Hey, have you heard this one?
“85 percent of buyers and sellers want to work with an agent who uses video”
The chances are good that you have because it seems like everyone who is trying to sell video services to agents uses it in their marketing.
Sadly, although they credit the NAR for the finding, they neglect to tell their visitors that the research is from 2012, nearly a decade ago.
Technology has advanced rapidly over that decade. In fact, when we fast forward to last year, we find that 3D tours are all the rage, pushing the popularity of traditional video tours to all-time lows.
Here’s the thing though…
Video is far from dead and gone.
You just have to adjust to the times.
While tired old real estate video tours are most definitely a thing of the past, video is here to stay in a BIG way. After all, just look at the most popular social media app for people under 40: Tiktok.
The key to marketing with video for Real Estate is to be creative and have fun – It’s not enough to just be a talking head in front of a camera anymore… You have to make your viewers believe you WANT to be there.
More than that, you have to be genuine.
Here are some great uses of video for Real Estate:
- An introduction to you and your services
- Neighborhood tours
- Educational videos about the process of buying, selling or obtaining financing
- Client testimonials
The last one, by the way, if done right, is a powerful way to showcase your expertise and amazing customer service.
There is a lot to consider before you jump in front of the camera, however.
Start with what will be behind you
As you’re well aware, just about everything you do in your business reflects on you, from your branding to your marketing.
What’s going on in the background of your video has a huge impact on the overall vibe you’ll give off, according to Phil Ebener at videoschool.com. It also reflects on your professionalism.
He goes into detail about the two types of video backgrounds, real and fake. Real backgrounds are actual locations, such as your office, outdoors or anywhere else you choose to shoot.
Fake backgrounds include “paper, curtain, green screen,” according to Ebener, and “both are great choices for different reasons.”
Consider the fake background for a professional look and the real background to appear more friendly, homey or whatever feel your brand is attempting to relay.
For the former, you can use a curtain or something similar, or go pro by purchasing a backdrop:
- Savage Seamless Background Paper, available in an assortment of colors so you can match your brand colors.
- Search for studio backdrops on Etsy.com. We rather like this one for real estate agents.
- Green screen. These are available online from an array of vendors. Do a Google search for “green screen” and click “shopping” on the results page. We even found one at Walmart.com. We also happened upon a brilliant walkthrough of the basics of green screen use for real estate agent videos at youtube.com.
If you decide to go with a real background, such as your office or an area of your home, does it go without saying that you should clean up the clutter?
Don’t skimp on the lighting
According to the pros who do video for Real Estate, when it comes to lighting, there are some rules. Number one is most critical:
Don’t place any lights behind you or directly over you
When placed in back of you, the light dominates and you, the star, appear as a silhouette. Lights overhead “… cast unflattering shadows on your face,” said Melissa Dittmann Tracey, contributing editor at REALTOR® Magazine.
She goes on to cite recommendations from Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of Florida’s Protocol School: “Position yourself about 2 feet in front of a lamp or window.”
Lighting doesn’t mean cannibalizing your marketing budget. The staff at masterclass.com offers the following purchase suggestions for agents on a budget:
- Clamp lights
- An LED video light panel (available at amazon.com)
- Tripod-mounted work lights (available at homedepot.com, lowes.com and amazon.com)
They caution that these light sources “… can be harsh and non-dimmable, so you’ll need diffusers or reflectors to soften their effect.”
You’ll find additional lighting tips online at masterclass.com.
Look and sound like a star!
- Choose your topic carefully and plan on addressing that topic and no others. Make additional videos for each topic you want to address.
- Write a script and memorize it. Rehearse what you’ll say until it flows naturally.
- Keep that script and use it as the transcript of your video if you’ll be posting to YouTube.
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Don’t raise your chin; nobody wants to see up your nostrils. Yet, this is a common mistake. Keep your head level.
- Look directly into the camera. This makes the viewer feel as if you are speaking directly to him or her.
- Dress professionally; no jammies or sweats.
- Wear a solid color instead of patterns or stripes.
For examples of real estate videos done right, check out “5 Real Estate Agent Profile Videos Worth Imitating,” here on EAP.
Need some help with your DIY editing?
There’s lots of help online for the novice who wants to create video for Real Estate, and even for those with a bit of experience. Take a look at some of these companies and what they have to offer (We’re not affiliated with any of these groups by the way – We’re just fans!)
Magisto’s steps to creating video for Real Estate include:
- Upload your real estate video
- Choose an editing style and music from the library
- “Our A.I. powered professional video maker will analyze and edit your … real estate video.”
The company offers three plans that range in price from $4.99 to $34.99. Check out the details on their website. Then, read the reviews on G2.com.
Video Creek offers a YouTube video editor as well as an Instagram editor, promo editor, online video editor, free intros and more. It’s perfect for video for Real Estate agents.
Prices for their three plans range from $0 to $30 a month. See the details of what is included in each plan on the company’s website.
Rave reviews abound for Wondershare’s Filmora.
- “Easiest tool for video editing”
- “All in one tool for video editing”
- “Filmora is the best software platform that can easily and quickly create high-quality videos.”
- “Best video editor for beginner’s [sic]”
There are three plans from which to choose:
- $61.99 for the Annual Plan
- $89.99 for the Perpetual Plan
- $109.99 for the Bundle Subscription Plan
Filmora offers a cancel-at-any-time policy.
Follow this link to their website and scroll to the bottom of the page for the button to claim a free trial.
If you are an absolute newby to creating real estate videos, check out OpenShot. In fact, one g2.com reviewer claims that “This software is suitable for beginners who are making videos for the first time.”
It’s available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
And, best of all, this is open-source software, meaning that you don’t have to pay for it.
Reviewers almost unilaterally agree that Adobe’s Premiere Rush is user-friendly, but only for beginners. Advanced users may want to step up to Premiere Pro.
That said, the price is reasonable (after a free trial), at only $9.99 per month.
If none of the above work for you, check out the list of editing software for beginners at influencermarketinghub.com.
Not a beginner?
“Adobe Premiere Pro is our pick of the best video editing software.” That’s lofty praise considering it comes from the editors at Tom’s Guide.
They go on to say, however, that with a hefty price tag of $20.99 a month, it’s suited for someone who plans “… to do a lot of video editing.”
Check out the reviews at g2.com.
Once you have video editing basics under your belt, Corel’s Video Studio Ultimate can take you the rest of the way.
Winner of PC Mag’s Editor’s Choice award, the pros at Tom’s Guide claim that the software is “… powerful but easy-to-learn, and can be used to create simple videos without fuss …” yet it also “… supports a huge array of tools for when you’re ready to make more complex videos.”
Do check out the tech specs before committing. Some users complain about lagging during rendering and that some tools are slow to load.
Corel offers a 30-day trial and, if you purchase Video Studio Ultimate, you’ll be offered a 30-day money back guarantee.
The price is typically $99, but, at this writing, you can pick it up for $69.99 and they’ll throw in some goodies as well. Check it out at videostudiopro.com.