Press Play: The Marketing Strategy You Can’t Ignore

Videos are the future – a notion that is backed up by a natural disposition towards flashy visuals (the many sequels to Fast and Furious and Transformers can attest to this). If Michael Bay isn’t your thing, then there are also stats to provide it, courtesy of the renown IT authority –

Cisco: “Globally, IP video traffic will be 82 percent of all consumer Internet traffic by 2021”.  If you’re more driven by what’s happening in the here and now, Hubspot states “that 51.9% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI”.

This means that as a discerning agent you should leverage every advantage to boost your real estate lead conversion.

Internet traffic that will be video by 2021

(Note: Illustrates point, but also looks like Pac-Man)

What’s worse, by NOT deploying a strong content and video strategy, you’re ensuring that your competition will leave you in the dust. Instead, use videos to engage with your customers. Garnering more eyeballs to bolster your social media presence also works as a way to frame yourself (literally) as a source of expertise. 

Videos are the perfect vehicle for you to promote your brand and product. As the old adage goes: Seeing is believing. So if you’re able to demonstrate your company’s values via video, then your potential clients will more readily “buy what you’re selling.” Be sure to slap some captions on the video and boom – you have all of your bases covered to ensure that your client can consume your content while on the go.

It is a fact that videos are taking over. According to Forbes, 90% of reported customers confess that product videos help with their purchasing decisions.  Now, this can clearly apply to any of your listings, showcasing the home via virtual tours or even aerial drone footage. Yet, more applicable, this notion can be applied to your most important product: yourself and your brand.

Again, if what you’re “selling” is yourself, then videos will aide prospective clients in their decision to “purchase” you and your services.

Videos are also easier to share, and could potentially earn you some self-sustaining, word-of-mouth marketing. In 2016, we released Zillow, It’s Me, a parody of Adele’s critically acclaimed comeback anthem Hello. Keeping our finger on the pulse and capitalizing on what’s hot, this video was created with the hopes of creating our own buzz within the real estate space, while connecting with potential clients through empathy and levity. Over 200k views and counting, we continue to attract new agents to our service with the help of this content.

Of course, all of this is only possible if you’re actively using social media channels to build your business. We’ve covered extensively how to boost your engagement on these platforms, how to advertise, and even use your social data to garner more clients/success. Even tips on setting up yourself up profiles for each platform.

As far as including videos within your social media strategy, you don’t need fancy editing or high-end production value, just something that is quick and engaging. For example, if you stylize yourself as a neighborhood expert, why not shoot a Facebook Live as you run errands around local establishments? It would present you as approachable, authentic, and knowledgeable. Do you have a new listing? Take your audience on a tour of the neighborhood and showcase some of the best features. Or maybe just shoot some videos during your next outing – demonstrating your value and appeal by showing off the fruits of your labor.

Thankfully, as with all things, there are many services that are willing to help you get started (or even do the work for you). A couple of them are:

• Fiverr: From animations and live action explainers to short video ads and product photography, Fiverr is a great channel to outsource any of your video needs. If you’re looking for an affordable freelancer, check them out.
• Craigslist: A tried and true resource where budding or expert videographers are offering their services at reasonable rates. Here you can also find local companies in your area, which allows for continued business that will continually adapt to your needs, vs. the impersonal singular nature of freelancers.

Whatever you decide to do, videos should have a presence within your real estate marketing, as it will take your lead conversion to the next level.