Why Should Real Estate Agents Use Video?
If you’re a real estate agent in the greater Grand Rapids area or West Michigan, then video might seem like one of those optional extra things that you do only if you have to. Real estate coach Tom Ferry says utilizing the value in video is much more than that, as you can see in this video:
At one point in there Tom says that if you’re not doing video, then “you might be in the wrong career.” That might seem a little extreme to a lot of you depending on your current position, but I think he makes a valid point. Video is incredibly pervasive nowadays that agents who want to succeed must be creating videos regularly. Furthermore, they should be doing this for themselves and not just for their property listings.
Why Video?
Simple – Because this type of marketing works.
Short of going door to door at every home in your Grand Rapids, video is the best way to build trust and likeability with buyers and sellers. It gives you a chance to educate potential clients on the market, it shows your personal side, you can share news from your local area, and even build a connection with people that you have never met face to face!
As Tom says at another point in the previous video:
“Video has become the cultural norm. It’s become the new standard. Like, you have an email account, and you do video.
… And if you’re not doing video the thing I would challenge you on is, if not video, how are you scaling trust? How are you taking your best gifts, your DNA, your super power – whatever it may be – and make it available for everybody so they can choose you or not choose you, and either one is fine?”
So when asked where Tom sees video going over the next few years, he said, “The next evolution is the better quality, better editing, better post-production, more thoughtfulness around really thinking about the client …”
Create More Video Content And Win:
We are currently seeing the switch to high-quality, consistent video content more and more every day, and in Tom’s video up above you can see that he has a videographer following him around creating content all the time. Then you see another real estate agent approach him before a conference and she also has a videographer shooting footage. Everyone is finding new ways to capture and creature their own branding.
This is the kind of thing we have been seeing from people like Gary Vaynerchuk for a while now, and could be a great addition if you can do it too:
However, that may not be something you are wanting just yet, especially if you haven’t even started creating videos, but it shows you the extent to which some agents are going in order to develop a big advantage over their competition.
In terms of how this might work for you, there are three different stages to creating video content:
Stage 1 – Shoot your own videos, perhaps with your cell phone, and manage everything all in-house. This method is cheap, but be aware that you will need to learn a few skills to get it right, and if you don’t do it right then the videos could make you look cheap.
Here’s a quick video from real estate agent Karin Carr who is shooting her own videos and is doing a really good job. This example shows you that it can be done quite well, and Karin includes a few helpful tips for agents who want to do their own videos:
Stage 2 – Hire a videographer for an hour or two each week to create weekly content for you to share on a regular basis. This requires a bigger financial commitment, but the benefits for you and your business will be quite evident.
Stage 3 – Hire a videographer full-time (or almost full-time) to capture everything you do. This is next-level stuff in terms of cost, but you would definitely stand out in your market with this approach.
What Kind Of Real Estate Videos Can You Create?
Here are 10 simple and effective ideas from Sean Cannell that agents can use to promote themselves and their real estate listings:
Here’s the list again:
#1. Interview videos – Chat with other people (clients, homeowners, etc.), and create video testimonials.
#2. Informational videos – Basic ‘how to’ videos like, “How to select a real estate agent” or “how to arrange an inspection”. This helps position you as an expert in the field.
#3. Market Updates – What’s happening in your local market? Any pricing updates or any new events to check out?
#4. Local business reviews – What businesses are in nearby in your target area that you can highlight to help people moving to the neighborhood know more about the city?
#5. Go live – Do a live review of a business or a new listing.
#6. Listing videos – Do a walk-through video tour of a home. I anticipate that at some point buyers will expect this for all listings they see.
#7. About me video – Introduce yourself in a video so they get to know, like, and trust you.
#8. Community events – Do a video covering fun and exciting events happening in your area.
#9. Neighborhood videos – Talk about the location and why someone would want to buy and move there.
#10. Get creative – Put your own spin on things.
Quick Tip For Your YouTube Channel:
If you choose to do more video, then you will want to maximize the return you get from your YouTube Channel. One simple way to do that is to make best use of playlists on YouTube.
This might seem like such a simple step that it couldn’t possibly help. However, the process of intentionally creating playlists for different cities and different content is going to make your Channel much easier to navigate, and your viewers will appreciate that, especially when you have a lot of content down the road. This is also going to help your playlist and Channel rank much better in local search results. If you can start to dominate the local search for your area, then that is a winning move.
For example, you might setup playlists like this:
– Latest Videos
– Homes for sale in TOWN 1
– Homes for sale in TOWN 2
– Homes for sale in TOWN 3
– Homes I’ve sold
– State of the market in CITY
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
If you have made the decision to incorporate more video in your business, the first step is to outline how often you want to post new content. Obviously the more you post the better. Just start somewhere, try a few things, and you will learn which direction your video production should go. If you would like to chat with someone to learn more about the benefits of business, feel free to talk with someone you know already offering video, or contact us to help get you started.