Video Marketing For Your Listings: 6 Tips For Success

Lately it seems that the one constant thing in the real estate market is change. Real estate agents have to adapt to the influence of the Internet and how it affects the way people shop for houses. One of the latest trends to sweep real estate advertising is the use of video. Agents and brokers are using video to market their listings and by doing so are gaining an advantage over those agents that are using photographs and virtual tours.

Here are 6 tips to using video for your listings.

1. Syndicate your listing videos through sites such as YouTube, iTunes, Google and Yahoo. This will get the listing in front of as many eyes as possible.

2. Spatial relationships are more clearly conveyed in video than in a picture or virtual tour. Make sure to use your video to give viewers a good perspective of the layout of the home including the front and back yard.

3. Don't assume the video has to be professionally done. Consumers are getting used to the idea of seeing user generated content so even if the video is not professionally done, it can be highly received by people looking for a new home. Consider the price range of the home, the demographics of your buyers and what your ROI will be when deciding to have the video done professionally or doing it yourself.

4. If you are comfortable doing so, consider being in the video to give it a more creative and personal touch. Give the viewer a guided tour by being in the video itself and pointing out different features of the home or by simply narrating from behind the scenes.

5. Include videos of the surrounding neighborhood, shopping centers, schools, cultural and community centers, and restaurants. These videos can be kept on your site and due to their timeless nature they will be relevant for anyone looking to buy a house in the area that you specialize in.

6. Make sure to have a call to action at the end of your videos. Don't leave it up to the viewer to figure out what to do next. Tell them what you want to do. Make sure that your call to action includes a way to capture the viewer's information. If you don't, you will have a limited ability to track the effectiveness of your videos and no way to generate leads from them. Here you can use an 800 call capture number where you can offer them more information about the property or possibly an email newsletter that will update them on the housing market in their area of interest.

Having a video professionally done can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to a couple of thousand, but agents also have the option of doing it themselves for less. Done properly, using video to advertise properties allows for a wider distribution of listings, a clear perspective of properties for potential home buyers and lead generation for agents. When the only constant thing in your market is change, your ability to adapt and use the newest marketing available will help you stay ahead.