A recent report on Mashable.com on how the real estate industry is using social media reported that only 12% of Real Estate Agents have a Youtube Channel.
Going back to 2008 there was big push from the industry for Agents to purchase Flip camera; over that time Kodak has entered the Market with shirt pocket sized cameras and the emergence of the iPhone and it’s influence over video on smart phones has really made many wonder why the Real Estate Industry is so slow to adopting a Video Marketing Plan. I have been consistently been using Video in my Real Estate business since 2007, in 2003 I had a goal to video all my listing and host them online, but prior to Youtube, bandwidth and hosting was a problem, let alone people at home with computers and connections fast enough to deal with online video then.
Fast forward to today and the neglect is astonishing. The iPad and android devices have people looking for more intense visual experiences, The maturation of Youtube over the last few years has made Youtube a viable means to distribute content for a Real Estate Agent if done correctly. So why only 12%?
There is a learning curve – editing and basic equipment usage really can make a difference in the outcome of the final production quality of video. Many simply refuse to learn some new skills.
Low Self-Esteem – Yes the same people who put their name and image on everything they hand out are worried about how they will look and sound on video.
Too much work – It is simple enough to get a couple dozen photos, make a slide show and call it quits.
Most research shows that home buyers respond highly to online property information with multiple pictures. The research also shows that buyers want to see more pictures. This is where real estate Video can dovetail and provide a marketing edge over listing that only provide photos.
- Video can highlight and explain special features of a seller property better than photos.
- Video can show off the the nieghborhood and surrounding homes where photos cannot.
- Video can educate potential buyers on the schools, shopping and parks in the community, where photos cannot.
- Video on Youtube and other similar sites is very compatible with mobile playback and provides that extra edge in marketing that a slide show or still photos cannot.
So the question remains … Why would a home seller hire agents that don’t provide video home tours?
To see my Youtube Channel http://www.youtube.com/tedmackel
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