How to Use Real Estate Video Marketing to Sell More Properties

Today’s agent has more tools available for real estate marketing than ever before. High-tech options like immersive 3D virtual tours have revolutionized the home buying process and are preferred by buyers, sellers, and agents alike. At the same time, tried and true print advertising still occupies an important space in your marketing mix, especially for those consumers who are drowning in a sea of digital overstimulation. More and more people entering the real estate market do so through the internet. And yet, personal relationships still trump technology. One way to utilize exciting technology and still hold on to old-world charm is through the use of real estate videos .

The Video Advantage

Real estate videos offer advantages that other marketing strategies do not. It is true that most buyers and sellers prefer listings that include a 3D showcase over those that don’t. And why not? Property listings that include the digital twin of a home tend to sell faster and at a higher price . But no matter how detailed and true-to-life a 3D tour might be, no matter how many property features are highlighted, a virtual tour does not portray the same warmth and sense of story that a video allows.

A robust print advertising strategy , one that includes real estate postcards , elegant brochures , or other print products targeted at your clients or community, is also essential. But no matter how high the resolution in your 2D photographs (essential as they are to your business), pictures can never really convey the true look and feel of a property, or the personal touches that go along with it. They might serve to pique interest, but they, like 3D tours, only tell part of the story.

Besides, videos boast their own set of statistics: video messages sent by email or social media are forty percent more likely to be opened, thirty-seven percent more likely to be clicked on, and three times as likely to induce a response. Videos give you the opportunity to accurately show off property features. Since they can be done quickly and shared often, they save time. And they give you memorable material for your social media posts and email messages.

Video not only has a positive effect on your audience, but it also helps with your SEO strategy (as does a virtual tour) by affecting the most important ranking factor: the content on your website. Search engines prefer quality and authoritative content, but they love video content and are expected to continue to increase the ranking factor of videos as consumers demand them in search results.

Today, more than forty percent of homebuyers begin their search online, and over ninety percent find themselves there at some point in their journey. An increasing number are even buying properties sight unseen. In a tech savvy culture that prefers to shop online and expects an immersive experience – and yet craves connection – video is a tool that should not be ignored.

So, how do you use a real estate video? What might you use one for? And how do you go about putting one together?

What Do You Do With a Video?

“Anything you can do, I can do better…”, or so the old song goes. That sentiment holds some truth for a real estate video. If you want to get a message across to a client or prospect, or an entire group of either or both, you can rely on several methods. You can write your message and send it in a postcard or in an email. You can send a letter. You can post your message online to one or more social media platforms. But if you want anyone to pay attention to your message, and you want it to have impact, say it with moving pictures, with a video.

A video can communicate so much more than print alone. With video, you have a chance to make a connection with your audience that is far more personal than other forms of communication. Include videos in your email marketing campaigns and in your social media posts. Add a feature video to your property listings. Post videos on your website. Link to videos with QR codes on your print products. Be creative.

A Video For What?

So, what kinds of videos might you make? Smart agents find all sorts of crazy and creative uses for a real estate video . The sky’s the limit. Find something that you want to say and say it with video.

For instance, rather than (or in addition to) client testimonials posted in quotation marks on your website, create a video where other potential clients can hear firsthand from satisfied customers why they should seek your services. Not only does the video pack a punch, but it is also a tool that can be sent via multiple pathways (email, website, social media, etc.) and shared repeatedly. 

Or how about this? Go ahead and mail out a note to your new buyers who just closed on their first home. Then go a step beyond and send them an email message with an embedded video of you thanking them personally. Now, that is something to be remembered and appreciated.

Here are some other ideas to get your creativity flowing:

Whether you run with one of these thoughts or some other – a live Q&A, a contract walkthrough, an agent recruiting tool (see, the ideas are endless) – the use of real estate videos is an opportunity no agent should pass up.

How Do You Make a Video?

Okay. You are convinced of the power of video and want to include one in your next email blast or Facebook post. How do you go about it? Well, just do it. There is nothing wrong with a cell phone video done well. In fact, many people find the slightly rough nature of an unpolished video to be endearing.

That is not to say your video should come across as shoddy or crude. You are a professional; your video should reflect that fact. So, keep in mind these tips to creating a video that is personable, memorable, and professional looking.

When to Hire a Professional

You can and should use video for all sorts of marketing messages, but you do not need to hire a professional videographer for each video you want to produce. If you can pull it off, by all means, do. Your efforts will be appreciated by your audience.

But there are times when it pays to hire a pro. Luxury homes or high-end commercial properties, for instance, come with clients that expect the highest levels of professionalism. If you tend to service these customers, your realtor or brokerage profile video and listing highlight videos should be something more than a cell phone shoot. And while you might be able to purchase the same equipment and learn the same techniques, your time is probably better spent prospecting and reaching out to your clients.

So, consider your content. Consider your audience. Then decide if you should invest in a professional videography service or do it yourself. In any case, get in the habit of creating captivating videos as part of your real estate marketing strategy.

The post How to Use Real Estate Video Marketing to Sell More Properties appeared first on Hometrack Real Estate Marketing .