Realtors who are thinking of incorporating videos in their marketing strategies are one step closer to boosting property sales. Real estate video marketing is central to all high earning real estate businesses for many reasons. However, the most important reason though is that customers prefer video content. Videos increase people’s understanding of your product/service and add depth to your unique selling points.
So, we’ve created a comprehensive yet quick guide to real estate video marketing. It covers everything: from addressing your queries like how real estate video marketing is different from other industries, whether it really works, how to make a real estate video, suggestions for video types, and best practices for real estate video marketing.
Does real estate video marketing really work?
Using videos in marketing is indeed very helpful in attracting potential buyers. Not to mention, videos have gained popularity across all businesses when it comes to content consumption.
Through videos, homebuyers find all the details necessary to them, which is amiss in photos. In fact, 61% of homebuyers found websites with video content more useful. It means more traffic to your website.
Besides, once a potential customer visits your website, you can take them anywhere down the marketing funnel. Get them to sign up for emails, subscribe to your blog feed for more educational content, download infographics of real estate market trends, or share embedded videos for exclusive home listings, etc.
In a nutshell, videos could become a versatile marketing asset for your real estate business. You can repurpose videos for different platforms and marketing campaigns.
How is real estate video marketing different from other industries?
Real estate is the most lucrative industry because buyers are looking for a long term product/service – property/home.
Therefore, realtors need to build credibility and rapport before a buyer makes a buying decision. It means testing multiple marketing strategies to get that big fat cheque.
Video marketing is a great way to convince your viewers about what makes your listing unique. A video adds more authenticity as compared to text and images.
Besides, there are several video marketing ideas for realtors to showcase their services. The ideas vary from home improvement tips and listicles for best localities to market updates, virtual tours, live Q&A, etc.
Types of real estate videos
Explainer video
Sometimes, all a homebuyer knows is that they want to buy a home or invest in a property. They need someone to guide them regarding where to begin, what are their options, what they can afford, etc. You can be that guide by explaining how you can help in a video.
Brand video or “about me” video
Don’t try to sell a property here. Introduce yourself, focus on your qualifications, and gain their trust. It’ll not only help you put a face to your brand/agency but build trust – somewhere homebuyers can go to for future reference.
Listing video
Use real estate video in listings to highlight the best features of a house. Give a video tour covering bedrooms, bathrooms, connectivity and acreage. Take captivating aerial footage and other neighbourhood amenities.
Live streaming Q&As video
Leverage the power of live streaming through webinars or Facebook Live. Interact with your potential customers with question and answer sessions. It’ll help show off your know-how about the industry as a realtor.
Testimonial video
If you really want to harness the potential of video marketing, testimonials are of prime importance. A review of your services from past customers can convince or motivate leads into buying decisions.
How to make a real estate video: tips to get started
Plan the video in advance
Before you set out to shoot a video for real estate marketing, you need to allocate a purpose to it. This will help your marketing goals in the long run.
For example, you want to shoot a listing video. First, you need a list of shots, angles, and types of footage. It could be an aerial shot or footage of neighbourhood activities, interior shots from different angles, etc. Select what weather conditions best highlight the beauty of that property. Also, check if the lighting is okay and if you need props for room staging.
Tell a clear story
Viewers come across a load of content every day, thus the short attention spans. So, don’t burden them with too much information – listing, testimonial, neighbourhood tour, expert advice – in a single video. To make real estate videos, stick to one clear story. This will help you in two ways: viewers will remember your message, and you’ll have more content ideas.
Work on technical details and edit them further
Poor lighting and bad sound quality may drive your viewers away despite good quality content. Good lighting while shooting can elevate the overall look of your video. You can tweak it later in a video editor too. Rely on natural light and avoid harsh, artificial lights. Considering backlighting is also important, especially for house tour videos. Don’t shoot near windows or in front of a light source to avoid shadows.
Add good music to enhance the mood of your video. Take a cue from what message you wish to convey. Let’s say the video is about a family home. Uplifting music with a family vibe can invoke imagination in a viewer about living in that home. If it’s an explainer or educational video, use noise cancellation in a video editor to improve sound quality.
Add a detailed title and description
If you want readers to find your videos through search, use a title and description that details important information about video content. Make it captivating using keywords and attention-grabbing words.
Include logo, contact information, and captions
In real estate listings, it is inevitable to share all the information on how to reach you or contact you. Make sure to add your name, contact information, and brand logo.
Captions are also important for the clarity of the video content. Besides, captions facilitate clear communication for voice over videos. It also helps with memory retention when you highlight keywords – square backyard with an elite fountain – in your video listing.
Where to share real estate videos?
Once you have created an outstanding video, the next important question is where to share it? Important platforms worthy of great real estate videos are:
- Social media – To promote your video content and get brand exposure, share it on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Snapchat is also great for quick tips and renovation videos. Apart from that, video ads on Facebook and Instagram are effective in spreading brand awareness.
- Landing page – All your promotional video content goes on the landing page. Each landing page is a piece of creative marketing. So make your content engaging, to the point, trustworthy, and drive customers to take action. Use testimonial videos as well to build trust.
- Website – Use introductory videos on the homepage of your website. To expand on blog content with visual information, add educational content or highlights from Live Q&A sessions.
Best practices for an engaging real estate video marketing
Here are some best practices to supercharge your video marketing:
- Keep your videos short and sweet to increase viewership. Video ads – 15-30 seconds, educational videos – 4-5 minutes. Two-minute videos are best for engagement. Besides, for all social media, there are set rules for posting video content.
- Include a clear call to action (CTA) because your viewers want to know what’s next
- Regardless of the shooting gear you choose, keep one thing in your mind: shots must be stable. Use a table or an easy-to-setup tripod.
- Use shooting effects like time-lapse for a renovation video or boomerang to create eye-catching GIFs.
- Optimise all your videos for real estate search results by using relevant keywords and phrases.
- Replace a written message in drip campaigns with community videos or interviews.
- Provide virtual tours of exclusive properties because viewers remember listings for a detailed, immersive experience.