The Best Listing Photo Is Actually a Video: Here's Why

Homebuyers are consuming content all day long, and videos are an ever-growing share of what they're looking for online.

According to Oberlo, 92.8% of internet users watch videos online at least once a week. According to TechJury, 66% of internet users consume video content more than any other kind. Ninety-two percent of mobile users share video content they watch with others. And depending on whom you ask, YouTube (a Google-owned product) is ranked consistently as either the second or third most popular site by search volume, after traditional Google search and Google Image search.

In other words, the most important medium for showcasing your listings isn't listing photos. It's virtual tours and property videos.

The undeniable benefits of real estate videos

Make no mistake, high-quality listing photos are great (and often required), because they're still the go-to for MLS listings and all the resources and platforms that utilize MLS data. But video has undeniable benefits. Let's look at some of those below.

Videos catch users' attention

People are busy and distracted, so when it comes to consuming content online, what do you think will catch their attention more: a paragraph of plain text, an image, or a well-made video? Chances are most people will choose to watch the video, since it's the easiest (and often the most enjoyable) way to absorb information.

Video increases engagement

By some estimates, videos are shared 1,200% more than images and text. This is because videos grab users' attention (see above) and are more effective at stirring the emotions that get people to like, comment, or share. When viewers watch videos they like, they usually can't wait to share them with their friends. This is especially true of well-made listing videos!

Images show, but videos tell

A picture is worth a thousand words, but what is a video if not a thousand pictures strung together? That's a lot of words! Instead of telling viewers what they should like about a listing, a video really shows them. Why talk about high ceilings and an abundance of natural light when agents can take a video showing them to viewers in real time? And there's nothing quite as effective as helping a prospective buyer imagine themselves owning a particular property than sharing a great video or virtual tour (apart from setting up a showing, of course!).

Videos boost SEO rankings and drive more traffic to your website and listings

Videos are an excellent search engine optimization tool. Remember, more and more people are relying on videos in general and YouTube in particular to find what they're looking for online.

Several important factors contribute to boosting SEO ranking:

• Inbound links – The links you include in your video descriptions on YouTube count as important links back to your website. High quality links like these show search engines that your content is valuable, so they are likelier to rank it higher.
• Engagement – The increased engagement we talked about earlier drives organic traffic and, if your content is reshared, more inbound linking opportunities.
• Dwell time – Dwell time, or how long a searcher stays on your page, is an important SEO metric. By showing visitors quality video content, you're likelier to capture their attention for longer, increasing dwell time and showing search engines that users like your page.

The rise of the real estate influencer?

If you're on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, you've probably seen an explosion of "real estate influencer" accounts. From the informative to the entertaining to the satirical, there's something for nearly everyone, from budding superstar agents to expert brokers to people just looking for a laugh.

These influencers may be on to something! Having an online presence that doesn't focus solely on listings and provides useful advice on all sorts of topics of interest to both agents (lead gen tips, personal branding, time management skills, etc.) and consumers (buying their first home, breaking into real estate investing, mortgage tips, etc.) can be a relatively easy way to build your brand and (ultimately) get more leads and more eyes on your listings.

Does that mean everyone needs to break out the tripod and start dancing on TikTok? Of course not! But helping your agents post video more effectively online will only benefit your business, both now and in the future.

The key ingredients for a compelling real estate video

Across platforms and across content areas, there are a few things you can do consistently to make your videos pop:

• A catchy thumbnail image – Remember, your content is a video, but you still need something to entice users to click on it and watch it. This is where a good thumbnail comes in. Don't just pick a random still from the video: get a high-quality image with bright colors that relates to the video, overlay some key words, and give viewers a taste of what they can expect by watching it.
• A clear and compelling script and voiceover – People are generally watching your video so you can show them something, but telling them key points is important, too. Catchy words will make the visuals even more appealing.
• A nice soundtrack – A soundtrack to match the voiceover will give your video a nice, cohesive feel.
• A call to action – You want viewers to know what they should do next. Call you? Visit your website? Like and follow for more content like this? Different videos have different goals, so customize your CTA to the content you've created.

To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.