Did you know that real estate listings with video get 403% more inquiries than those without? Video marketing is a secret weapon that can help take your real estate business to the next level. In this guide, we share everything you need to get started with real estate video marketing, including links to helpful video templates and tips to make your first video a success.
We’re covering a lot. Feel free to read straight through, or click the links below to jump to a specific section.
Does real estate marketing really work? In addition to getting more inquiries on your properties, video can help you win more real estate listings too. Here are some statistics:
As you can see, including video marketing as part of your expertise shows that you go the extra mile for your clients. Sellers will be excited to learn that creating videos is part of your marketing strategy for listing their home.
Now that you’re convinced that video is an important part of your real estate marketing plan, here are answers to common questions that you might be asking next:
Authenticity. Let’s face it, not every listing or neighborhood is glamorous or visually stunning. However, there is an audience and buyer for every property when promoted strategically. Video is a powerful tool that can help you stand out from the crowd. Top-producing real estate agent Brian Lewis told us in an interview, “Find an interesting angle and be yourself. Don’t try to be something you’re not. Be the most authentic you possible.” When you are authentically you, it gives potential clients a glimpse into what it would be like to work with you, helping build a foundation of trust.
A concise story. Viewers have short attention spans so don’t try to combine a property listing video with a neighborhood tour and an agent testimonial all in one. Instead, stick to telling one clear story in each video that you make, and resolve to post separate videos at a higher frequency. By doing so, you’ll not only make it easier for viewers to consume and remember your message, but you’ll also have more content to share over time, increasing your brand exposure online.
The right music. Trying to decide what music to use in your real estate videos? Think about the mood you want to convey and go from there. For example, if you’re creating a listing video for a family home, you’ll want to choose a track that’s got an uplifting, family vibe that’ll help viewers be able to imagine themselves in their new home. We’ve got thousands of tracks to choose from in our music library, but if you need a little help narrowing it down, we’ve got you covered. Check out our favorite songs for real estate videos.
Strategic details. Once you’ve created an authentic, clear video set to the right music, be sure to include all of the strategic details that will help you distribute and promote your videos online. Keep reading below for 3 video creation details that you don’t want to overlook in your real estate videos, or get started right away with Animoto’s real estate video templates, including the video below.
Tip #1: Use a detailed title and description
A good title communicates essential information about a property to potential clients and entices them to watch. Use the title to highlight important characteristics of the property or neighborhood. For example, “Classic Colonial with 4BR/2 Baths” incorporates information that will help viewers decide if the property is right for them.
The description and title are also very important if you’re posting your video on YouTube because they’re the most effective tools to help viewers find you in a search. Include keywords you know people would search for when looking for the information you’ve provided in your video.
Tip #2: Include your logo and contact information
When creating videos to promote your real estate listings on social media and beyond, it’s important to include contact information so that potential buyers, renters, or sellers know how to get in touch with you.
Add a text block that includes your name, phone number, email, or any other contact information they’ll need to reach you. You can also add a logo block or watermark to keep your video on brand.
Tip #3: Caption your video
A picture is worth a thousand words, but adding text can add value to your videos as well. Use descriptive titles and subtitles by including useful information like square footage and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the form of text copy on top of your photos and footage. If your video has a voiceover, use text to capture major takeaways to highlight specific details and calls to action.
This is an especially useful tip if you’re sharing your real estate videos on social media, where the majority of people will be watching without sound. Text can help viewers understand your video without having to turn on the sound.
There are 5 essential videos that real estate professionals should consider making regularly as part of their marketing strategy. If you’re hungry for more, check out our full list of real estate video ideas.
There are more than 2 million real estate agents and brokers in the U.S. alone. Creating informative explainer videos is a way to differentiate yourself as a trusted expert and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
To help you get started with creating an educational video series like this, here’s a sample script pulled from our 45-second Real Estate Explainer template shown below. Simply combine a narrative like this with stock imagery or photos you have from your portfolio to create a real estate explainer video.
Over 7 Million Homes Will Be Sold in the US This Year! So how should you price your house? Bad news: what you paid doesn’t really matter! Ultimately, it's up to the market Look at similar listings sold in your area within the last 3 months Not all renovations are made equal Refinished hardwood floors = 100% return Shag carpet = no dice Think about how your price will show up in search engines $510K can shut you out of $500K searches Leave room to negotiate, but don’t overprice Staying flexible will help you sell faster How Did You Choose To Price Your Home?
Did you know? With Animoto’s ready-to-produce video templates you can simply add your logo and text, and you’re done! Feel free to swap in your own media, or leave the template images and clips in place.
You’re likely already taking photos for your property listings. Turn those photos into a video in a matter of minutes by using one of our real estate listing video templates. Include short, descriptive details with each photo or video clip to highlight important selling points. Then include your contact information at the end.
Remember to export a vertical version of your listing videos to share on FB and IG stories. You can easily convert any Animoto video from a horizontal or square template to a vertical layout by clicking on the Ratio button from the top menu bar of your project. You can also insert property listing images and footage into one of our vertical video templates, already optimized for this popular mobile-viewing format.
Introduce yourself by letting your happy clients promote you with a testimonial video. If you’ve got video clips of clients talking about you, that’s great, but it’s totally not necessary. The video template below can be easily customized using quotes taken from emails or online reviews.
It can be difficult for renters or buyers to visit multiple properties during their search. Creating an overview video can be a great way to share a sense of the overall property, amenities, and neighborhood so that interested parties can take the next steps to schedule a virtual tour with you.
Here’s a sample script that is pulled from our Virtual Real Estate Tour template that you can preview below. Combine it with a few stock and property images and you’ve got yourself a great promotion video in minutes!
Welcome to the Marigold virtual listing A modern apartment complex located in the heart of the city Featuring a 24-hour concierge team Top-of-the-line kitchen appliances Beautiful views with eastern and southern exposure for lots of natural light Pet-friendly leases Explore the neighborhood Two train stations within easy walking distance Great local businesses Restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and more Nearby district ranked 8/10 on GreatSchools Welcome to The Marigold, your new home Schedule a virtual tour at themarigold.com
The length of marketing videos depends primarily on where you plan to publish them.
Despite these guidelines, it’s most important that your video only be as long as it needs to be to get your information across—and not a second longer. To learn more about optimizing your video length, see our full blog post on the topic.
It’s not uncommon for agents to ask “when is it time to hire a professional?” Here are some tips to keep in mind when deciding to do-it-yourself versus outsourcing your video creation.
Set a realistic budget
Hiring someone to shoot and edit your real estate marketing videos can start at a few hundred dollars for a basic listing video but can easily reach $2000-$3000 or more if professional voice-overs, specialty lighting, or drone footage are needed.
Simply put, not every video and property is worth this type of effort or spend, especially if you plan to create a series of videos to build out a YouTube channel or social media following. As such, it’s wise to consider what a realistic budget is for your overall marketing goals before embarking down the path of hiring a production team for one video. These days, there are many DIY apps and softwares that can turn anyone into a video maker for much less.
Start with what you have
You don’t need to invest in fancy video equipment or set up an elaborate video shoot. You can get started with what you have. You likely already have great photos of your properties on hand from the property listing that you can mix with stock imagery to create your video project.
Plus, there’s so much you can capture right at your fingertips using your cell phone, try some of our 10 fun video hacks. Simply upload your visuals to our video creation software to create attention-grabbing reels set to music.
All you need to do is drag and drop your photos into Animoto, add some descriptive text about the property, choose your soundtrack, and in minutes you can have an eye-catching video that will make clients stop and take notice.
Identify your video marketing needs
If you determine that what you need is unattainable on your own (e.g. drone footage, voice-over, etc.), creating a rough first draft yourself is a great way to introduce your project to a professional. You'll have a better idea of the scope, video length, and narrative concept going into the project, which will save you from paying for multiple revisions and helps cut down on the overall completion time. Plus, it often helps to have a visual representation of what you’re trying to create to get on the same page with your videographer quickly.
Now that you’re armed with real estate video marketing ideas and tips, it’s time to make your first video! As a reminder, many of the videos in this guide are templates that you can customize to make your own. Sign up for a free account to get started with Animoto.
Happy real estate video making!
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