Quick answer: Real estate agents in Dubai get leads from Instagram by posting reels and stories that end with one clear action, such as "comment PRICE", then answering every comment and DM in seconds. ManyChat automates that first reply and asks for the person's number. A CRM like Majlis CRM receives each lead straight into your pipeline, so an agent calls while the buyer is still interested.
Key takeaways
Instagram is a DM channel, not a brochure. Most enquiries start with a comment or a message, not a form.
Every post needs one action. "Comment AREA for the price list" turns a viewer into a conversation you can automate.
Speed decides who gets the viewing. ManyChat replies in seconds, day or night, and asks for the phone number Instagram does not share.
Leads belong in a CRM, not an inbox. ManyChat's External Request sends each lead to Majlis CRM, with an owner, a stage and a reminder.
Property posts need a Trakheesi permit, on Instagram as on the portals.
Last checked: 11 October 2026.
Why Instagram works for real estate agents in Dubai
Dubai buyers and tenants scroll before they search. Many are abroad, comparing communities they have never visited, and Instagram is where they see a walk-through of a Marina apartment or a minute on what JVC is like to live in. A reel can reach people who would never open a portal.
The catch is how they reply. A portal enquiry arrives with a name and a phone number. An Instagram enquiry arrives as a comment ("price?"), a story reply or a DM from an account called @sunset_dreams_92. If nobody answers within the hour, that person has already messaged three other agents. Instagram rewards the agent who turns those messages into conversations, and those conversations into leads someone calls.
Set up your Instagram profile for leads
Use a professional account
Switch to a professional (Business or Creator) account in Instagram's settings. It gives you insights, contact buttons and the messaging access that DM automation tools such as ManyChat need.
Write a bio that says who you help, where
A good Instagram bio for a real estate agent answers three questions in four lines: who you are, which areas or property types you cover, and what to do next.
Example: Real estate agent at [Brokerage], Dubai | Off-plan and ready homes in Dubai Hills, JVC and Business Bay | DM "BUY" or "RENT" and I will send you the latest options
Add your brokerage's name and keep your RERA broker card details ready: clients ask, and Dubai's rules follow the agent across every channel.
Pin three posts that explain what you do
Pin a market update, a client story and a "how buying works for overseas buyers" reel. New visitors look at the pinned posts before anything else.
Instagram content that brings real estate enquiries
| Format | What works | The action at the end |
|---|---|---|
| Reels | Walk-throughs, "what AED 1.5M buys in...", off-plan launch explainers, area guides | "Comment PRICE and I'll DM you the floor plans" |
| Stories | New listings, polls ("Marina or JBR?"), Q&A stickers, behind the scenes at viewings | "Reply LAUNCH for the brochure" |
| Carousels | Service charges compared, payment plans explained, buying costs step by step | "Save this, and DM COSTS for the full sheet" |
| Ads | Your best reel, boosted to buyers in the UK, India or Europe | A click-to-message button that opens a DM |
Notice the pattern: every post ends with one word to comment or send. That is what makes the next step automatic.
Rule: a post that advertises a Dubai property needs a Trakheesi permit, whether it is a reel, a story, a boosted post or a post on your personal account. The permit number and QR code go on the ad. See Trakheesi permit in Dubai for which posts need one and what it costs.
Turn comments and DMs into leads automatically with ManyChat
ManyChat is a chat automation tool for Instagram, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. For real estate agents it does one job very well: it answers the moment someone engages, at 2am as at 2pm, and collects what you need to call them.
The automations worth setting up
Comment to DM. Someone comments "PRICE" on a reel. ManyChat replies to the comment and sends a DM with the price list or floor plans.
Story replies. Anyone who replies to a launch story gets the brochure and two quick questions.
Keywords in DMs. A message containing "rent", "buy" or "off-plan" starts the matching flow.
Click-to-message ads. The ad opens a DM that ManyChat answers, instead of a form people abandon.
Ask for the phone number in the flow
Instagram does not share a person's phone number or email with ManyChat or with you. So the flow has to ask, in a natural way: "Happy to send the full payment plan on WhatsApp. What's the best number?" Save the reply to the contact's Phone field, then ask one or two qualifying questions, such as budget and preferred area. Keep it short: every extra question loses people.
Send ManyChat leads straight to your CRM
A lead that stays in ManyChat or your Instagram inbox is a lead someone has to remember. That is where Instagram lead generation usually breaks: the DM was answered, the number was collected, and then nobody called because it never reached the pipeline.
ManyChat's External Request step (a paid feature, on ManyChat Pro at the time of writing) can post each lead to your CRM the moment the flow ends. In Majlis CRM it takes about fifteen minutes:
In Majlis, a founder opens Settings > ManyChat and clicks Connect ManyChat. Pick the fields the flow will send (always Phone or Email), the Pipeline, the Stage and who gets the leads under Assign to: one agent, the General Pool or your lead rotation.
In ManyChat, after the questions, add an Action and choose External Request. Set it to POST and paste the Endpoint URL from the webhook card in Majlis.
Under Headers, add
x-webhook-secretwith the Secret from the card. Under Body, paste the payload Majlis showed you and fill each value with ManyChat's own field, such as First Name and Phone.Run the flow on your own account. The lead appears in Majlis, and Delivery logs on the webhook card show what arrived.
From then on, every lead lands with its source (Instagram), its answers in the right fields (budget, preferred areas, property type) and anything else the person said on the lead's notes. Someone already in Majlis is matched by phone or email, so you do not get a second contact. The full setup is on the ManyChat integration page.
Follow up while the lead is still warm
Automation gets the number. A person still has to call. A few habits make the difference:
Call or WhatsApp within five minutes during working hours. The person was on their phone a minute ago.
Use lead rotation. In Majlis, an Instagram lead nobody contacts in time moves to the next agent instead of going cold.
Move to WhatsApp. Most Dubai clients prefer it to Instagram DMs once they are serious. With WhatsApp in the CRM, that chat sits next to the lead.
Measure by source. Instagram leads carry their own source, so reports show how many became viewings and deals, not just how many DMs you got.
Mistakes that cost agents Instagram leads
"DM for price" with nobody watching the DMs. Automate the first reply or do not invite the message.
Asking for everything at once. Name, number and one question. The rest happens on the call.
Leads living in a spreadsheet. Exports from ManyChat are already old by the time anyone opens them.
Posting listings without a permit. DLD fines for unpermitted ads start at AED 50,000.
Measuring followers, not viewings. A small account that books ten viewings a month beats a large one that books none.
Frequently asked questions
How do real estate agents get leads from Instagram?
By posting reels, stories and ads that end with one clear action, such as commenting a keyword or sending a DM, and by answering every comment and message quickly. A tool such as ManyChat sends the first reply automatically and collects the person's phone number, and a CRM makes sure an agent follows up.
Is ManyChat good for real estate agents?
Yes, for the first minute of the conversation. It answers comments, story replies and DMs instantly, sends brochures and floor plans, and asks qualifying questions. It is not a CRM: it does not assign leads, track follow-ups or report on deals, which is why agents connect it to one.
Can ManyChat send leads to a CRM?
Yes. ManyChat's External Request step posts the lead's details to a CRM's webhook. Majlis CRM has a ManyChat setup under Settings > ManyChat that creates the webhook and shows the exact body to paste into ManyChat.
Do I need ManyChat Pro?
External Request, the step that sends data to a CRM, is a paid ManyChat feature (Pro at the time of writing). Comment and DM automation alone are available on ManyChat's lower plans. Check ManyChat's pricing page for the current limits.
Do Instagram property posts in Dubai need a Trakheesi permit?
Yes. Any post that advertises a Dubai property needs a Trakheesi permit, including reels, stories, boosted posts and posts on a personal account. The permit number and QR code must appear on the ad.
How many times a week should a real estate agent post on Instagram?
Consistency matters more than volume. Three to five reels or carousels a week plus daily stories is a pace most agents can keep alongside viewings. What matters is that every post invites a reply and every reply is answered.
Want to see Instagram, Bayut, Property Finder and WhatsApp leads in one pipeline? Book a demo of Majlis CRM.
Sources
The ultimate guide for Instagram comment automation, ManyChat.
ManyChat pricing, ManyChat.
Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide, 2nd edition (Nov 2024), DLD / RERA.