The Power of a Viral Video for Real Estate

AN EDUCATED CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS THE BEST CUSTOMER

FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS GET 20% OFF ANY PHOTO SHOOT INCLUDING MATTERPORT 3D TOURS

GET 20% OFF YOUR FIRST SHOOT TODAY!

Fill-Out the Form Below and Let's Talk About Your Real Estate Business Goals

Annapolis 20% off Discount City Page

What does it mean for a video to “go viral”? Urban Dictionary describes going viral as a video that “ spreads rapidly through a population by being frequently shared with a number of individuals.” Sounds all too familiar today, doesn’t it? Wikipedia’s definition of a viral video is a bit more relaxed; they suggest it is one that “becomes popular through a viral process of Internet sharing, typically through… websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.” In the age of COVID-19, the very word “virus” conjures up unwanted images and uncomfortable emotions.

And yet, the parallel to our times – although an unfortunate play on words – uncovers an interesting irony: while the world is staring squarely into the face of a pandemic and people everywhere are practicing the art of social distancing under orders to “stay home and stay safe”, one of your most effective strategies to reach them with your message is through a real estate video that goes “viral”.

What is a viral video?

The definition of a viral video is simple. It is one that spreads rapidly, viewed by a large number of people. But understanding what a viral video might look like is another story.

For instance, just because a video garners a lot of views does not necessarily mean it has gone viral. A video could have been watched half a million times over the last three years, but if the views added up incrementally it is not considered viral. On the other hand, a video that is viewed 30,000 times in two days just might be on its way to viral status. So it is a question of timing as much as broad reach.

What’s more, something that is considered to be viral in one arena might not necessarily be viral in another. A new song by an international artist, an outrageous stunt sponsored by a well-known company, or even funny footage of someone’s pet that gets noticed at just the right time might receive hundreds of thousands of views in short order. A video focused on a local market might not ever see six-digit results, but could still be considered viral if it spreads quickly through a community – even if it is viewed twelve thousand times

Very often, a video that goes viral is something out of the ordinary. Quirky, corny, spectacular, sensational, suggestive. These are all terms that begin to describe many viral videos. It is generally thought that a video needs to stand apart from the crowd to go viral.

How do you make a viral video for real estate?

Anyone who tells you that they can create a viral video for you is being a bit disingenuous. They might be able to create a compelling video, but for it to go truly viral, it sort of needs to hit the lottery. Many factors lead to a video going viral, not the least of which is a bit of luck. Five billion Facebook posts, another five billion YouTube videos, and five hundred million tweets go out every day. That is a lot of noise for your video to cut through.

That said, there are some tips you could use to create a stunning, high-quality video that may be worthy of going viral.

Create a professional presentation . Sure, there have been viral videos that featured shaky-cam footage from a phone, but that is no way to represent your clients or their homes. Any marketing product, whether it be a print advertisement such as a real estate postcard , brochure , or a state-of-the-art 3D Virtual Showcase , should be imbued with elegance, with class. Make sure your real estate video is of the highest quality possible.
Be creative. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. There is nothing wrong with a traditional approach to a video tour of a property, but “traditional” does not necessarily stand out and shout, “hey, look at me.” Craft a storyline for your video. Include characters in your story. One real estate video showcased a home following children playing hide-and-seek. Another highlighted both a property and the local community with a story about friends going out on the town. Simulate a virtual open house or other event that showcases a property. Your video does not need to be ordinary. Instead, make it extraordinary.
Sprinkle with humor, maybe. Everyone likes a funny video. An asteroid slams into a house and creates a sudden need for a real estate agent. An agent lip syncs ridiculously to a rap song while walking through a house for sale. A spoof on the Old Spice Guy advertises a realtor. A “crazy buyer” asks an agent to role play as her husband so she can get a feel for a house. These ideas have all made for unique and humorous videos. Just make sure that “funny” does not lead to “tasteless”. A video that is inappropriate or that tries to be hilarious but falls flat can do more harm than good.
Keep it short. One quality of “viral” videos is that they are brief. You will have little luck getting a lot of people to sit still for a five-minute mini series. Shoot for one to three minutes of captivating coverage.
Keep your audience in mind. Any advertisement should be directed toward a target audience. Your video is no different. Avoid trying to appeal to the masses. Instead, focus your message and style (serious, humorous, etc.) to your local community.
Send it out through social media. Upload your video to YouTube, Vimeo, or other video hosting site so your viewers can easily watch, interact, and share. Give it a descriptive title that is memorable – just avoid click-bait captions that over-promise and under-deliver. Then share across as many social media channels as you can. And encourage more sharing. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram are examples of social media sites where your video can gain traction.

Should going “viral” be your goal?

Studies show that buyers and sellers alike prefer listings with video and virtual content, so the interest in capitalizing on a viral video is appealing. One of the reasons a video goes viral is because it is sensational. Viral videos are often based on strong political statements, scandalous celebrity news, disaster, and crude sexual humor. Real estate videos can be found with these elements as well.

Strange, outrageous, and hilarious grab attention. Sex sells. The question is, do these elements represent your personal and professional real estate brand , and, more importantly, do they represent your clients? Peculiar or provocative video subjects might get more views, but do they net more customers?

Rather than focusing on getting your video to go viral – which with any real reflection, is like chasing the wind – devote your time to spreading your message widely among those in your target audience. That starts with creating a professional and share-worthy video that you send out and share through as many channels as possible. Follow up. Answer comments. Keep your viewers engaged. Then share again.

Silly and sexy might sell, but do they represent well? Do images of corny, wild, or naked people send the message you intend? If so, go right ahead. But just because a video is contagious does not make it a good fit for your business or your clients. Clearly, the result of something going “viral” is not what we might hope for.

The post The Power of a Viral Video for Real Estate appeared first on Hometrack Real Estate Marketing .

< Older Post Newer Post >

Meet Victor Coll, a seasoned expert in the art of in-bound content marketing. With a proven track record in crafting winning content strategies, Victor excels in attracting and engaging audiences organically. His proficiency extends to optimizing content for maximum impact, resulting in increased brand visibility and audience retention. Victor's dedication to the art of in-bound content marketing has helped businesses achieve remarkable growth. Join him as he shares invaluable insights and strategies to empower your content marketing efforts and drive meaningful connections with your target audience.