of the green area. The technique involves placing a person or object in front of a green-colored background, filming it, and then replacing the green with any desired background. 

The Instagram green screen effect lets you change the background of your Stories and Reels within the app, so there’s no need for any external equipment. This effect is particularly useful for real estate agents because it allows you to create dynamic and visually appealing content like virtual home tours and other videos that can attract viewers’ attention with the potential to offer a visual experience that’s both informative and engaging. 

How to Do Green Screen on Instagram

The steps here reflect how iPhone and iPad users will interact with the green screen Instagram effect. If you’re using an Android device, your experience may vary slightly, but the app’s core features and functionality are generally the same across both platforms. 

Step 1: Open Instagram Reels

Open the Instagram app on your mobile device, tap the plus sign (+) on your profile page, then scroll through the menu to select Reel. (You can use the Instagram green screen on Stories, but I prefer Reels, which tend to get more visibility and allow longer content.)

Step 2: Access the Green Screen Effect

On the New Reel screen, tap the Camera icon, then expand the menu on your screen’s left or right side. Find and tap Green Screen to apply. 

Step 3: Choose Your Background

After selecting the green screen Instagram effect, tap the image to enlarge it. Instagram will load a default image, but you’ll see a button prompting you to Change Background or Add Media. Click it to open your Camera Roll containing the images or video you created earlier. You can always change your background mid-recording by pausing, choosing a new image, and continuing to record.

Step 4: Adjust Yourself in the Frame

Once your background is selected, you’ll appear in front of it on the screen. You don’t want to appear disproportionately large or small compared with the objects in your background, so before you start recording, pinch and drag your image to adjust its size and position to look as natural as possible.

Pro Tip: Ensure you’re not blocking any important details in your background. For example, if you’re standing in front of a property’s exterior, position yourself to the side so viewers can clearly see the home.

Step 5: Record Your Video

Now that you’ve set everything up, it’s time to start recording. Attach your phone to a tripod. Tap the Green Screen icon below your image a single time for continuous recording.

During this phase, your goal is to be clear, concise, and engaging. Speak directly to your audience as if you were having a one-on-one conversation. And don’t worry about minor flubs; viewers enjoy authenticity. You can edit any major mistakes after the fact.

Examples of Engaging Green Screen Videos for Real Estate Agents

As an element of your overall content marketing strategy, you’ll want to use green screen videos to promote your services as an agent and provide a mix of educational, entertaining, and endearing content. There are tons of ideas for Instagram Reels that you can easily adapt for use with its green screen. Here are just a few to spark your creativity.

• Virtual property tours: This particular green screen video is easy for beginners. Record video or take pictures of the home’s exterior and various rooms. Then, use your Instagram green screen background to film yourself “in” the home, switching between different rooms or exteriors as you narrate the property’s features. Use wide, high-quality images of each room. Speak and move through the home in your video at a reasonable pace—fast enough to maintain your viewers’ interest but slow enough to give them time to appreciate each area.
• Neighborhood highlights: Use the green screen effect to place yourself in front of iconic landmarks, parks, or even trendy restaurants in the area you serve or the neighborhood of a new listing. As you talk about the community’s vibe, the Instagram green screen can take viewers to these locations without leaving their homes.
• Market update with visuals: Have market data images, like graphs or charts, as your background while explaining local real estate market trends. Add some personality to the data by standing in front of it as if you’re giving a weather report. Whatever visuals you choose, though, be sure that they are easy to understand and don’t overcrowd the screen.
• Before, during, and after renovations and builds: Present a side-by-side comparison of a property before and after renovations, using the green screen to switch between images or videos of the transformation. Similarly, you can post information about a new construction project, using the Instagram green screen to show images of the build in various stages and videos of work in progress.
• Real estate myths: Debunk common real estate myths by discussing them in front of a green screen that shows relevant statistics, examples, text highlights, or images.
• Current events: Use a sports, entertainment, or news story that either is or can be connected—with a little imagination and creativity—to real estate. Use the Instagram story green screen to place an image of the story or other relevant picture in your background as you explain it or offer your opinion about it.
• Event announcements: Announce upcoming open houses, real estate seminars, and community events, using the green screen to show event details, dates, and locations. But don’t limit yourself to simply displaying text in your background—couple the event details with relevant images, the date on an image of a calendar, and the location with a map.
• Community engagement: People support businesses with a purpose greater than profit, so use the Instagram green screen to display images and videos of your good work in action as you tell a tale about your involvement in a charitable event.
• Behind the scenes: Give a sneak peek of your day as a real estate agent, switching the green screen to show different parts of your routine, such as meetings, showings, and paperwork. Create a video about preparing for an open house, using images to share what’s involved as you narrate the care and effort you take to ensure every client’s open house succeeds. Similarly, you can use a montage of images showing happy clients after their closings to promote your services.

Check out these real estate agents crushing it with Instagram green screens:

Tips for Using Instagram Green Screen

Here are some suggestions for creating engaging, high-quality videos that can attract leads while avoiding common pitfalls.

It’s Best Not to Wing It

A little preparation before shooting your video will save time and hassles later on. Once you have your topic, use a script to guide your recording. Whether you write out everything or stick to organized bullet points, a script will make you more confident and help avoid awkward pauses or repetitive content. In addition, an app like Teleprompter for iPhone and iPad can ensure a smooth delivery. As a bonus, using a script will streamline your editing process by reducing the need for extensive cuts and corrections.

Next, determine your background. Think strategically about what will visually grab your audience’s attention and hook them in. Whether it’s a single image, a series of images, or a video, collect or record it in your Camera Roll before beginning to have it on your mobile device ready for use. 

Avoid Poor Lighting

Lighting is key to making your green screen videos look professional. If it’s too dark or uneven, it will create shadows and make the green screen effect look obvious and clunky. Always ensure you’re filming in a well-lit area with soft, even lighting on your face. Invest in a simple ring light, or use natural light by filming near a window during the day. If you’re shooting outdoors, ensure you’re not in too much shadow compared with the bright daylight in the background.

Steer Clear of Busy Backgrounds

Choosing a background that is too busy or cluttered can overwhelm your viewers. Remember, your face and message should be the star of the show. Don’t choose a background with too much going on, like a street scene with lots of cars or people moving; keep your background simple and relevant to your content. If you’re unsure, choose a single clear image over a dynamic video.

Resist Overediting

When creating Instagram green screen videos, it’s easy to get carried away with all the bells and whistles. The temptation to constantly switch backgrounds or add multiple effects might be strong, but when working with video, less is often more. Too many transitions or visual effects can distract your viewers from the message you’re trying to convey. Stick to one or two background changes in a single video. Let the content shine through instead of relying solely on effects.

Take Action

The Instagram green screen effect is a powerful tool for real estate agents looking to stand out and engage their audiences. By showing, rather than just telling, you’ll bring your properties and expertise to life in a fresh, dynamic, and visually appealing way. 

Practice makes perfect, though; you’ll need to put in the work to get comfortable. Remember to keep it simple and follow the tips above, and, with time, you’ll find green screen videos becoming an indispensable part of your real estate marketing strategy. The important thing is to just get started, so record your first Instagram green screen Reel today.

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