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It’s true. Many real estate agents out there have great heads for radio. But in 2017, every agency needs a video strategy.
Video is proving to be one of the most popular ways to engage potential customers, attendees at the Inman Connect 2017 New York conference were told recently.
Video is easy to consume, can condense complicated topics into bite-sized grabs and is easy to share. Video is also an easy way to increase engagement on social media, as the algorithms for Facebook and other channels favour video.
Some fun facts on video shared at the conference include:
- 60 per cent of consumers plan to watch more video on social media this year – Brightcove;
- 80 per cent of users recall a video ad they viewed in the past 30 days – Online Publishers Association;
- 92 per cent of mobile consumers share videos with others – Invodo;
- Video posts have 135 per cent greater organic reach than photo posts on Facebook;
- 82 per cent higher attention for video ads viewed on a smartphone compared to TV; and
- Distraction is 79 per cent lower on a smartphone screen than on TV.
One of the key recommendations mentioned at the conference was to ensure you add closed captions on every video you produce. Captions are not just for the hearing impaired. People watch video all the time on mobiles in environments where having the sound turned on is not appropriate or convenient. Captioning a video can increase your video engagement by between 12 to 14 per cent.
How can you get started in video? The great news is that there are now easy ways to start practising with video in your business and you don’t need to take a starring role in them or spend thousands. Hating how you appear on screen also does not need to be an impediment. They include:
BombBomb – an all-in-one system that allows you to create videos and use them in marketing with full measurement and tracking of results.
HomePrezzo – uses property data to create automated videos quickly and easily, complete with captions and with the added benefit that you don’t need to star in them. Create suburb profiles, property CMAs and listing presentations in minutes.
Adobe Spark Video – shoot bits of video on your iPhone, add photos, captions and narrative or music and edit them on the fly. Adobe Spark is an easy tool to use and will have you creating respectable videos within less than an hour.
Facebook Live – Stream video live through Facebook and save the video for use in other marketing such as emails or social. Facebook Live is great for webinars or question and answer sessions, and some agents are using it to ‘televise’ auctions. If you’re anxious about how you appear on video, use the settings to make yourself the only audience initially to get your phone angle and technique right.
Don’t feel obliged to be a Martin Scorsese or a Cecil B DeMille. Make some time to practice for an hour each week and share your results with friends until your confidence grows. Instead of emailing or sending text messages to clients, try sending video messages for a more real and personal response.
Finally, one of the best tips for those who hate how they appear on screen, which is pretty much all of us, get over yourself. That really is your face.
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