10+ Real Estate Video Ideas To Help You Sell More Homes

The internet and smartphones have made video content widespread and accessible with a tap and a scroll. To fully engage with your clients, you need to take advantage of the potential of video. This article will walk you through how to connect with your audience, ideas for videos and how to make your videos stand out. Incorporate video into your arsenal for the 2021 home buying season.

Read on to learn the top video tips for real estate agents.

There are several avenues online for you to share your video. You want it to be seen by the right people who will interact with it. Each platform has its own demographic skew and specializes in different styles of content.

Find the right audience for your videos on these platforms.

Facebook

Facebook is a ubiquitous platform. According to Pew Research, 69% of American adults use Facebook, and out of those, 74% use it daily. While Facebook is less popular with teens and younger adults, the core home buying demographic still uses it regularly.

Here are some video tips from Facebook on making your videos reach your audience:

Connect With Your Audience Quickly

65% of people who watch the first 3 seconds will continue watching. Put your most interesting shots and features first to grab their attention. Use thumbnails that tell the story and pique interest to get them to start watching.

Silence Your Videos And Automate Captions

Facebook’s research shows that users are turned off by videos that automatically play sound while scrolling. Instead, make videos that work well without sound and employ Facebook’s auto-captions. Facebook has found that videos with captions are more likely to be watched longer than those without.

Film For Mobile And Web

Remember that most people are using Facebook through their phone, but plenty of users are still accessing it through their computers. Make sure your videos play well in the app and on the browser.

YouTube

With over 2 billion active monthly users, YouTube is the premier social media video platform. According to Alexa, it’s the second-most-visited site in the world, ranking just behind Google. On average, all of its users spend over 18 minutes daily on the site.

Some video tips from Facebook carryover: You need great thumbnails and need to engage quickly. Here are some tips specific to YouTube:

Build Out Longer Videos With In-Depth Content

The YouTube algorithm feeds people progressively longer videos to watch because then YouTube can sell more ad space. Having videos with useful content will get you more views, which lends to more people liking and subscribing, which contributes to YouTube recommending the video more.

Take SEO Seriously

Many of YouTube’s views are pulled in from Google searches. This means you need to optimize your videos to target search terms. For instance, when more people were at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, YouTube saw a significant bump in the amount of people searching for videos with “Beginner” in the title.

This is because more people were starting projects and hobbies to stay busy. By recognizing a trend like this and building videos around it, you can capitalize on the moment and build your brand.

TikTok And Instagram

These two platforms are the most popular with younger generations. While younger users may not be ready to buy a home right away, build your brand so they think of you when they are ready. With both platforms, video content needs to be more immediate and authentic.

Here are some video tips that especially pertain to TikTok and Instagram:

Use Specific Hashtags

Hashtags help people interested in your topic find your content. You don’t want to just tag your posts with “#realestate.” Make it more specific. For example, if you’re in Phoenix, use “#phoenixhomes” and “#phoenixrealestate.” While more specific content narrows down users, the users who do find it are more likely to be engaged.

Use All Content Types And Lengths

Instagram allows you to post images, stories and reels. Take advantage of each of these. The same goes for TikTok. Use long- (60-second) and short-form (15-second) videos on TikTok and break your videos into parts to tell a story.

Sound On/Off

Consider the sound differences between Instagram and TikTok. Like Facebook, most people use Instagram with the sound off by default. You’ll need to make your Instagram content engaging without sound.

TikTok, on the other hand, most users are there specifically for videos with sound. You will need to use your voice, personality and sense of humor to keep users engaged.

Good videos start with good ideas. These ideas can be approached from different angles and repurposed so you get the most out of them.

You can use this content across platforms. Create a longer video for YouTube and share snippets of it on Facebook and Instagram. Link to it in emails and other communications with your clients.

Here are some great ideas to get you started making videos.

Introduction Video 

An introduction video is a great place to give clients the opportunity to get to know you. These can be short snippets to put on your Facebook and YouTube home page. Give prospective clients a look at the work you do and who you are to start building a relationship.

FAQ Videos

Buying and selling homes is a complex process. People often have a lot of questions, especially if it’s their first time. Create videos of frequently asked questions (FAQs) like “Top 7 Questions First-Time Home Buyers Ask” or “Best Questions To Ask Your Home Inspector.”

Highlight Videos

Create videos highlighting a specific home on the market or ones that recently sold. Use this as an opportunity to establish yourself as a real estate expert in your market.

Neighborhood Tours

Give your prospective clients tours of different neighborhoods you specialize in. Highlight their attractions, such as nearby parks, schools and businesses. Try to give them the feeling of walking through the neighborhood to make them feel familiar with it.

Home/Property Tours

If you find interesting properties for sale or if you’re selling them yourself, give people tours. Virtual tours are a necessity, especially post-COVID. They can be sent to buyer’s agents to garner interest and used to highlight the properties your represent.

AMAs – Ask Me Anything Videos

Host a planned livestream on Facebook or Instagram and market it as an opportunity for clients to ask you anything. These can be exciting opportunities for clients to interact with you and for you to show off your knowledge and personality.

Be prepared to answer a variety of questions and have a backup plan in case things go off-course.

Drone Footage

Drone footage of neighborhoods and large properties will give your videos a unique and interesting perspective. Chances are you’ve seen these gorgeous overhead shots used in other videos and want to do it yourself.

This is work you may want to outsource, though – drones can be expensive, you need a permit from the FAA to fly them and it can take a lot of skill to operate them without crashing. If you’re flying in neighborhoods, you’ll want to respect people’s privacy and be wary of utility poles and trees.

Day In The Life

Day in the life videos can be engaging to anyone interested in the real estate business and buying/selling of homes. Here’s where you can really show off how you earn your commission. Don’t get too into the details, but give a fun overview of what your day looks like and all of the moving pieces of the home buying/selling process.

Testimonials

Testimonials are a time-tested marketing tool. Ask past clients to send in a brief video about their experience working with you. Edit these together to create a montage you can share on social media, your website and via email.

Market Or Neighborhood Updates

Flex your knowledge and make yourself an authority on the real estate market by creating videos that speak to trends in your area. Talk about what areas people are leaving, where they’re moving to and the exciting things that are attracting them there.

With the endless amount of content online, standing out is very important. Follow these tips to get extra followers and keep them engaged.

Make A Plan

Every good marketing strategy starts with a plan. Draw up a content calendar a month ahead with a plan for content. Script the content, rehearse your videos, edit them and release them.

Get The Right Equipment (And Learn How To Use It)

It’s true you can get a lot done with a smartphone, a good eye and a shining personality. But to make your videos really stand out it’s going to take more. If you don’t have equipment, don’t let it stop you, but if you’re ready to step it up, consider investing in some (or all) of these, starting with the most basic:

• Tripod (with smartphone attachment)
• Ring light
• Editing software
• Lighting kit
• Microphone
• DSLR Camera

Each of these pieces of equipment has a huge range of costs so be sure to research the right option for you.

Show Your Personality

Crank your charm up to 11. Flex your knowledge and show who you are. Be authentic and share your opinions. People are watching because they want to know what you think. Be personable and engage with them while being professional.

Show clients why your content matters through the value of your information, your storytelling and your unique perspective and humor.

Put all these tips together and you’re bound to build a following. Even just having a few introduction videos and tutorials at your disposal can be a great resource to perspective clients. As more and more choices are made virtually, you need to be utilizing video to gain new clients’ trust, give virtual tours and build your brand.

Staying relevant means pushing yourself, whether that’s learning a new skill like video marketing or building connections in a new neighborhood.