Video is a powerful tool in every marketer’s tool belt—and if you’re in the real estate game, you’re definitely a marketer, whether you realize it or not. Your job is selling, and selling means making people want to buy. (Hint: that’s exactly what marketing is about!)
Video marketing is powerful for real estate agents, but it’s still remarkably underutilized in the space. According to the 2021 Technology Survey from the National Association of REALTORS Research Group, 37% of respondents say they use video in their marketing, while 27% say they do not. The remaining 35% say that while they do not currently use video for marketing, they hope to in the near future.
For agents that are still putting off video marketing, now is the time to invest in high-quality content for each property you list. There’s still time to be a relatively early adopter in the space, and you can beat out competitors who are still lagging on the video trend.
Not quite convinced you need video? Here are just a few of the key benefits of video marketing for the real estate industry.
Benefits of Video Marketing for Real Estate
- Real estate listings with video receive 403 percent more inquiries than listings without.
- Of all buyers and sellers, 85 percent want to work with an agent who uses video as part of their marketing efforts.
- Eighty-six percent of homebuyers use video to research a particular community and 70 percent use it to tour the inside of homes.
- Forty-four percent of homebuyersbegin their search for a residence online, and video helps with SEO results and standing out on crowded search pages.
- Thirty-nine percent of homebuyers used sites with embedded video during their home searches, and 56% of them felt it was “very useful.”
- Links to pages with embedded video get 157% more organic search results than pages without video,
So, how exactly can you use video to stand out from the crowd? Keep reading for five ways to approach your real estate video contentand five examples of videos we’ve created for our real estate clients.
How to Use Video Marketing for Real Estate
Use video to show off your property.
Want beautiful aerial views of the property you are listing? Want to document the awesome spiral staircase, the lovely furniture, or the wall accents? Pictures and text descriptions don’t even come close to video for these unique home features.
Think of it this way: video can work as a permanent open house for any property you’re trying to sell. Set up your decor, set the perfect lighting, make the space inviting and warm, and film it! You’ll capture the space as it should be captured, without having to worry about daily upkeep.
Plus, it gives remote buyers peace of mind that they’ve “toured” the property, even if they can’t come see it in person. They’ll feel more confident in their decision than they would without the video option.
Reach your customers digitally, where they spend their time.
Online browsing behavior is constantly changing. While people once went directly to local newspapers or magazines to search for listings in their neighborhood, now, they spend most of their time searching via Google, social media, recommended agency websites, and more—all online.
What does this mean for you? If you want to reach prospective buyers, you’ve got to use video. Besides video being the most engaged with type of content online, video is also being prioritized by digital algorithms. Social channels like Facebook and Instagramandsearch engines like Bing and Google have shared that they explicitly prioritize video content in feeds and results pages.
If you’re not using videos and your competition is, you’re going to lose out on digital audiences every time.
Start conversations with your customers directly.
The beauty of video is in the way it facilitates the understanding and communication of information. Video provides a personal touch for viewers exploring your properties, and you can use that personal touch to your advantage. In addition to the property videos we’ve described above, you can also create videos that feature you in front of the camera.
You can answer common questions about the property, provide a brief overview of the purchase process and what buyers can expect, or even creating a custom video highlighting features you know a specific client will love. Going the extra mile with these videos will leave a great impression on your buyers.
To create a video like this, start by addressing some of the most common questions you receive. Use a video to talk about a property’s size, price, history, number of bedrooms—you name it. Then, upload the video to the channels where you’re most likely to reach your audience.
Add video to your website, promote it on social media, and more.
Speaking of channels that help reach your audience, another great thing about video is that you can use it almost anywhere online to drive user interest. There are countless platforms and channels that support video content in 2021, and you can use any or all of them as you see fit. Here are a few of the most common options we’d recommend exploring.
Website
Use your real estate video anywhere and everywhere you can on your website—your homepage, your listings section, your “About Us” section, and more. Depending on the number of properties you’re working with, you might consider creating a video for each property (or focusing on a few that are your biggest drivers of purchase inquiries). You can also create more general videos that explain your company, introduce you as a real estate agent, or any other non-property video topics.
Social Media
Social media is non-negotiable for virtually every industry in 2021. When you have a finished video, consider posting it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and any real estate forums or organizations you or your company are active in. Though shorter formats are usually optimal here, you can get away with posting a slightly longer video (like a full property walkthrough) if it provides informative value.
Do you have a list of people who’ve shown interest in buying property? You likely have a segmented email database; tap into this database by sending regular video updates about new properties that hit the market or specific properties that might meet a recipient’s needs. Communicating directly to segmented lists is one of the highest revenue drivers for most companies with an online presence—and video takes the benefits to the next level.
SMS
SMS marketing is a tough nut to crack, but with impressive results, it’s becoming a must for B2C companies. Branded SMS messages boast open rates of over 82 percent—that’s an enormous opportunity to reach your potential customers directly and ensure that they get your message. Plus, with video, you’re more likely to catch their attention and engage them—a total win-win.
Provide a personal connection.
So often, buyers just don’t quite know what they’re looking for. They know they want to invest in their very own property, but have no idea what they can afford, what they want, or where they should begin looking. If that’s the case, a video that focuses on your qualifications as a real estate agent may be just the thing to win them over.
Here, your primary focus won’t be to sell a specific property, but instead, to introduce yourself and gain the trust of someone in need of your services. Use a brand video to introduce your agency or your approach as an agent. Besides providing some useful information about your qualifications and passions, it will also put a friendly face to what can sometimes be a difficult process.
5 Types of Videos Every Real Estate Agent Needs
So, you’re convinced about the power of video, but you need help getting started. Not to worry! We’ve got a few ideas that’ll hopefully inspire you and get your creative juices flowing.
Highlight a specific listing and show off its best features. Take a video tour inside, show off the outside, use captivating aerial footage, and cover the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, acreage, amenities, and more.
Show off the best a particular neighborhood has to offer. Highlight attractions, restaurants, parks, schools, and other community favorites, plus a few of the best properties in town.
Introduce your agency to the world! Talk about your brand mission, your experience, why you do what you do, and more. This video could be what convinces a lead buyer to choose you over the competition.
Show off your agents’ know-how with an industry or agent question and answer session. Cover some of your most frequently asked questions and make sure your answers provide value and inform viewers on a topic they’re curious about.
One of the most important types of videos, a customer testimonial provides a strong, convincing review of your services directly from a past or current customer. They carry a lot of trust and credibility and can be the biggest motivators for leads who are close to making their purchase decision.
Conclusion
Real estate is one of the few industries ripe with video potential that just isn’t being harnessed. Whether you’re selling super mansions to the rich and famous, or helping a small, local family buy their first two-bedroom home, video provides a wealth of value that just can’t be accomplished with images and text.
From indoor and outdoor home tours to expert tips and more, video can establish you as a leader in your field, leading to an influx in buyer leads and closed sales. What are you waiting for?
