Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Are you using video in your real estate marketing yet? If not, you might want to start - and the sooner the better. The American Marketing Association predicts that 85% of search traffic will be driven by video by 2019.
Social channels are already gearing up for this expected shift by introducing video-friendly elements into their platforms. This anticipation of explosive video marketing makes a sound case to invest your marketing efforts in the king of social media video: YouTube.
Historically, most real estate professionals have focused their social media efforts on Facebook or Instagram. These platforms offer realtors a broad audience reach, visual impacts, and easy ways to connect with their audience.
However, given the predictions for video in the coming years, YouTube may soon become a necessity in your social marketing arsenal. The reasons are multifold:
First, video adds visual depth to your content. It can help explain complex ideas simply and bring your ideas to life. People can digest the information easily. Plus, studies show that most people prefer video over other content formats.
Second, YouTube videos can easily be shared on other platforms, like Facebook or Twitter. This means you have extra content to share to your other social audiences and can stretch your reach by being present on multiple platforms.
Granted, you don't have to have a presence on YouTube to get into video content marketing. You could just as easily house your videos in the resources section of your website. However, since YouTube has always been geared toward video content, it's an ideal platform to get your content in front of new audiences and organize your video content library.
The pool of potential video content isn't a shallow one. Here's some inspiration to help you attract homebuyers to your YouTube channel:
What repeat questions do you hear from homebuyers? Mortage-related inquiries? Neighborhood information? Home inspections? Think about what previous home buyers have wanted to know, then create videos that answer them.
Homebuyers don't know what they don't know. They don't always understand what questions to ask. Use video to help them find helpful answers they may have known they needed. This puts you in a favorable light by proving you have their best interest in mind.
First-time home buyers are more likely to need industry resources than someone who has been through the process. Consider crafting a video series specifically for new home buyers that address their unique needs. You could include videos on different types of mortgages, the buying process, how to spot a good deal, how to negotiate on price, or other helpful information to help them on their journey.
Just like blog posts, you can optimize your YouTube videos for search engines. In fact, it's been said that YouTube is the second largest search engine, right behind Google.
Add relevant keywords to your YouTube video descriptions, especially if your video pertains to a particular neighborhood, town, or local area. Also, make sure you encourage engagement from your audience, such as asking them to Like or Share your video if they enjoyed it. Views and social engagement can impact your video's SEO.
Finally, keep your videos short and to the point. Most top-ranking videos are around three minutes long. Limiting each video to one idea can help you achieve a shorter length video while ensuring your audience gets only the content they came for.
And don't forget to promote your YouTube videos on your other social channels for maximum exposure!
