There’s no question about it: people love to watch videos. Youtube is the world’s second most-visited website after Google and the world’s second most-used social media platform after Facebook. The average consumer spends approximately 40 hours a week watching television, and 15 of those hours are on streaming TV services like Netflix or Hulu. Last year, mobile video app TikTok smashed the record for the most downloads in a single quarter with 315 million downloads in Q1 of 2020. They say video killed the radio star, and the numbers don’t lie. With all this in mind, it just makes sense for real estate brokerages to use video in their marketing strategies.
A well-made video is able to showcase a property the way text and images never could. In 2017, thirty-nine percent of homebuyers surveyed used sites with embedded video during their home searches, and fifty-six percent of them felt it was “very useful.” In 2019, the same survey found that consumers turned to websites as their most trusted source of real estate information, even over the professionals themselves!
If you’re not already convinced, here are some more stats for you to consider: links to pages with embedded video get 157% more organic search results than those without, and property listings with video generate four times more leads. A compelling video can be the last nudge that a buyer needs before reaching out to a real estate agent or brokerage to purchase a home. It’s clear that any brokerage not utilizing real estate video to reach consumers is going to be left behind.
Once your brokerage decides to incorporate video into their marketing strategy, the next step is to determine which type of real estate videos will best suit your needs. Below are some types of videos that are commonly used in real estate marketing.
Listing Videos
The obvious answer is listing videos, which are exactly what they sound like: videos that showcase and describe each specific listing. They can utilize photos and videos of the home, as well as display information like the bedroom and bathroom count, how to contact the agent, and special features (stainless steel appliances, an in-ground pool, etc.).
Interviews
Another popular type of video used by real estate brokerages is interviews. You can interview anyone associated with the real estate industry–agents, architects, mortgage lenders–as long as what they’re discussing is relevant to your audience. Buyer and seller testimonials have the potential to be very useful, as most consumers tend to trust recommendations from their peers over other forms of advertising.
Home Tips
Home tip videos covering topics such as getting your first mortgage, how to choose an agent, and how to stage a home are particularly appealing to first time home buyers and sellers. These videos will establish a connection, make buyers/sellers feel more knowledgeable about the home buying/selling process, and build their trust with your brokerage, which means they will be more likely to choose your brokerage to help with future moves.
Housing Market Updates
Chances are that the average consumer doesn’t keep up with current housing market trends, like the most recent mortgage rates, sales data, and new-home construction in your area. Your brokerage can take this opportunity to share current housing market information with potential clients in educational videos. These videos could be created weekly, biweekly, or monthly depending on how often the trends change.
Brand Promotional Videos
Every brokerage should have at least one good brand promotional video, if not more. The average consumer is more likely to watch a video than read a block of text, so having an attractive, well-made promotional video is the best way to showcase your brand to potential clients and the community at large. Use this video as the main clip that autoplays on your Youtube page and as the post that’s pinned to the top of your Facebook page, plus agents can show it during listing presentations or at conferences. It could also be used as advertising on television or social media.
These are just a few of the many different ways video can be utilized in your brokerage’s marketing strategy. Determine which type of videos will work best for your brand, and start elevating your real estate marketing today!
