Biggest Challenges for RE Video
Posted in Real Estate Marketing 2.0 By G Dewald | Union Street Media, Friday, March 7, 2008.Since a lot of us seem to be aware of, if not participating in video for RE (or recommending it to our clients etc). I thought I'd throw a wider net and ask what's the biggest challenge you face (as Realtor or as a marketing consultant for real estate)? Is it even worth it? What sort of strategies are working in your market?
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Submitted by Lu Doan on March 7, 2008 - 3:09pm.
Video, when well produced, is an excellent marketing tool. It's much easier to place high in the video search engines (that space has not been saturated yet) as opposed to the regular searches. Our clients have had good success in terms of generating new leads (and sales) from their video tours.
Is video worth it? YES, if well produced. If you have a poorly created video, I would not suggest posting it ... it may discredit your professionalism and do more harm than good.
Submitted by Todd Waller | Ann Arbor Real Estate | Team366 on March 7, 2008 - 7:16pm.
Lu,
In a marketplace where more than one person is doing RE video, I would hands down agree with you. In our little corner of the world, we are the only real estate team doing videos on the majority of our listings.
And it's the quick and dirty kind of narrated walkthrough video; hand held, hear the squeaks and creaks.
When we've utilized a professional videographer, buyers told us they preferred the quick and dirty video! I am convinced that it gives a more natural, warm feeling to the properties. Whereas a professional video is pretty cut, dry and sterile.
Search engine placement? Well, check out this google search for one of my team's listings:
2641 Emerald, Ann Arbor, MI. Nearly 700 backlinks! Many of them videos.
Todd Waller
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Team366 Blog: blog.team366.com
Submitted by Real Estate Marketing - Misty Lackie on March 10, 2008 - 11:45pm.
Video is outstanding for search engine ranking when you upload them to video portals. We have noticed that videos posted to AOL and Yahoo video many times rank on the 1st page of Google for related city/state property searches. Creating a good quality video can actually be very easy an inexpensive. ClassifiedFlyerAds.com offers a video solution created from photos you upload for as little as $14.99. You are then provided with a video format with music and transition that you can upload to the video portals such as YouTube, AOL video, etc. It’s another way to get your listings on the internet and in front of another group of buyers who are searching these video portals.
Your Friends at ClassifiedFlyerAds.com - Online Advertising That Works!
Submitted by Thomas Townsend on March 11, 2008 - 7:00am.
The problem right now is that not everyone is using TRUE VIDEO. These cheap imitations that offer slide shows...are often poor quality photos that are merged together and submitted in a video format.....This is not VIDEO.
I will admit that in some cases having this vs. nothing might be acceptable to some home owners. But I think you are going to see that the general public and home buyers / sellers are going to demand higher quality products in the very near future. The start of You Tube and USG (user generated content) sites was just the start. Now anyone with a camera thinks they can produce video.
You are starting to see more companies getting into full spectrum broadband Video and as that change makes place the viewing public will demand that the content is also of the same quality.
We do VIDEO for our clients and occasionally we will do photo-montages delivered in a video stream. The difference here is that the photographs are produced utilizing high quality digital stills and advanced video editing techniques. The resulting product is more attractive, conveys a true story and gains more viewers. We also have dedicated feeds to syndicate our content to over 50+ different locations where we also provide metric's reporting on the statistics of our products.
So it all comes down to this - you get what you pay for. If you have a 100K home then go ahead and use a $14.99 product. However, if you have a half a million dollar home or above, you might want to re-think your marketing plan.
Let me ask you this. Would you hire your gardener to take the place of your dentist?
Because that is essentially what you are doing here.
In closing:
My comments above are just for reference to discern the difference between a true VIDEO produced by a Videographer vs. a slide show.
I joined here to be able to exchange ideas and assist those that want look into other technologies to assist their business and or marketing interests.
All of us have profiles here so anyone can contact members at any time.
I did not sign up here to advertise my products.
I do take offense at those that make shameless plugs for advertisement of their products.
Submitted by Real Estate Marketing - Misty Lackie on March 11, 2008 - 8:54am.
In today’s market where agents are having a tough time selling homes many of them are not going to be willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a video. Many of them will be looking for an affordable, alternative solution that allows them to get their listings exposure in the video portals. I take offense to your attacks and my comment was to offer an affordable, good quality alternative on the subject. You say "I do take offense at those that make shameless plugs for advertisement of their products." but most of your post was a plug for your product and the rest of it was an attack on my previous comment that was simply offering an alternative solution. Attacking others and others services is probably not the best way to gain trust from people who read these posts. Your product and services look good and I am sure many Agents will use your services but you should think twice before you come here and tear down someone else’s comments that offer alternatives. We are here to offer our input, comments, advice, alternatives and don't appreciate being attacked when we do. These types of attacks will make the inman post platform un-friendly and will dis-courage people from making comments and I don't think any of us want that.
Lets keep this friendly!
Your Friends at ClassifiedFlyerAds.com - Online Advertising That Works!
Submitted by G Dewald | Union Street Media on March 11, 2008 - 10:04am.
I think the distinction between photo montages presented in a video format vs video as moving pictures (not motion graphic photo montages but actual video) is good to keep in mind.
I'm sure the market is big enough for both technologies to exist and be deployed effectively, probably more so because of the downturn.
So maybe that's an early hurdle, determining which type of moving-image (to avoid offending anyone) to develop.
FWIW, I don't care if people hawk their wares as long as it's on topic and relevant. But it is true that if we all start pitching each other then the perceived value of the forum will decrease. We've all been to business mixers before I'm sure. :)
Submitted by Thomas Townsend on March 11, 2008 - 11:59am.
Misty,
I am not here to pick on anyone. The only place I advertise my business is on my profile page. I don't even submit a link to my site here. There are SO MANY competitors in your market segment right now I can see why you would take offense.
I am not even in your market. So please calm down.
What I do offer is professional advice and tips so that people know the difference, and this I do for free. If you have checked out my site then you would see the posts that provide for different market segments.
The comments I made above are based on fact on how internet marketing works with regards to Video.
Again I have to apologize to other readers here because my intention was not to hype my site, but rather draw a distinction.
As G Dewald mentioned: "I'm sure the market is big enough for both technologies to exist and be deployed effectively, probably more so because of the downturn."
Point well taken.
Thanks
Submitted by Real Estate Marketing - Misty Lackie on March 11, 2008 - 12:24pm.
I took offense because you clearly attacked my suggestions and our services not because of our competition.
Who wouldn't take offense to your comments...
"These cheap imitations that offer slide shows...are often poor quality photos that are merged together and submitted in a video format.....This is not VIDEO."
and...
"Let me ask you this. Would you hire your gardener to take the place of your dentist? Because that is essentially what you are doing here."
I was simply offering a possible solution to the original questions that was posed "Is it even worth it? What sort of strategies are working in your market?"
My suggestions were related to the original questions and if you have other comments or solutions fine but don't attack someone else's suggestions in the process.
Be careful what you write. It's one thing to dis-agree with someone but it's an entire different thing to attack another's suggestions or make negative comments about another's service.
I will not be commenting on this thread again.
Your Friends at ClassifiedFlyerAds.com - Online Advertising That Works!
Submitted by Thomas Townsend on March 11, 2008 - 12:39pm.
The reason I hire a Real Estate professional to list/sell and or buy my home is because their core competency is making the sell not producing VIDEOS. That was the distinction I was trying to draw. The source of this Post was about VIDEO for real estate. I was not the one that was marketing my services and including pricing or links etc.
You right that posted comments are open to interpretation.
"These cheap imitations that offer slide shows...are often poor quality photos that are merged together and submitted in a video format.....This is not VIDEO."
FACT
"Let me ask you this. Would you hire your gardener to take the place of your dentist? Because that is essentially what you are doing here."
Analogy, bit still based on Fact.
This will also be my last post to this particular topic.
Submitted by Fred Light on July 14, 2008 - 11:43am.
Real Estate Video Tours
http://www.NashuaVideoTours.com
The main issue that I see is not true video vs. photo slideshows.
The main issue and complaint about 90% of virtual tours I see online is that most realtors take these slideshow programs and upload their MLS photos.
When a buyer does an initial search online and narrows down their options, they then glance through the MLS photos. If they like what they see, they THEN take the time (and yes, some virtual tours DO take time to download and load, especially if you're on dialup or a slow broadband connection).
And what do 90% of these so called virtual tours consist of? THE EXACT SAME (usually lousy) PHOTOS THEY JUST SAW ON THE MLS!
That is an INSULT to the buyer. I don't care what type of slideshow program you utilize, I don't care how cheap or expensive it is - if you're just regurgitating the EXACT SAME PHOTOS again, you're wasting people's time and making yourself look like a fool.
Anyone who thinks that zooming in and out on still photos and putting some music in the background is offering a buyer anything of value is sadly mistaken. Buyers can see through that - why is it most realtors can't????
When people take the time to download your tour, they want MORE. More angles, different shots, neighborhood information, architectural details, additional rooms.... THEY WANT MORE! They don't want THE SAME just with a zoom! And (hint, hint)...when you zoom in on poor quality photos, they look even WORSE than they should!
I just took 154 (yes 154) photos of a $4.5 million dollar house for a seller to replace the absolutely horrible photos the realtor took. She has enhanced listings on realtor.com, where you are allowed 25 photos.
She uploaded 12 of the 50 best photos I chose to Realtor.com (when she could have uploaded 25). She then took THE SAME 12 PHOTOS and put it into a stupid slideshow, zooming in and out with cheesy music in the background.
Hmmmm... she couldn't have chosen any of 38 of the additional photos for that tour? This is a 6 bedroom, 6 bathroom lakefront property. The photos are drop dead gorgeous.
NOPE. She just used the same 12 she uploaded earlier. It's lazy and pathetic. Sorry. All I can do is scratch my head when someone thinks they're earning their commission this way.....
Submitted by Pasadena Real Estate Agent on July 14, 2008 - 11:58am.
If the video player and the video are on your server is good, but if you upload that video to somebody else's server is no good for SEO.
Regards,
The Manzo Team
RE/MAX Tri-City
Remax Pasadena
626 296-2900
Pasadena Real Estate | Pasadena Realtors |
Submitted by Fred Light on July 14, 2008 - 12:15pm.
Real Estate Video Tours
http://www.NashuaVideoTours.com
Pasadena:
Absolutely not true at all. But uploading to sites like AOLVideo, YouTube, Google Video, Veoh - you will land on PAGE ONE of Google in a matter of hours, if not days.
For example, if you search for Foxboro, Massachusetts apartment rentals (the #1 search phrase for apt rentals in Foxboro), you will notice my clients videos everywhere.
One page one, their videos are 5 out of the top 10. On page two, their videos are 4 out of the top 10. Almost have of the first two pages are their videos or their website.
These videos are over a year old, and they've been here for over a year. Two days after I uploaded them, 28 out of the top 30 were theirs!
A video on your server won't do a think for you in terms of SEO.