The secret to an effective real estate video that will sell your listing
(and grow your brand!)
Fun fact – listings with a real estate video get, on average, 403% more enquiries than those without.
There is no doubt that real estate video productions work, however, there is also no doubt that some work a lot better than others. What is the secret sauce? Keep reading to learn the secret to effective real estate videos that will sell your listing and help you to grow the brand of you and your agency.
1) Select the right videographer
The number one most important thing that you can do to increase the effectiveness of your property videos is to select the right real estate videographer for your listings. You want to have seen some examples of their work and be happy with the way the end products look and feel. Have a look around at the work they’ve produced for other agencies – do all their videos look the same, or have they developed a unique style for each of their agencies? The last thing you want is to look the same as everyone else – you want to ensure that your real estate videographer will work with you so that you have a unique presence and style in your video content.
Elite Media works with all of our agents and agencies to ensure that their videos reflect their brand, and how they wish to be perceived. Check out some of the different styles we’ve produced for our agencies below.
Another thing to keep in mind with your real estate videographer is their customer service with your clients. Are they professional in their appearance? Do they declutter and straighten as required? Attention to detail and professionalism on site can make a big difference to the final video, as well as affect your vendor’s overall selling experience.
2) Be your brand
How do you present yourself? Online? In person? Do you have a consistent brand personality and presence?
Knowing how you want to come across in your marketing and online presence is crucial. It helps to differentiate you from your competition, makes it easier for the community to connect with you, and ultimately influences the selling and buying experience that vendors have.
While it can be tempting to look at other agents and think ‘I want to be exactly like XYZ Agent,’ we advise against it. It is important that your brand is distinct and memorable. If you are trying to replicate something that someone else has done, you will be lost in the crowd. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn from these agents – you can and you should – but you need to take what you learn and make it your own.
Ensure how you present yourself in your property videos is the same as how you present yourself in person. For example, if you consider yourself a family centric, approachable agent, you may want to steer clear of starting a property video with you rocking up in a Ferrari.
Here are some tips if you are stuck on your brand personality:
- What are 3-5 words you would use to describe how you would like to be perceived?
- Have a think about who you want to be your customers. What traits would make them choose you over another agent?
- Are these traits reflective of how you feel you are currently positioned? What could you change to be more in line with what these customers are looking for?
If you belong to a bigger agency, there may already be branding guidelines that you need to work within. Check with your marketing manager or director to see what is already in place.
3) Know your audience
Who is the target audience for your marketing? Who are your prospective buyers?
Having a clear understanding of who you are targeting with your marketing means that you can tailor your marketing to appeal to this buyer group. Your real estate videos are no different.
Work out your target buyer group, then work out the emotional sell. If it is a higher end home, the emotional sell might be the opulent amenities, relaxing by the pool and the grand living spaces. For a knock down rebuild, the buyers are likely most interested in the block size and surrounding shops and schools. These are the critical elements that need to be highlighted in the real estate video.
When working with Elite Media as your real estate video production company, elements such as pacing, music and shot choices are all influenced by the target buyer. Would the target buyer like a faster paced edit, or something more classical? Should there be more boutique shots of amenities, or should we focus more on the surrounding lifestyle? These are all factors that we consider when producing your video.
For an example, here are two videos produced for two very different buyer groups:
4) Be prepared
The best real estate videos are the ones that have been prepared! Know what you are going to say prior to arriving on site for filming. Make sure to have practiced reading your piece to camera or voice over a few times out loud.
Questions to ask
- Does it flow?
- Do the language choices reflect how you wish to be perceived? (eg. Choosing between informal and formal greeting styles).
- Is the dialogue too long?
- Have I included a call to action?
HOT TIP – Try to think of a memorable opener or closer that you can use consistently across your videos. This is something that people will identify with and recognise over time.
5) Showcase surrounding lifestyle
Schools, shopping centres, restaurants and recreation. People purchasing property care about what is surrounding their home. Allocate time in your video to talk about and/or show the surrounding lifestyle and what it has to offer. Being positioned in a desirable school catchment or close to public transport could be a major draw card for many buyers!
The surrounding lifestyle is a major drawcard for this renovator
6) Be consistent
This is the number one area that real estate agents tend to fall down. If you want to be perceived a certain way, it is important that you are consistent in your approach. For example, if you want to be perceived as someone who is always on time, you can’t be on time only 50% of the time and expect people to consider you punctual! The same goes with your marketing and your real estate videos.
If you wish to experience the full benefits of real estate video marketing and the positive effects it will have on your personal brand positioning long term, you need to be using video for every listing. This will reinforce to your vendors that you:
- Are an agent that takes marketing seriously
- Are an agent that is striving to be industry leading
- Understand the value of video, and you want all your vendors to experience the benefits of property videos
- The quality of marketing and customer service you offer each client is consistent
Consistency will reinforce how you’ve positioned your brand and people will come to know you for your unique video style and approach.
Take a look at the current leaders in real estate. They are all using video, and they are using video for every listing that they have. Consistency is key.
7) Share your videos!
This one may seem obvious but it is so critical it is worth saying – share your videos! There is no point getting videos done if you are not sharing them with the community. Places you should be sharing your real estate videos include:
- realestate.com.au
- Domain
- Instagram, Facebook, and your other social platforms (including in your stories!)
- Your agency’s Instagram, Facebook and other social platforms
- Email marketing
- On your agency website
- Your agency’s YouTube channel
- Your YouTube channel
The more visibility your video can get, the more prospective buyers that are likely to see it and full in love with the property.
Now you know the secrets to effective real estate videos and growing your brand through property videos, it is time to start implementing! Contact Elite Media to book in your real estate video today.
Chat to us about your next property video
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