Three Ways Video Integration Sells Real Estate
Written for Luxury Presence
It’s not always feasible for real estate shoppers to look at property in-person, even when they’re itching to buy. The factors that keep these individuals from finding the time to take home tours (busy schedules, work, COVID-19) are the same factors that motivate online shopping and extended screen time.
High-quality images are a given for selling luxury real estate, but gaining an edge with online realty in the year to come means taking advantage of video. The National Association of Realtors has found 99% of millennials (and 90% of baby boomers) begin their home search online and that social media is an essential edge for generating leads and closing deals.
Below are three reasons for integrating video into your real estate marketing strategy.
Video Builds Trust
Buyers need to know that you are who you say you are and that you’ll act as a trustworthy guide through each step of the home buying process.
Video allows potential buyers to get to know you more personally (and more rapidly) than through other forms of social media marketing. Research suggests that video content increases the speed and data retention of audiences and reduces the number of customer support calls associated with a given sales campaign. Buyers are given a chance to peek inside your properties without leaving their desk and to gauge your personal flair for presentation.
Although property-spotlights are by far the most popular video content for real estate agents, there are plenty of other genres you can use to build trust and differentiate yourself with customers. Start by showcasing your personality. Don’t just share information about your business: use video to describe what inspired you to become a real estate agent, where your journey has taken you, and why it’s meaningful.
Video is also a powerful tool for sharing customer testimonials and lets potential buyers see (and believe!) other people in a way that text cannot.
Video is Segmentable
A powerful aspect of video content is that it can be broken up and distributed across various channels, with each platform tying directly back to your website. User-friendly video tools like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook can all be used to educate or build trust with potential clients—given they are used with strategic consistency.
With short videos uniting your brand’s offerings and value across social platforms, you can meet your audience wherever they choose to browse, and play into their over-stretched attention spans by delivering targeted, sticky content.
Your videos should include voice, titles, and descriptions guided by whatever social platform you’re segmenting content for. Before you post, research keywords that will target your audience and drive your ranking within a given niche.
When personally managing multiple channels of real estate media (versus hiring a professional to strategize, create, and schedule content), make sure to familiarize yourself with the different audiences to which each platform caters. Don’t put too much on your plate at once; start by selecting one or two platforms on which to personalize your brand and add value.
Keep these stats in mind when creating videos for segmentation:
Facebook leans more towards women, with 75% of women and 63% of men using the platform.
Instagram is one of the most popular international social networks. The U.S. has the most users at 116 million, followed by India at 73 million and Brazil at 72 million.
Twitter’s format is ideal for timely content, such as news and handling customer service inquiries.
Linkedin favors those with professional careers and 49% of those making more than $75k use LinkedIn.
Pinterest has an aesthetic focus and is ideal for highlighting products and inspirational content.
Snapchat and TikTok are dominated by young audiences and are evenly split between male and female users.
Youtube has widespread use among all U.S. adults, with 73% regularly using its video streaming platform and 38% reporting multiple logins per day.
Video Embodies Lifestyle
Video is more emotionally compelling than any other form of social media content and can effectively emphasize the lifestyle that a given home will afford a buyer. Falling in love with a property is less about square footage and fixtures and more about how the home and neighborhood make a buyer feel.
Dedicate videography to the home’s surroundings and nearby features that help define the character of a residence, such as restaurants, natural resources, schools, nightlife, and anything else that personalizes its story. If your property is set in a rural environment, there’s no more natural selling point than its lush surroundings.
When a property is close to a world-class ski resort, pristine trout fisheries, or other scenic offerings, conveying these luxuries through video content (especially drone footage!) can help sell a property in a way that romantic language or static photography can’t. The footage can also be reused and resegmented for multiple homes or properties within the same geographical area.
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Informative, beautiful, and searchable real estate videography will deliver value to you and your potential customers. High-networth buyers have access to fast internet nearly everywhere they browse (including on mobile), which encourages them to expect higher resolution, greater detail, and easier interaction with realtors.
These shoppers are used to the best, so ensure that your team is using a quality camera, lighting, and sound equipment—and that your website is ready to support video streaming.