Ben Belack on Using YouTube to Build a Referral Engine

For professionals seeking to amplify visibility without sacrificing credibility, video content, particularly on YouTube, has emerged as one of the few platforms that rewards both scale and substance.

That is precisely why Ben Belack, Beverly Hills-based agent and content strategist, has anchored his brand in camera-ready communication. With more than a billion dollars in closed sales and a consistent digital presence that spans long-form, short clips, and social media extensions, Belack’s YouTube-first approach isn’t about vanity metrics. It’s about capturing attention, building trust, and turning visibility into appointments. Here, he explores how to craft content, where to share it, and why video remains one of the most effective tools in a modern agent’s marketing arsenal.

This session is the second in a three-part A-List interview series between Belack and Luxury Presence’s Chris Linsell. The series began with a deep dive into the language strategies that shape Belack’s client interactions and finishes with a look at how he leverages automation and CRM tools to win listings.

Visibility is the variable

Belack’s focus on real estate content wasn’t initially successful. “There was a time when I was sending postcards out to a farm [announcing] that my average sales price to list price was 102% for that year. And the neighbors didn’t care,” he said. But the takeaway was simple. “I made being known important,” he said.

He shifted away from ineffective postcard campaigns and embraced a more intentional strategy: Establishing a thoughtful presence rooted in proximity to the client. With buyers and sellers increasingly hiring the first agent they encounter, Belack set out to be that first impression: The professional they saw, heard, and remembered. “I wanted to be, at scale, the first Realtor they encountered; someone speaking articulately and with brevity about the marketplace,” he explained. YouTube was the perfect channel to achieve this.

From hesitation to habit

For many real estate professionals, video still feels like a leap. Worries about polish, presence, and production often stall momentum before a single frame is captured. Belack considers that reluctance a missed opportunity. “Inspiration comes after action, not the other way around,” he said. “Everyone’s waiting for inspiration to strike … but frankly, it never comes.”

Instead of chasing perfection, Belack advocates for simple, sustainable systems. A teleprompter app for clean delivery. A weekly schedule to build consistency. A mindset focused on completion over finesse. “I cared so much less about making it perfect and more about it being done,” he noted. That discipline created its own momentum. “My show of sorts was starving for content, so I didn’t have time to obsess.”

Focus on the search, not yourself

Once the barrier to starting is broken, the next challenge is strategy. Too many creators, Belack warns, get caught up in presentation and forget their purpose. “The problem with the real estate agent and the entrepreneur today is [that they are] extremely concerned with how they look, how they’re going to be perceived, instead of who’s my audience and what are they searching for,” he said.

To counter this, he urges agents to center their message on specificity and searchability. Hyperlocal content tailored to actual user intent, such as “The Five Reasons You Should Absolutely Not Move to Santa Monica,” not only resonates with the audience but also aligns with how platforms prioritize discoverability. “I encourage all my team members to put [that they are a] Studio City specialist, if that’s where they live,” he said. Personal branding becomes more powerful when it’s built around geographic authority and practical relevance.

Extend every asset

Once your video is out in the world, its usefulness doesn’t end with YouTube. Belack sees every recording as raw material for a broader content ecosystem. “If you create a podcast for YouTube, then you can transcribe that into a blog post, which helps for search engine optimization on Google,” he said. “Then you can maybe chop up some of those episodes, make them a [lead magnet] ebook… You now have their email address. You can retarget them over time.”

That modular approach turns a single piece of content into an entire marketing engine. Clips become shorts for Instagram and TikTok. Long-form episodes evolve into newsletters and blog entries. “Everything starts with YouTube because YouTube [content] can be made smaller and repurposed,” Belack added.

The metrics that matter

Despite common myths, Belack doesn’t chase views or likes. His attention is on retention. “The metrics that I look at and value most are who watched for longer than 30 seconds and what was the average watch time,” he said. YouTube’s algorithm rewards creators who keep users engaged, so longer sessions mean more exposure. “As long as those metrics stay important to YouTube, they’re important to me.”

But the true metric Belack values most is business. “I think if you’re an entrepreneur [who is] going to deploy funds and time … you have to decide, what is my return of investment?”

Ultimately, not all video is created equal. Flashy production might win clicks, but it won’t always close. Belack urges agents to focus on content that aligns with clear business goals. “Some of my colleagues in Los Angeles… have incredible YouTube following, but I guarantee they’re not getting any leads from.” Most of the views and clicks are people interested in seeing the properties, but aren’t prospective buyers or sellers.

For Belack, the value of video lies in positioning, not popularity. For example, “This episode’s going to be in my email blast and it [becomes] a passive rapport and credibility reminder,” he said. Each clip creates a digital calling card, one that lands right into the inbox.

Start building your on-camera presence

Belack’s message is unmistakable: Video is no longer optional for agents who want to compete at scale. It’s a branding tool, but even more importantly, it’s a performance lever. And for those willing to step out from behind the algorithm and in front of the camera, the payoff can be profound.

If you’re ready to elevate your marketing with video that drives real results, Luxury Presence offers the tools, strategy, and support to help you lead with confidence.