Chris Brogan: Social Media Starter Moves for Real Estate
Stanislav Shalunov
· 1 year ago
That's one approach and it might make you stand out.
Yet, something to consider --
Home videos all look horrible. Bad light, poor angles, and no editing. This can be fine and charming for grandkids dancing, but not when used as a sales tool.
Hiring a professional photographer is not expensive and will make anything look much more attractive.
Or you can learn to replace all the lightbulbs, use superwide angle, get lower and higher, etc., etc., all by yourself. But why, other than fun?
chrisbrogan
· 1 year ago
Great point, Stanislav. It's not a real estate agent's core competency. And yet, if one were even reasonably good at it, would it sell a house? Maybe. What do I know? : )
James Clark
· 1 year ago
Chris, could not agree more about the use of video for real estate.
One thing I would add to the "Ways Your Blog Will Help" section is to become the go to expert on a neighborhood.
For instance, in Boulder where I live, there are neighborhoods that are hot and desired. If I was in real estate I would be all over the local angles. Get micro about it.
Be active in posting information about planning board meetings that affect your neighborhood, find out what that new school expansions is about, talk about the application for review a property has up, follow new developments (both residential and retail), blog about the restaurants, new parks and playgrounds, trails, community events, etc.
If you could be the "go to" resource for a particular neighborhood, you might find yourself with more business than you can handle.
Okay, so I gave that speech to my sister-in-law who is in real estate. We'll see if she does it.
Matt Searles
· 1 year ago
Hey Chris
I shot a video for my mom once.. who was working for twentyth century realistate. I guess it was somewhat a part of the way they do business... Production values didn't seem to matter, and they didn't even want me to edit it. It was a little strange.
My sense is that doing it yourself can take you a long way. In fact I've meet some guys who are doing what your saying Chris.. and there doing very well as a result. The better production values the better, of course, but we are talking about videos inside a kind of a social media ecology, and that does change certain thing.. including making it kind of more ok.
Another thing worth thinking about might be Quicktime VRs.. There are these special cameras, or camera attachments you can use.. My recollection is there a little chunk of change, but not so much.. and they'll produce a quicktime VR for you.. which essentially lets you sit in a middle of a room and look around.
I'm more of a Mac guy then a PC guy, so I could be misled on this.. but my understanding was that windows media maker is rather terrible. So my understanding was something like Premier Elements might be a better way to go.
On the subject of cameras, Id imagine you'd want to look at how well it deals with contrast and perhaps lower light levels, that you might not really be able to control when shooting houses.. my impression being that many a lower end camera can have trouble with this. I know my current camera has some.
Bob Schenkenberger
· 1 year ago
Great posting. I am in the real estate business and believe you are spot on with everything you said. I have totally transformed my marketing efforts to take advantage of the 2.0 opportunities.
I appreciate your views on how to incorporate value into my business proposition to clients. It is always helpful to have an "outsider's" perspective as most agents, including myself, tend to hold on tight to the old ways!
Thanks again!
Sonia Simone
· 1 year ago
I'm working with a friend who's a RE agent, I am encouraging her to start a blog. RE is all about personalities--yeah, you have to know a ton to be really good at it, but you also have to be a person people trust and are willing to involve in this very major point in their lives.
She's really an oddball--99% of people wouldn't choose to work with her (and she would not choose to work with them), but I think a blog is an intriguing way for her to find more of her 1%, and for people who might like to work with her to get to know her better.
We shall see, I think it could be a really interesting way for her to expand her connections.
Kevin Skarritt
· 1 year ago
ALL great input. I think there's a tremendous hurdle in education that needs to be overcome within the industry (a la the first comment to this post), but the truly successful professionals will be the ones who overcome their fear and adopt video, social networking, blogging and the myriad other online social media technologies.
Let's take your great advice and pump it up by applying the concepts to your profile and other online activities INSIDE of a social network designed exclusively for real estate pros. There are a couple that have launched recently but the one at BlackWidowNetwork.com has the cleanest interface and was designed by industry insiders.
Thanks for the "opinion" Chris!!
Daz Cox
· 1 year ago
100% agree, people are far more comfortable with a virtual tour than a real one in the beginning stages of looking for a home...
Barry Reicherter
· 1 year ago
My wife's a realtor and I've been playing around with this stuff some. You might consider these approaches:
- help buildout content in Facebook's Neighborhoods app for the area you service - help out your realtor peers by featuring their listings on your blog (with permission) - on your frequent tours of listings, twitter your immediate reactions (e.g. "excellent use of track lighting at 999 Harbor Lane open house") - get a camera phone and send real time pics of houses off to your flickr account, then catch up later, assemble into sets and create a blog post around them
Susan McCall
· 1 year ago
Laura sent me this article of yours and while the article looks good and even with technology helping, there still isn't anything better out there than a potential buyer personally walking through a space. I say space because I am a commercial real estate professional, not a residential realtor and so the whole house thing that this article is based upon doesn't apply. Perhaps the technology is a great tool for my business clients but then the focus is more on location, other businesses in the area and how well they are doing, and of course will the space fit the company that would occupy. Or does it meet other investment criteria. I personally take photos and directly email that information to my clients if they are no walking through the space with me.
Susan McCall RE/MAX Alliance Group COMMERCIAL 480-452-6731
Lara, The Data Digger
· 1 year ago
I think commenter, Susan McCall, raises an interesting point. Does a video tour help a potential buyer narrow down their selection of home/space? I would think that would be a time saver for a Realtor.
Does a video tour encourage potential buyers to personally tour a home/space? Then interactive video would be a great marketing tool. Video hot spot technology, similar to http://www.overlay.tv/, could aide in home/space sale.
Barry Reicherter
· 1 year ago
The overlay.tv thing looks cool if they could only skip the cute effects in favor of some more functional overlays. Imagine showing a nice bathroom and overlaying information about the new tankless water heater that powers it.
Video seems like it can be swinging for the fences -- home run or strike out with viewers. From my limited research there are services selling video tours to realtors for as much as $500 a pop. Seems like a lot of fat can be trimmed from that.
Mike Lefebvre
· 1 year ago
Great post Chris. I'm a local (MA) real estate guy, relatively new to real estate sales and new to incorporating video into my marketing. My company, Century 21, is trying to sow ow 2.0 they are and jumping into video with their latest national YouTube contest (www.youtube.com/century21).
Your (daily) vote is appreciated. Finalists are chosen American Idol style by the popular vote.
I also incorporated video into my dedicated websites for my listings (www.30jefferson.com). I totally agree with you about the potential impact video can have and I'm psyched to get a little better each time I do this. PS- LOVE my Flip!
chrisbrogan
· 1 year ago
Glad to see some "real" real estate professionals show up and vet some of this.
Susan's right that nothing beats being there in person, but if I'm evaluating something like a cross-country move, if you make it easier for me to know what's out there visually, I'll be more likely to follow up. If you leave me in the dark, telling me I have to see it in person, I'm going to go with what's easiest to see first.
Danielle McArthur
· 1 year ago
Chris,
I think you have something there about the cross-country move. From what I have seen, one of the key audiences for a regular blog are folks who are looking to move.
About every three months I decide I have had it and that my life would be so much better in xyz city, so I look around for a good site with neighborhood info. Once I have the neighborhood feel, I start looking at what property is doing in that area.
Admittedly, I haven't made the move yet, but when I do, I will have picked a neighborhood and a realtor long before I start packing.
-Danielle
Paul Chaney
· 1 year ago
I spent a couple of years in the real estate tech world, wrote a book about real estate blogging and met a lot of the RE.net movers and shakers. As such, let me recommend a couple of resources, neither of which have anything to do with me.
Active Rain (www.activerain.com) is the preeminent real estate blog network where Realtors can learn anything and everything about RE.net, including how to use video and how to blog.
Also, a great resource is www.realestateshows.com which turns photos into video with music, motion and text.
Let me wrap up by saying there is a lot going on in real estate so far as the use of Internet technology and I appreciate your touching on it here.
Danilo Bogdanovic
· 1 year ago
Chris,
It's good to hear from someone who's not a Realtor because it helps us (Realtors) understand what consumers are looking for these days. Thank you.
Yes, our core competency is not as a photographer or videographer. But with so many listings having only one picture of the front of the house and no virtual tour, even an amateur video of the house is better than nothing.
Also, the video of the property helps us as Realtors remember the house for future reference should a client ask about it.
Great post!
Pam Hawk
· 1 year ago
Brilliant. But why stop at houses? Why not entice customers to come in the door and try out: -wedding gowns -lodging -events (use video tours, video interviews, and video testimonials from last years' event) -cars -childcare centers
The video will come across as more sincere and personable if it's not a high-end studio production, and will capture a tire-kicking customer base that has already decided to buy.
Bob Maiocco
· 10 months ago
Thanks for the pointers. I'm developing a blog for Denver real estate and I think It's coming along pretty well. I have come up with a lot more ideas than I have found time to write them out! I did create a very simple neighhborhood video and was im pressed with how easy it rose to the top of searches for "Luxury homes in the mountains of Golden" anyway. Thnaks for the info!
Heather Rankin
· 9 months ago
I'm a blogging, tweeting, facebooked, activeraining Realtor just fixing to jump in to video. We are a small market here at Lake Powell and I have to agree with Pam on the high-end sale pitch aspect. One local Realtor just paid to have a few videos done of her model homes, complete with classical music in the background. My site is not associated with hers but most of the folks calling me have said my site is more "down to earth" and i am more "approachable". The days of slick may be leaving. Cheers!
Carol Lee
· 9 months ago
Thx, Chris! Fun to see what you might like. Loved your ideas and plan to try them. Will keep you posted re: reaction here in Newport... Carol
For the most part we actually do focus on interactive product placement or helping viewers find more information, but our site is a tool that people can do anything they want with. Would love a chance to clarify this further.
Russ Filice
· 8 months ago
Interesting advice, I like it. Gonna give it a try today and will ask you for your opinion when the video is up. Thanks for sharing. - Russ Filice, Sotheby's International Realty, Los Angeles, Ca.
9450203288
· 6 months ago
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Real Estate Internet Marketing
· 4 months ago
I'm agree with Stanislav because the most expensive the most people choice..
caramandart
· 4 months ago
A good video camera is key, but only to enhance the initial professional listing pictures, not in place of. All price ranges deserve professional pics since the first impression is usually online. Agent's own video is still key to bring personality to the home throughout the list period. Footage of the house itself, or even the agent talking to the prospects or even homeowner about events, during the showings, inspections and appraisal is good to document the progress and action. This economy agents need to prove all the work they are doing to market, and online is where its at, documentary style.
mobienthusiast
· 3 months ago
It's a good idea in theory, but you know, most real estate agents I know do not have time for this nor do they have the desire to learn. That's why people like us need to make it easy for them, and cost effective, too.
Shankar
· 3 months ago
Chris, would love your opinion on our real estate start up that tries to bring power to the consumer and a lot of the social media techniques you blog about. We'd love your thoughts: http://bit.ly/C33t2
Tax Foreclosures
· 3 months ago
a popular social media is one of great tool in marketing a business like real estate.. Thanks for sharing.. I guess all Realtor are using social media for marketing..
Ken Brand
· 2 months ago
My "take" is you're on the money. I'll share with my Prudential Gary Greene Realtor Tribe. Thanks and Cheers.
Byron Underwood
· 2 months ago
This is the simplest explanation ever of how a real estate agent can use video! Mind if a make a short video of your article? I'll give you credit.
duncanphuket
· 1 month ago
Great advice and something all real estate agents should be doing by now. Another tool to consider might be Microsoft's Photosynth, as your just using still pictures.
All Comments
Yet, something to consider --
Home videos all look horrible. Bad light, poor angles, and no editing. This can be fine and charming for grandkids dancing, but not when used as a sales tool.
Hiring a professional photographer is not expensive and will make anything look much more attractive.
Or you can learn to replace all the lightbulbs, use superwide angle, get lower and higher, etc., etc., all by yourself. But why, other than fun?
One thing I would add to the "Ways Your Blog Will Help" section is to become the go to expert on a neighborhood.
For instance, in Boulder where I live, there are neighborhoods that are hot and desired. If I was in real estate I would be all over the local angles. Get micro about it.
Be active in posting information about planning board meetings that affect your neighborhood, find out what that new school expansions is about, talk about the application for review a property has up, follow new developments (both residential and retail), blog about the restaurants, new parks and playgrounds, trails, community events, etc.
If you could be the "go to" resource for a particular neighborhood, you might find yourself with more business than you can handle.
Okay, so I gave that speech to my sister-in-law who is in real estate. We'll see if she does it.
I shot a video for my mom once.. who was working for twentyth century realistate. I guess it was somewhat a part of the way they do business... Production values didn't seem to matter, and they didn't even want me to edit it. It was a little strange.
My sense is that doing it yourself can take you a long way. In fact I've meet some guys who are doing what your saying Chris.. and there doing very well as a result. The better production values the better, of course, but we are talking about videos inside a kind of a social media ecology, and that does change certain thing.. including making it kind of more ok.
Another thing worth thinking about might be Quicktime VRs.. There are these special cameras, or camera attachments you can use.. My recollection is there a little chunk of change, but not so much.. and they'll produce a quicktime VR for you.. which essentially lets you sit in a middle of a room and look around.
I'm more of a Mac guy then a PC guy, so I could be misled on this.. but my understanding was that windows media maker is rather terrible. So my understanding was something like Premier Elements might be a better way to go.
On the subject of cameras, Id imagine you'd want to look at how well it deals with contrast and perhaps lower light levels, that you might not really be able to control when shooting houses.. my impression being that many a lower end camera can have trouble with this. I know my current camera has some.
I appreciate your views on how to incorporate value into my business proposition to clients. It is always helpful to have an "outsider's" perspective as most agents, including myself, tend to hold on tight to the old ways!
Thanks again!
She's really an oddball--99% of people wouldn't choose to work with her (and she would not choose to work with them), but I think a blog is an intriguing way for her to find more of her 1%, and for people who might like to work with her to get to know her better.
We shall see, I think it could be a really interesting way for her to expand her connections.
Let's take your great advice and pump it up by applying the concepts to your profile and other online activities INSIDE of a social network designed exclusively for real estate pros. There are a couple that have launched recently but the one at BlackWidowNetwork.com has the cleanest interface and was designed by industry insiders.
Thanks for the "opinion" Chris!!
- help buildout content in Facebook's Neighborhoods app for the area you service
- help out your realtor peers by featuring their listings on your blog (with permission)
- on your frequent tours of listings, twitter your immediate reactions (e.g. "excellent use of track lighting at 999 Harbor Lane open house")
- get a camera phone and send real time pics of houses off to your flickr account, then catch up later, assemble into sets and create a blog post around them
Susan McCall
RE/MAX Alliance Group
COMMERCIAL
480-452-6731
Does a video tour encourage potential buyers to personally tour a home/space? Then interactive video would be a great marketing tool. Video hot spot technology, similar to http://www.overlay.tv/, could aide in home/space sale.
Video seems like it can be swinging for the fences -- home run or strike out with viewers. From my limited research there are services selling video tours to realtors for as much as $500 a pop. Seems like a lot of fat can be trimmed from that.
Your (daily) vote is appreciated. Finalists are chosen American Idol style by the popular vote.
I also incorporated video into my dedicated websites for my listings (www.30jefferson.com). I totally agree with you about the potential impact video can have and I'm psyched to get a little better each time I do this. PS- LOVE my Flip!
Susan's right that nothing beats being there in person, but if I'm evaluating something like a cross-country move, if you make it easier for me to know what's out there visually, I'll be more likely to follow up. If you leave me in the dark, telling me I have to see it in person, I'm going to go with what's easiest to see first.
I think you have something there about the cross-country move. From what I have seen, one of the key audiences for a regular blog are folks who are looking to move.
About every three months I decide I have had it and that my life would be so much better in xyz city, so I look around for a good site with neighborhood info. Once I have the neighborhood feel, I start looking at what property is doing in that area.
Admittedly, I haven't made the move yet, but when I do, I will have picked a neighborhood and a realtor long before I start packing.
-Danielle
Active Rain (www.activerain.com) is the preeminent real estate blog network where Realtors can learn anything and everything about RE.net, including how to use video and how to blog.
Also, a great resource is www.realestateshows.com which turns photos into video with music, motion and text.
Let me wrap up by saying there is a lot going on in real estate so far as the use of Internet technology and I appreciate your touching on it here.
It's good to hear from someone who's not a Realtor because it helps us (Realtors) understand what consumers are looking for these days. Thank you.
Yes, our core competency is not as a photographer or videographer. But with so many listings having only one picture of the front of the house and no virtual tour, even an amateur video of the house is better than nothing.
Also, the video of the property helps us as Realtors remember the house for future reference should a client ask about it.
Great post!
Why not entice customers to come in the door and try out:
-wedding gowns
-lodging
-events (use video tours, video interviews, and video testimonials from last years' event)
-cars
-childcare centers
The video will come across as more sincere and personable if it's not a high-end studio production, and will capture a tire-kicking customer base that has already decided to buy.
For the most part we actually do focus on interactive product placement or helping viewers find more information, but our site is a tool that people can do anything they want with. Would love a chance to clarify this further.
http://www.photosynth.net/