Anyone with their finger on the pulse of online marketing knows the crucial role that SEO plays in creating an online presence. A common agreement across the board is that video content is exploding as the lead social media growth of 2018. The ways in which people are searching on the Internet is also changing as more people are turning to video links, rather than traditional print content to seek out information. The real estate industry is no exception to this as marketing strategies have evolved to include a number of video genres aimed at both buyers and sellers. Incorporating videos into your real estate marketing strategy can bring increased traffic to your firm, help establish your own personal brand, and increase your listings and sales. Companies like Curb 360 have become the leaders in real estate visual media and can help you gain from leveraging video to create a strong online brand and presence.
Benefits of Using Video in Real Estate Listings
While the obvious reason for using video in real estate listings is to sell property, there are also numerous other benefits to consider.
1) Growth in Internet Video Traffic
According to SmallBiz trends, it is predicted that by 2019, consumer Internet video traffic will make up to 80 percent of total consumer Internet traffic globally. Not only are you more likely to get higher click-through rates with video posts, the ways in which people interact with Web content is evolving towards watching, rather than reading and scrolling. What this means for real estate agents is that image slideshows of property features are not as enticing to buyers as video clips are.
2) Social Media and Video Content
One of the best ways to analyze trends in the digital world is by watching the lead social media platforms. Sites like Facebook and Instagram put a lot of time, money, and energy into crunching the numbers of visitors, click-through rates, and views; thus the features they roll out reflect the preferences of the masses. According to Social Media Today, Facebook alone generates approximately 8 billion views of videos a day. What this means for real estate agents is that video listings and posts are more likely to be viewed and shared on a variety of social media platforms.
3) Mobile Video Consumption
YouTube is a huge resource for the digital community when it comes to ‘how-to’ searches, customer testimonials, and so much more. According to Hubspot, YouTube has seen their mobile video consumption rates rise by 100 percent every year. That is a crazy amount of growth. When it comes to selling properties, buyers and sellers are using their phones more than ever to access listings, stats, agent/firm, and community information. With the current rate of video consumption growth, the likelihood of searchers engaging with video posts via their mobile devices is only increasing.
4) Video-Watch Rates
More and more people are changing how they search for and interact with Web content. Click-through rates, shares, lead generation, and sales are only increasing in connection with video posts. Digital Information World has reported that 55 percent of people are watching online videos on a daily basis. That is a large percentage, and what that means for online presence and branding is that real estate agents who don’t capitalize on the power of video content are likely to miss out on a huge percentage of web traffic and subsequent sales.
5) Building your Marketing Portfolio
Not only does video content attract potential buyers, once you have created a video post or listing, even after the property has sold, you have an effective marketing snippet to add to your portfolio. It also gives you fresh content that displays your marketing prowess in action.
6) Personal Branding
When it comes to creating an online presence, it all comes down to branding. A video is an excellent means of branding yourself as people are more likely to approach an agent they see as approachable, confident, good-humored, and capable. The more personal nature of video is extremely effective in attracting clients who approach you confident in who they are dealing with.
6) Videos for Listings and Listing Presentations
While there are numerous video genres that can be applied to the real estate industry, video listings and listing presentations are in the lead in terms of efficacy. Aesthetically-pleasing videos featuring property listings have proven very effective in generating primary leads, as well as guiding secondary leads your way through phone, e-mail, and scheduled meetings. A good real estate agent knows that selling a property involves selling the surrounding neighborhood and community. A video is a great resource when it comes to depicting the lifestyle that accompanies a certain property. The more thorough a video listing is, the more likely it will be viewed, shared, and sold in a timely manner.
Selecting the Right Video Provider
While there are many filmography apps out there, there are numerous benefits to hiring a professional videographer. From determining aerial/interior shots to selecting accompanying music and editing, a professional will create video content that tells a story about the property. A videography story is much more effective in representing a lifestyle than scrolling through a series of flat images. As a video is a more expensive option than photography, the agent should decide which listings are worthy of it. Properties with views or surroundings that would entice buyers like mountains, water, or desirable urban areas are ideal for video listings, and the cost of hiring a professional will be more than offset by the speed of your sale.
The bottom line is that video content is the wave of the digital future, and digitization is here to stay. Creating a strong online presence and brand is more important than ever when it comes to creating an online presence and strong brand. Real estate agents who enlist the help of visual media experts like Curb 360 and incorporate video into their marketing strategy will enjoy the benefits of more listings and listing views, clients, and faster sales.