Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series.
Whether you’re new to using video in your business or a seasoned pro, one of the greatest challenges you face is how to create compelling content that will attract viewers. The secret to creating compelling content is to have fun, be unique, and to provide something of value to your viewers.
You can shoot the perfect video, but if your content is boring, no one will watch. On the other hand, if you have fun by shooting a video that stands out from the crowd, your video will be shared repeatedly.
Here are six ways to create video content that can supercharge your real estate business.
1. Create compelling listing videos
Creating a video where you walk through a house and say, "This is the living room and this is the kitchen," is boring. Don’t waste your time. What engages people is a personal story about the house or the family who lived there.
For example, one agent listed a ranch where the owners’ family had been there for three generations. The elderly sellers were no longer able to meet the demands of ranching. The listing agent decided to interview the seller about what it was like when she was growing up on the property. Her story was fascinating.
The tears in her eyes, however, is what made the video incredibly compelling. A buyer knew instantly that her life on this ranch had been filled with happiness. This type of authentic video content is one of the most powerful ways to market your listings.
2. Show how the property is unique
Buyers want a property that is unique, especially in the luxury market. For example, we have some friends in Santa Fe, N.M., who built their house using traditional Spanish adobe construction techniques from the 1700s. The house is constructed from bales of hay. In two of the rooms, they left an opening in the plaster where you can actually see the hay in the walls. The floors are mud stained with ox blood and then sealed.
The doors in one of the offices are from an old church in Spain. The vigas (large logs that create an open beam ceiling) were prepared the same way the Spaniards did back in the 1700s. Having the owners explain the steps they took to build the home as well as the history behind this traditional style of construction makes for a very compelling listing video.
3. Have fun
For many younger people, buying a home is not just about the physical structure. The lifestyle in the area is equally important. For example, instead of talking about the hike and bike trails in an area, go out for a walk or ride the trail and take your video cam. Shoot interesting stops on the trail or the favorite watering holes for the locals once they finish their exercise.
4. Capture an unusual event
If we ever sell our current house, we have some great video from when we had 4 inches of accumulated snow, a very rare occurrence here in Austin. Because we have a hillside lot, the neighborhood kids (my husband included) were sliding down the hill on boogie boards. The video is hilarious, but it also paints the picture of a friendly community where the neighbors enjoy having fun together.
5. Shoot creatively
My husband is in the process of starting a cooking blog. As part of that project, he decided that he wanted a garden to grow his own vegetables and herbs. Because the soil where we live is called "red death," he had a truckload of dirt from one of the local nursery stores delivered to the house.
He also purchased the concrete blocks and rebar needed to construct three raised beds: one for tomatoes and the other two for the lime and lemon trees he purchased from the local the farmer’s market.
When he began working on the project, he set his iPhone on a tripod overlooking the area where he was building the garden. He also purchased a time-lapse photography app that allowed him to snap a picture every 10 seconds.
Although it took him three weeks to complete the project, the time-lapse photography created a fun and engaging video that allows a potential buyer to see the entire process in less than a minute.
6. The strongest way to market your business: video testimonials
While creating compelling listing videos can help you attract clients, it’s important to remember that video is a powerful tool for potential clients checking out your online reputation.
Video testimonials from past clients are one of the best ways to build your online reputation. The beauty of having a camera in your smartphone or carrying a video cam with you is that you can shoot videos whenever the opportunity presents itself.
For example, you may be meeting your first-time buyers at their new home to give them their keys. Shooting a video of them opening the door to the house the first time coupled with a testimonial is much more compelling than someone just standing in front of a video cam saying that you did a great job.
Creating compelling content is not difficult. Simply focus on finding ways to make your videos more authentic, unique and fun.
