The marketing and advertising industry has seen a lot of changes since the pandemic of 2020. While we saw many traditional marketing tactics take a big hit, we came out of that time more savvy and agile than ever. This has been especially true in real estate, which always covers a broad range due to the wide variances in target audiences. The modern age of home selling is defined by virtual tours, zoom appointments and video profiles. This sudden proliferation of virtual selling tools has yielded great returns for those who can adopt the new digital trends.

Video has become one of the most embraced mediums in real estate. Over the years, realtors, home builders and developers have utilized various video styles to showcase properties, communities and visions, from drone overviews to community profiles and even 3D renderings. As we navigate through 2024, it’s imperative to strategically assess the role of your video content within your brand narrative.

Start on the right foot.

As many builders and real estate companies finalize their marketing budget and plan, it’s crucial to evaluate the allocation for video content. Whether it’s produced in-house by your sales team or through professional services, reassessing your investment in video marketing during the planning stage can prevent playing catch-up later on. In this new age of digital marketing, consider increasing your investment in this tactic during the planning stage so you aren’t playing catch up. 

To maximize the effectiveness of your video content, start by clearly defining your objectives and target audience. Develop outlines for quick videos and storyboards for longer productions to ensure cohesion and efficiency in your messaging. Additionally, determine the distribution channels for your videos before production begins to tailor the content accordingly and optimize its impact.

Working In-House

Self-produced social videos, which can be a property tour, a live social feed or a promotional announcement, are a big source of engagement. Encourage your sales team to regularly share self-produced social videos, whether it’s a property tour, live social feed or promotional announcement. Establishing a weekly or bi-weekly publishing schedule can help maintain momentum. When creating these videos, authenticity is key to establishing a personal connection with your audience. Utilize online tutorials and resources on platforms like YouTube to improve your recording, editing and posting skills. Consider utilizing tools, outlines and templates provided by professionals to maintain a consistent, branded appearance across your videos. This strategic approach ensures that your content remains professional and aligns with your overall marketing goals.

Bigger Productions

Consider partnering with an agency for a variety of video projects. Each of these has a great place in your library of video content. Generally, you start with an objective and audience in mind with a set budget and parameters. Below are just a few of the types of videos we have produced for real estate clients.

Community Brand Video —  Gives a look of the complete brand or community vision and its impact on the audience. Generally 2-3 minutes, and is great for website intros, landing pages and YouTube content. Create at least one vision/overview video and plan to update it annually.

Promotional Video — Think of this as the “commercial”. A promotional video can build awareness or support a specific objective. Generally 15-60 seconds, they are perfect for social media, paid social ads and YouTube pre-roll. Use on landing pages and in emails, or they can be broadcast-ready when needed. Plan to have several of these throughout the year to align with your promotional calendar. Great for quarterly campaigns.

Community Conceptual Vision Video — These videos can combine stock footage and images along with static or animated renderings to create a sense of excitement about what you are creating. They can feature voice-over or just be music with superimposed type. Occasionally  “one time” projects, these videos are an amazing way to get a project off the ground and everyone excited.

Aerial Community Tours — Primarily uses drone footage and on-screen titles to tell the story of the community or location. Additional on-screen animations, overlays and graphics can be used to enhance the final results further. These are generally 2-4 minutes and are great for websites, social, paid social ads and shareable content to prospects. Drone videos can take two different approaches:

• A quick flyover that shows what is happening and progress. Can be done quarterly and requires little planning and editing but has a short shelf life.
• A longer, narrative approach to tell the brand story through primarily drone footage, but can feature other types of B-roll footage. Longer shelf-life, but requires updates after 12-18 months.

Guided Home Tour — Typically these can be created by the agents, but occasionally for a special property or neighborhood, a well-scripted video with either professional talent or a really great on-screen agent can give an extra “HGTV” feel to the spot. If you typically do tours in-house, consider taking this approach for a little extra attention. Generally 3-5 minutes.

Web Series — A web series is a great way to get more in-depth about a certain topic in your community. Consider a web series about constructing a model home or launching a neighborhood, with chapters showing the progress. Each episode could feature interviews and B-roll and should be short snippets. These are great as a monthly content boost.

Include these video types in your planning as you gear up for a new era of homebuyers. For creative ideas or assistance with video production strategies, our team is here to ensure your community shines. Contact Able&Co. to begin your journey.