According to the National Association of Realtors, 39% of homebuyers used sites with embedded video during their home searches, and 56% of them felt it was very useful. The 2019 edition of the same survey found that websites overall were the most trusted resource for real estate information, ahead even of the professionals themselves.

Consequently, a well-made real estate video – whether a virtual tour or an agent bio video - can be an invaluable resource for both buyers and sellers, as it showcases the property in much more detail than a photo or textual description ever could.

The fact that homebuyers and sellers are resorting to online information when it comes to real estate is a huge positive for agents. If you’re an agent, then staying up to date with current real estate video marketing ideas is a step in the right direction for your career. So, let’s examine how agents can take advantage of the new trend.

How do real estate agents get people to look at their property listings?

Video marketing is one of the most effective ways, as it works in all parts of the sales funnel:

At the top of the funnel, it can generate valuable page views.
Links to pages with embedded video get 157% more organic search results than ones without it.
Near the middle and bottom of the funnel, a compelling video can be the last nudge buyers need to make a call or send an email to a real estate agent or the property owner.
Sharply produced video can also persuade sellers to work with an agent, confident that their property will be shown in the best possible light.
Overall, property listings with video generate more than four times more leads.

Click here to see how Carbon Real Estate Group utilizes its video listings to engage with potential home-buyers.

The shoot is for listing agent Said Warde of Carbon Group Real Estate Group in Toronto. It includes a great mix of external shots that give prospective buyers a good sense of where the unit is located, along with plenty of internal shots that show Said casually taking advantage of the condo’s different features through the power of video inserts and dialogue.

Explore AR and VR Tech

A house or condo overview is just one possible example of showcasing a property through video. A video might also be used for:

Real estate video listings that provide in-depth guided tours of each room of a residence, perhaps using AR or VR tech (although be careful here, so that the video doesn’t mislead the viewer).
Customer testimonials from buyers and sellers about their experiences with a real estate agent.
Real estate agent profile videos, in which agents introduce themselves and their methods.

Common real estate video pitfalls to avoid

Now that you understand the value of video marketing for real estate, it’s imperative to consider the quality and professionalism of both the content and technical factors of videos. A simple mistake could become an obstacle to success and result in wasted time and effort.

Avoid these common real estate video mistakes and the time and effort you invest in this vital medium will pay off:

Failing to Rehearse: As Andrea Geller of Coldwell Banker in Chicago points out, “The first listing appointment is no longer when you walk into someone’s home. It’s what they see about you online.”

After all, consumers want to find a real estate agent that is professional and trustworthy. Why would they put their financial future in your hands if you can’t rehearse for a promotional video?

Not focusing on a single message: Too often, real estate videos contain more than one message and quickly become confusing. Agents often fail to think of their video content as falling into a number of “types,” and therefore default to creating one long video that rarely gets watched.

Not interacting digitally: Real estate agents need to build community engagement. It means you cannot ignore the reception you’re receiving on your videos. People may comment, asking for more information, and they need answers.

Poor quality audio: The addition of music to your video can make it much more engaging. However, it can be a disaster if it’s not mixed right with your voice. Many videos allow the music to overpower the agent’s voice, which makes words and messages unclear.

Bad lighting: Lighting is often overlooked in nonprofessional videos. It’s worth remembering that pictures or videos that are too dark or bright or that feature unflattering shadows can completely change a viewer’s opinion of the content.

SEO-unfriendly videos: The first title you come up with isn’t always the best. If your title doesn’t contain your target keywords, your video won’t be found by the right audiences online and won’t show up prominently in Google or other search engines.

No Video Transcript: A lack of transcripts for your videos will hurt you in search results. Google cannot read visual data in videos, so without a transcript, it’s unable to include such content in search results.

In addition, if your viewers are on mobile devices or social media, chances are they are not viewing your video with sound enabled. According to Digiday, eighty-five percent of Facebook videos are viewed without sound.

A screen capture of Youtube page displaying home trends.

Let’s face it, if your competition is using a professional videographer for their real estate videos and you’re not, there will be a noticeable difference. Videos that are made professionally typically make a stronger first impression, whether you’re using them to sell houses or recruit new clients.

As a result, in order to take advantage of a fast-changing online marketing world, you as the Toronto real estate agent must be willing to accept video as a huge component of your daily work. However, consider the learning curve to produce a pro video that stands out against your peers.

Learning how to do a video from scratch may not be the best use of your time. Unless you were a film major in college, it’s unlikely that you will be able to produce a “wow factor”.

Consequently, hiring a professional real estate videographer in Toronto to provide you with these services will bring you many benefits:

They have the gear and know-how from years of experience.
Come up with fresh ideas and make you look like a superstar.
Provide a fair return on your investment.
Generate a loyal audience that follows your updates.
Enhance your brand and reputation.
Help increase sales
Impress buyers and likely sell homes quicker, possibly for a higher price too.

As a real estate videographer in Toronto, we certainly welcome this opportunity as it opens the door to new adventures in the real estate videography realm. It is also exciting knowing we can influence others into making home purchasing decisions.

Therefore, by discussing your objectives, we can help you achieve your goals. We will gladly sit down with you and plan a strategic video concept that will convert your leads into sales. So if you’re looking for a real estate video marketing professional, get in contact with us today.

With many years of experience, Xpression Video Productions, in Toronto, Ontario, will help you create captivating real estate videos. We also render quality videography for weddings, special occasions, funerals, events, and corporate marketing promos.

If you have any questions about video production, please contact us. To learn more about our wedding videography services in Toronto, please click here.