Real Estate Video Content: How To Leverage It In Your Business

Videos are everywhere. Online, in the stores, on the TV, and even in your email. But is real estate video content really that essential? Would it truly make a difference in your marketing strategy?

The reality is the video train left the station some time ago. Video content is no longer optional for realtors and listings; it’s critical. Here’s what you need to know.

Why Real Estate Video Content Is Essential in 2023

It’s 2023, and video marketing isn’t new. However, it has gone through several evolutions over the past few years. With the constant evolution of new platforms, tech innovations, and algorithms, there is always something new to adapt to.

The video marketing strategies that promise a strong ROI today are not the same video marketing strategies that were popular on TV 30 years ago. According to the National Association of Realtors, 73% of homeowners say they’re likelier to list with an agent who uses video content as part of their marketing strategy.

Additionally, the NAR survey revealed that property inquiries from real estate video listings were 403% higher than conventional listings. Furthermore, more than half of home buyers (51%) rely on YouTube as their top choice for searches.

The data to support real estate video production is rock solid. It’s only a matter of time before it’s the standard approach, not just what the new kids on the block are doing.

How To Market Yourself As A Realtor With Video

We all know that being a realtor is not a career in the housing market. It’s a career in the people market. Establishing connections and building trust with buyers and sellers are crucial skills that every successful realtor must have.

Video is one of the most effective ways to connect with consumers and prospects. Putting a face to a name, a person to a brand, and a personality behind an offer gives you a more substantial chance of attracting new business.

Types Of Videos

There are many ways and platforms to leverage real estate video content. Here are the videos you can expect to make as a real estate agent or broker.

Short-Form Video Content

Short-form videos are one to three minutes or less. These bite-sized content pieces spark engagement, entertain your audience, and build brand awareness. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok videos are all platforms for short-form videos. They are the best to build an audience and engage with your target market.

To leverage short-form video content, immerse your content in the chosen platform. Spend time scrolling through trending content each day or each week.

Use this time to gather ideas for what your video should look like, what sounds you should use, and which transitions might work for your niche. Also, check what your real estate competition is doing.

Tatiana Londono shows how it’s done on her TikTok channel. With nearly 3 million followers and a 6-figure view counts on most of her content.

Long-Form Video Content

Long-form videos can be anywhere from five minutes to sixty minutes or more. These videos educate your audience, guide them through your sales funnel, and build trust with prospects. Here’s your opportunity to share your expertise and prove that you’re the agent they need before buying or selling a home.

This video from Shaheeda Hill of The Hill Group is only five minutes long but would still fall under long-form content. With over 159k subscribers on YouTube, this agent is carving out a prime spot on this platform.

One of the top platforms for long-form video content is YouTube. The genius behind this platform is that the parent company, Google, owns it. And it operates as an independent search engine, not just a video hosting platform.

Consumers view YouTube as a research and education tool rather than merely entertainment. This perception works in your favor as you establish credibility in the local marketplace.

Live Video Content

Live video recording is a great way to engage and connect with potential home buyers and sellers. It allows the opportunity to give real-time feedback, answers questions, and provides your audience with a man-on-the-street-style behind-the-scenes experience.

Video Ads

Much of the video content types discussed up to this point can all be successful as organic content. However, putting a bit of paid advertising behind your content can expand your reach even further.

It’s important to note that video content for ads must follow specific rules and be created to mimic organic content as much as possible.

This example from Marcus Haney of Premier California Properties contains no sales pitch. It’s merely a picturesque description of the property that creates an idea of the experience one would have if one lived there.

Where To Deploy Real Estate Video Content

Take advantage of as many video marketing channels as possible. Posting videos to your agency’s social media accounts is only one of many options for real estate video content. It’s essential to look at the full scope of your intended market and evaluate all the possible places where prospects can view your content.

TV Commercials

Contrary to popular opinion, TV commercials aren’t just for mega-brands like Maybelline, Target, and Coors Light. There are a number of services and local channels that specialize in showcasing small brands on the big screen.

In addition, online streaming platforms like Hulu (owned by Disney) and Peacock offer a lower-cost subscription fee that leverages paid advertising to consumers. And this advertising channel doesn’t have to break the bank. You could reach thousands of eyeballs for as little as a few hundred dollars.

See these stats from Hulu’s Ad Manager platform:

Website Video Content

Your website is a top contender for video content. Create your own YouTube-style library of educational and informative content for your market. With a solid linking strategy and good SEO, your video content will have a good chance of ranking higher on search engines. This further solidifies your credibility.

Another strategy for website video content is advertising on platforms like Instagram and Google and sending traffic to your website to view the video rather than on third-party platforms.

Keeping eyeballs on your website for long periods increases your credibility in the eyes of the algorithm. This could further promote your website in future searches.

In this example, Monica Foster of Realty By Monica shares a story-driven animated explainer video explaining why her team is the best choice for Texas home buyers.

Social Media Video Content

An essential marketing tactic is to have an online presence where your target audience spends time. In today’s world, that place is social media. Whether it’s Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or Pinterest, several options exist for deploying your video content.

YouTube

According to HubSpot, YouTube is the most popular video marketing platform. With 88% of marketers claiming it as their number one spot, followed by Facebook (76%), LinkedIn (66%), and, shy of that, Instagram (65%).

This is partly due to the diversity of video content that YouTube offers. They have long-form, short-form videos on YouTube Shorts and live feed videos. There’s so much you can do in one place.

TikTok

TikTok has taken the online World by nothing short of a firestorm over the last few years. The controversial short-form video platform has experienced exponential growth, launching entire content creation careers. It is also the preferred platform for Gen Z.

One of the reasons many report success on TikTok is the ability to go viral even if you don’t have a large following. TikTok videos are easily shareable, highly engaging, and transition-rich content designed to entertain and delight.

While Gen Z may not hold the lion’s share of the homebuyer market today, they will in a few short years. It’s vital to stay informed of what is popular in the industry and essential to your target market.

Here’s another example of a TikTok top performer, @TheNYCAgent, showing off listings in her area engagingly.

Instagram

Not to be outdone by the new kid on the block, Instagram remains a heavy hitter in social media. With Feed videos, Live Videos, Reels, and Stories, there are many opportunities to share and engage with real estate video content on Instagram.

Another benefit of Instagram as a marketing platform is that it’s visually driven. This platform provides the perfect opportunity to showcase appealing real estate video content.

You can showcase homes, land, data and statistics, layouts, home decor, market information, backyards, and trending design aesthetics that appeal to your target market. Those who spend their time here appreciate a well-designed aesthetic and high-quality content.

In this short-form video example, Paige Steckling uses a curated cover image, background graphics, and a “floating head” video of herself explaining what you see. There’s a lot to look at, and most interested parties will watch this type of content more than once.

Facebook

Although Facebook has developed a somewhat controversial reputation over the last few years due to questionable privacy practices, it remains a titan in social media. Everyone and their grandma has a Facebook account.

Most are also part of several private and public groups and use the Meta platform as a communication hub. With the purchase of Instagram into the Meta fold, this pioneering platform isn’t going anywhere.

One of the elements of Facebook that sets it apart from other social media platforms is the organization of groups. In Facebook Groups, you can find or build a targeted audience of home buyers and sellers, real estate investors, and prospects for your agency.

In this dedicated space, you can share a wealth of information, host live sessions, and post engaging content. Here, you know every communication is being pushed to your target market.

Twitch

Twitch is another video platform that allows you to host free content or create video subscriptions for gated content. Gated real estate video content could be negotiation tactics, home pricing strategies, investment tips, or anything you think your prospective market would pay money to learn.

While Twitch is more geared toward gaming and play-through videos, several other niche channels are making their mark on the platform. From cooking shows, digital artists, and crafters to hobbyists, travel adventurers, and musicians, they host free and paid content from Twitch.

Vimeo

Though it’s not technically a social media platform, Vimeo is a video hosting and sharing platform. Here you can easily host and share private video content with password-protected access that can be sent to prospects and investors. Using a platform like Vimeo to store your video content elevates the client experience and maintains the quality and integrity of the video.

Videos In Email Marketing

According to the popular CRM platform, Snov.io, they surveyed their customer base of brands and marketers to determine the success of their email marketing efforts. Including video content in marketing emails increased click-through rates by 200% to 300%. In addition, including “video” in the subject line boosts open rates by 19% and the overall click-through rate by 65%.

These are compelling numbers to motivate you and your agency to leverage your existing lead base of email subscribers and include video content in your email outreach efforts.

You could share listings that just sold, listings that just came on the market, facts about the local housing market, neighborhood-specific updates, and seasonal information. Anything your target audience may find valuable in their search to buy a home or the process of selling their home.

Whether you’re posting a link, an image that links to a video, or a gif with a play button that diverts traffic to the full video, there are several ways to incorporate video content in emails. Or work smarter, not harder, and leverage email marketing software like Constant Contact that makes it easy to quickly add a video to any email.

Videos In SMS Marketing

The unsung hero of all marketing strategies is SMS marketing. While not everyone spends hours a day on social media, 85% of US adults have a smartphone in their pocket daily.

Phone calls and text messages are outreach strategies that strike a more personal chord. They’re also two of the simplest and most effective ways to reach your target audience. Sending full-length real estate videos via text message is not the most effective approach. Yet, gifs, video clips, and links that redirect traffic to video content can be a strong tactic.

Real Estate Video Content Is The Present AND The Future Of The Industry

Not if, but when you implement video into your agency, your level of engagement is sure to increase. Create videos in various formats that can be deployed across multiple channels. From short-form videos for TikTok to TV commercials, real estate video content will help you increase brand awareness and market yourself as an industry expert. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take your marketing to the next level with video content. Start exploring the possibilities today!

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