Over the past few years, video marketing has come to take on a fundamentally larger role in how New York City homes are marketed. Pre-pandemic, video marketing was reserved almost exclusively for luxury properties. When the pandemic hit and real estate agents were no longer allowed to show in person, we saw a flood of impromptu video marketing efforts. While these efforts were laudable in the context of Spring 2020, they tended to be amateur, low-quality. Think agents walking around with an iPhone, or setting still photography to animated slides. Unfortunately, these strategies have remained prevalent, and add nothing to the agent’s overall marketing efforts. In fact, poorly done video marketing can detract from the overall product, making the homes look smaller and darker than they actually are.
This article from Inman explains how listing videos have gone from “nice to have” to non-negotiable in today’s competitive market.
Great Video Doesn’t Just Show the Home—It Shows the Feeling
The new role of video marketing should be to allow the buyer to see themselves living in the home in a way that just isn’t possible through photography and floorplans. With professional, high-quality video marketing, we can show the detail and character of the home, the subtle ways the light plays off the hardwood floor, walls, and furniture, the quality of the renovation and finishes, and the overall scope of the space. We can share with the buyer not just what the home looks like, but what it feels like to actually be there.
A buyer watching a video is a captive audience, just like a buyer who’s requested an appointment to view. Except, rather than the dozen or so viewings we get before accepting an offer, we can put our video in front of thousands of buyers, through professional, targeted advertising. Not only will buyers see our video on sites like StreetEasy and Zillow, they’ll see it as they browse social media platforms and use search engines. Better yet, the more an online user meets the behavior profile of someone who would be interested in your home, the more likely they are to run across our video.
RealTrends outlines how to use listing video to drive measurable results—including how buyers engage with content before booking a showing.
Photos and floorplans, even those of high quality, can show only what a home looks like. The job of video is to show what a home feels like. High-quality video marketing should get across the energy of your home. Buyers do their best to get a sense of energy through online listings and are looking for a vibe that matches their own. If a good marketing video gives them a sense of the energy in a home, building, and neighborhood, they’re more likely to request a showing—and more likely to make an offer.
In the current market, every home, regardless of price point, should have multiple, professionally produced listing videos that are professionally marketed across multiple online platforms.
If you’re still in prep mode,this post covers the smartest upgrades to make before listing.
If you’d like some specific examples of how video marketing has helped the sellers I work with meet their goals, let’s talk more. This is Jacob Wood, your New York City real estate advisor.
