It might not seem like it at first glance, but with over 100 million monthly users, 40 million photos posted per day and over 1000 comments per second, Instagram is one of the largest social networking platforms around, even surpassing Twitter in mobile traffic late last year. This free photo sharing application for iPhone and Android makes it simple to create stunning images that can easily be shared with your network in a matter of moments. Users can like and comment on photos, search photos by location or hashtag and even tag other users in their own photos.

So with all the hype – and a billion dollar acquisition from Facebook – why is Instagram often overlooked by real estate folks when talking about social media and online marketing strategy? After all, you would suspect that a social network built for smartphones (which never leave many agents' hands) and built around sharing images (listing photos are the core of real estate advertising) would be a no-brainer, but we've hardly seen anything around the web explaining how to put Instagram to work in your own real estate business.

So let's change that, shall we! Here are seven different ways that you can starting using Instagram to increase your listing exposure and promote your business online.

1. Showcase Your Listings and Business

The most obvious use of the bunch is also the most important. Since Instagram is all about sharing beautiful photos, snap a picture of a listing's most interesting/beautiful/gorgeous features add one of the available filters and voila, you've got a drool-worthy listing photo that rivals some professional shots. But remember, think beyond the listing photo; you can use pictures to showcase any part of your business. Be it photos of the charitable causes you donate your time to or photos of the neighborhood you specialize in.

Pro-tip: Just make sure you don't go overboard on the filters and effects. There is nothing worse than a photo that is too manipulated.