For agents looking to grow their business and expand their social media presence, utilizing the power of video is a fundamental tool for your marketing strategy. Prospective homebuyers are looking for new ways to explore for-sale homes and listings, so it's time for agents to update and showcase their resources.
Rather than simply posting a listing with a few basic photos or low-quality video, you can provide your leads and prospects with a high-quality, modern look into your available properties with a virtual home tour. This starts with creating a virtual experience that will draw in buyers and help them to appreciate a home's true quality and character, especially as in-person viewings are limited in the current climate.
Virtual tours are also helpful for homeowners looking to sell. In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS®, 73 percent of homeowners say they are more likely to list their home with an agent who offers to create a video of their property. So as you develop and update your digital and social media marketing strategy, be sure to prioritize virtual home tours and walk-throughs that will benefit sellers, buyers and ultimately, your real estate business.
By following these tips, you and your team can produce videos to share with your social sphere and join other successful agents who utilize their social platforms to promote their listings.
Prepare a Game Plan
First and foremost, you want to develop a clear and concise plan to tackle each listing video. Put together a "shot list" of everything you want included. This will help you to remember features of the home that may not appear prominent at first glance. Be sure to take note of any qualities and characteristics of the home you would like to highlight, such as a fireplace, updated appliances or a separate garage. Include aerial shots of the property and neighborhood, as many buyers are not only interested in the house, but also the property and community that surrounds it.
Once you have a blueprint of how you will shoot the property, develop a script to read over the video, highlighting specific features and facts about the listing. A script provides you with an opportunity to explain certain features and areas of the home or answer commonly asked questions, such as dimensions and history of improvements.
Gear Up
Anyone with a smartphone or basic camera can create a video walk-through of a home. But with the right equipment, you can ensure that whatever content you procure will be of excellent quality and high resolution.
According to a 2019 NAR report, 29 percent of REALTORS® hire a professional to operate a drone for their business, while an additional 14 percent of REALTORS® plan to incorporate the use of drones in the future. Consider investing in a drone or hiring a pro to film aerial shots of the entire property, showcasing the acreage of the lot, as well as the size and style of the surrounding neighborhood.
Set the Scene
Just as you would stage a home for an open house or in-person showing, you want to make the space feel welcoming. Remove any current family photos, as well as any political signs from the yard or sports team memorabilia from the home as you work through the staging process. Before shooting your interior shots, open all of the curtains and shades on windows, as this will best showcase each room in a warm, natural light.
Break out the tripod and set it low enough to avoid ceilings in your shots. If there is an interesting chandelier or other ceiling fixture, you can showcase this in a separate shot or image. This will allow your prospects to focus on the important details in each room and create an overall better look for your videos.
Editing & Beyond
Once you've completed your filming, you can utilize even the most simple editing tools to put your listing video together, or consider hiring a professional video editor. For agents looking for an all-in-one program, plus the possibility of offering virtual reality tours, consider utilizing a 3D, real estate-specific software. Add the finished video to your listing, as well as sharing it across all of your social platforms.
By adding this feature to your current social media strategy, you can create an effortless and invaluable experience for all of your potential leads and clients.
Paige Brown is RISMedia’s content editor. Email her your real estate news and ideas to pbrown@rismedia.com.
