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Use real video to WIN new listings

A recent story on Good Morning America talking about the use of video to help sell homes. Right now it's more important than ever to showcase your listings with quality marketing. A professional video will help you do just that.

Today, WellcomeMat announced they are no longer allowing slide shows on their site. A gutsy but right move. Too many slide shows are being misrepresented as video. If you're using moving pictures please don't call it video. It's a slide show. There's a HUGE difference between real video and photos with movement. There's nothing wrong with slide shows but if you want to stand out from your competition then upgrade to REAL video using a professional.

If you're looking for professionally produced videos in the Greater Knoxville area visit HomesAndVideos.com.

Posted by Russell Haskins | Think Big. Think Homes & Land. Print | Direct Mail | Web on 02/25/2009 05:06 PM

Comments (28)

Use REAL Video to Showcase Your Listings in the Online Marketing Channel

video tour, real estate video

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28 Comments on Use real video to WIN new listings

FEB

Russell...

We love video but we also like our slide shows. I'm so torn :)

TLW...ROAR!

What a great post and some great info here! 78% of buyers stay longer on sites with video...now that is a stat I cannot ignore!! Take care and happy blogging!

It's all about staying ahead of the pacesetters. Great post and good stat indeed about video and how it can translate into a serious buyers offer.

Iam still doing the slide shows. But this post was very informative, since I missed the Good Morning America Show that day.

I like slideshows and video both. I know that the moving pictures make a bigger impact on visitors to the site. But, I don't like when I go to a site where the audio blares out at you either.

Just as OBEO announced today that you can now create "Video" from their slideshows....

Two years ago video meant video.... today....? who knows what it means! LOL

I think you can use slideshows and video both. Virtual tours seem to be a great way to show off a house. A video is OK, but a real professional video will make a big difference.

My first featured post! :) Thanks Fred for the code for the above video. You're always on top of it!

I think videos are a great way to highlight a property for sale. Just remember that, while Cloverfield and the Blair Witch Project were interesting movies, that herky-jerky camera work will not bode well for showcasing a home you want to sell!

I think video is a great way to add interest to your website and keep visitors there. It's also a great way to show a property for sale. Much better than just a still photo.

We automatic provide slide show (photos with movement) home tours on all of our listings. The more higher end properties we tend to use the extra technology. Video is definitely coming next as the main item. Although some higher end seller's now and then have expressed concerns about placing the contents of their homes on the numerous web sites. What do you think?

I hate to be a naysayer, but I think this is a bad move for WellcomeMat. I wrote a blog post on this already, so I don't want to repeat myself here.

It'll be interesting on how video is adapted if agents have to do the work themselves, as the quality will be much harder to obtain, and the ROI may not be there to farm it out to professionals. Early adopters can benefit, but at what cost? what return?

Kimberly: I understand their concerns. You might have to be careful about what exactly you show in a video. I wouldn't worry about normal items but you might avoid expensive art, safes, etc. A video is much safer than having strangers walking through in an open house though.

Video is certainly a great marketing tool but having photos, even slide show photos increases property exposure as compared to none which is often the case. Thanks for sharing the Good Morning America piece.

It's not just important to have a video, slideshow, photos, etc. to show off a property. It's more important that there are quality images used. Many times, one photo from a distance is used for a listing. This doesn't make much of an impact. Professional quality videos are great tools to use in selling a property. Thank you for the post, Russell.

Thanks Russell. I have been experimenting with a few video creation tools, but the videos are either REALLY large or the photos end up pixelated due to high compression. Perhaps someday I'll break down and spring for professionally produced videos.

Cheryl: You're exactly right. Professional photos are just as important. Just b/c you have a camera doesn't mean you know what to do with it :) The photo is usually the first impression of a home and if you're picture is bad quality chances are they will move on to another listing.

No doubt video is the future. Good post.

As a Virtual Tour provider, I am becoming more interested in the Video aspect of the business. My biggest gripe with video is the lack of interactivity that the client has. It's really up to whomever shot the video to choose what is being seen, and highlighted.

I think the future lies in in a fusion of video an Virtual Tour. "Interactive Video" where the web user can manipulate the controls and guide their own tour through the home similar to a Virtual Tour, but far more sophisticated in that you won't be looking around from a single chosen point, but rather have the option to glide through the home looking around at details, and layout much as you would if you were there. That's at least where I see the technology going.

With the advent of SLR cameras that can also shoot HD video, I think we are inching closer to this reality.

Photos are of course still important but glad to hear that video is becoming more important! Thanks for the inspiration Russell. I am going to haul out my camcorder and start back on my project of shooting neighborhoods again.

There is good video, and there is bad video.

A lot of video these days (especially done with the Flip camera that everyone seems to be sold on) is the moving picture version of MLS photos taken with a cell phone. There will be a lot of bad video in the same way there are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of nasty, nasty MLS photos.

This is 2009. There is no excuse for the horrible MLS photos that are prevalent on listings in every city in this country, especially considering the state of the market. And yet, they're everywhere.

So, I assume we will see a lot of bad video as well.... fortunately, good agents rise above bad photos and bad videos, and they will ultimately be the ones who succeed.

Russell - well I do both slide shows and video for my listings, plus a ton of photos. And I still like Real Estate Shows for their service and cost. And given how many listings don't even use photos, it's not hard to make an impact.

Jeff

Kimberly...

I see video as an incredible tool for real estate, the problem is just what you said. I had a seller tell me no video just stills last week. Some people feel that it puts their home at risk. Im not certain that it does. One thing is for sure. It is a great tool!

Like many others have commented. I like both video and slide tours.

FEB

Russell- great post... video is the now! Time to stay on the cutting edge of technology and service.

Fred: I couldn't agree more.

Jeff: Video is definitely not for every home. I agree slide shows are good for certain homes and certain price points. There's definitely some nice slide show products out there and we even offer that service as well. For the higher end listings video is a great tool and will really separate you from the pack.

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