When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the United States economy in March, businesses of all sizes had to pivot to adapt. And the real estate industry—which has traditionally relied heavily on in-person showings and events—was no exception. Throughout the last several months, realtors from coast to coast have found creative ways to connect with potential buyers and continue selling houses. One of the strategies that has proven most effective is publishing high-quality video content online.
According to Inman, 85% of buyers and sellers would prefer to work with an agent who uses video, and home listings with video get four times the amount of inquiries. Of homebuyers who utilize video when searching for prospective properties, 86% use it to research a certain community, and 70% use it to virtually tour homes. Community-focused videos can be particularly beneficial since it functions as evergreen content that realtors can keep on their websites for years to come.
Adding video to one’s website is a worthwhile endeavor, but it’s not just the video content that matters. Using SEO keywords and written copy alongside videos can also help one’s website rank higher on Google, which makes it more likely that people will find them when searching for local realtors online. Bonus: these high-end marketing videos can attract would-be sellers, too. For realtors who are looking for a way to attract possible new clients, publishing video content on their websites can be an easy yet effective option. Here’s what realtors need to know about creating content that will resonate with buyers and sellers alike.
Invest in High-Quality Equipment and Professionals
Thanks to the advent of affordable DSLR cameras, microphones, and video editing software, realtors can generate engaging, original content without breaking the bank. For realtors without a film background, hiring a videographer to film tours of a few of your listings can be money well spent. Do some research online to find videographers who specialize in real estate videography, and spend a bit of time before the shoot talking about lighting, audio, and angles to make sure everything goes smoothly. You might also want to watch some real estate videos made by other leading agents to see what styles of content you like best. As time goes on, you might even decide to invest in your own equipment (or perhaps think about hiring a part- or full-time videographer) so you can continue producing standout content.
Film Different Types of Content
Realtors who are new to the video content scene should try filming a few different types of content to see what resonates best with their audience. The sky’s the limit when it comes to creating content. For example, you may want to do virtual tours of top properties, Q&As about local neighborhoods, or interviews with fellow agents.
Start by brainstorming some ideas with your staff and then writing simple outlines or scripts to follow. While you can certainly get creative and make lots of fun, zany themed videos, you can also keep it simple by filming more straightforward, traditional video tours. You can also film videos about particular neighborhoods or cities so that interested buyers can get a feel for what it would be like to actually live there—from sharing stats about typical weather and the best schools to must-try restaurants and bars. In addition, you can establish yourself as a leading expert in your area by creating and posting Q&As about the real estate market. You can even create polls and questions on social media to allow viewers to weigh in on future topics so that you are producing content that they truly care about.
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to creating video content. Rather, think about what your brand and personal tone are and how you want to convey yourself so you can create videos that feel authentic. Regardless of the type of content, try to make sure the videos are at least two minutes long to keep visitors on your website longer and reduce the bounce rate. But don’t go too crazy—it might be difficult to keep your audience’s attention if your video is more than a few minutes long.
Create a Property Tours Website Section
For potential buyers who love to daydream about the merits of Cape Cod-style farmhouses vs. mid-century moderns, there’s no better way to pass the time than by watching virtual tours of properties that are currently on the market. Virtual tours are especially important during the pandemic, as they provide a safe way for buyers to screen homes before scheduling an appointment to view them in person. This is also beneficial for the home seller since it’s safer for them to have fewer in-person visitors. When filming property tours, consider having the lead agent give a tour of the home as the videographer films, as it can be a good way to introduce viewers to that realtor and feel more of a connection, too.
Realtors should consider creating a specific website page or section that can house all their virtual tours so that website visitors can easily view all the available houses in one place. If desired, consider a featured virtual tour button on the homepage and update it regularly to draw more web traffic to that section. It just might become the most popular part of the website—not to mention one of the most fun!
Create a YouTube or Vimeo Channel
Realtors looking for an additional way to promote their real estate video content might want to create a YouTube or Vimeo channel. This way, videos can show up as suggested options on those platforms and potentially drive more traffic to one’s website. (Just make sure to add the appropriate keywords and descriptions to each video so it will rank as high as possible on Google search.)
Don’t forget to analyze the available data on YouTube or Vimeo to see which videos have the largest and smallest amount of views. Knowing this can give a deeper understanding of which videos are most likely to resonate with viewers and serve as a guiding point for future types of content. Just remember that the number of views is not necessarily related to the content—it could also be impacted by the way the video was shared or posted. That’s why it can be helpful to post videos on multiple outlets to see which one drives the most traffic and views to your website. Having multiple places to post content can help you reach the largest audience possible.
Post Consistently
In order to cultivate and maintain a loyal viewership following, you’ll need to adhere to a consistent posting schedule. You might want to start small by posting one or two videos a month and then start posting one or two videos a week if you have enough time, budget, and concepts to make it worthwhile. When you’re first starting out, it’s important to remember that posting good content is more important than posting perfect content. Don’t be afraid to put your content out there and see how it’s received. As time goes on, you’ll find ways to polish and perfect your videos; but you have to start somewhere, so don’t be intimidated if everything isn’t perfect from the get-go.
Market the Videos
After creating some standout videos, it’s time to market them properly to ensure they reach their intended audience. Consider posting content on Instagram, Instagram stories and reels, Twitter, and Facebook to drive as much engagement and as many views as possible. Make sure to optimize titles for SEO by using Google Analytics to see what real estate-related keywords are ranking highest. You should also do some research into what times of the day are best to post on certain social media channels. If you have a little extra money in the budget, you might want to consider paying a few dollars to promote the video content on various social media channels to reach an audience who might not otherwise see it. This can also be a good way to help people learn about your brand (and hopefully bookmark your website for future reference for the next time they’re looking to buy or sell a home).
By following these simple tips, realtors can create stellar video content that will set their businesses apart from the competition. These videos can also be housed on your website for years to come, serving as a valuable marketing tool that will attract a slew of would-be buyers and sellers for years to come. While it may take some time, money, and trial and error to figure out what works best for your audience, the payoff is well worth it. In an increasingly digital age, producing premium video content has never been more important. By following these tried-and-true steps, you’ll be well on your way to accomplishing just that!
