Here’s a little experiment: Open up any social media platform and start to scroll. Look through the pictures, memes, and rants and notice if you see a common theme.
It’s video. Tons and tons of video.
Even without experience in marketing, you can tell video packs a powerful punch. Agents are finding that in today’s real estate market, video captures a buyer’s eye the fastest. It’s a number one communication tool, used to persuade, entertain, and educate.
12 proven reasons to try video if you want to upgrade your social strategy
Still not convinced? These 12 compelling statistics might motivate you to start using video in your social marketing more often:
1. 72% of customers prefer to learn about a service or product through video.
Being a consumer yourself, this data may not be surprising. The amount of information you can cram into 30 or 60 seconds of video saves viewers time and energy spent on outside research.
2. 85% of homebuyers and sellers would rather use an agent who posts video.
Marketers in all industries are beginning to think outside the box in what and how they incorporate social video. The 85 percent who are looking for video is a massive number of clients you could be missing out on. As an agent, this number might compel you to utilize it.
3. Personalized video has a 35% higher rate of average retention than non-personalized video.
It’s great to post and share content, but don’t forget to brand your own videos too. This makes a difference. Example: Share a lender partner’s video on the worst homebuying mistakes and then hop on Facebook Live to do a walk-through of a new property and keep your face visible.
4. The #1 way consumers found a new brand that they purchased from later was through video ads.
This is a strong statistic that really drives it home. Real estate agents can see the same benefits from using video to leverage their personal brand. It’s easy to upload a lender partner’s market-facing video, or one of your own, and turn it into an ad in a few steps.
5. Online videos are expected to account for over 82% of all customer internet traffic by 2022.
As this stat explains, it’s no longer “if” but “when.” Many other agents are seeing success by integrating video into their marketing. The agents who don’t are most likely losing a chance to grow their business.
6. Home listings with video receive four times more inquiries compared to home listings without.
Video home tours can still be feasible, even for agents on smaller marketing budgets. Once a video is created, you can not only add it to a listing, but you can share it to all other social platforms — as well as YouTube and your own site.
Buying a house doesn’t have to be hard, and neither does finding sharable videos. Become a Cornerstone Realtor Partner and leverage a long list of videos your clients are going to love.
7. According to a Facebook exec, their platform will be no text and all video by 2021.
This offers a clear picture of what social media’s future will look like. Considering this timeline, are you ready to start integrating video into your marketing plan?
8. Compared to images and text combined, social video gets 1200% more shares.
Much of this has to do with our increasing and easy access to video through our mobile devices. The number of people who watch mobile video rise by 100 percent each year, offering you an almost guaranteed way to reach and retain more clients.
9. 81% of marketers agree that video has enabled them to gain more leads.
It’s a simple recipe: video = lead gen. Real estate agents are familiar with trying new approaches and learning about the latest marketing trends. Video is one tactic that will set you apart from your competition and expand your audience. Again, sharing professional partner videos is an ideal place to start, and can ease the burden of creation, as you begin to include your own branded content.
10. 93% of brands receive a new customer via video posted on social media.
There’s really no contest. Video is the most effective way to showcase the strengths of your business. Consumers can connect to your personality, professionalism, and creativity. You can show your audience your true self in minutes.
11. 87% of businesses are now using video as a tool for marketing.
This number is only expected to rise. “The strength of a company lies in its ability to continuously evolve,” Mark Wardell, leading entrepreneur advisor and author, said. Video is also the tool most marketers are using to increase their ROI.
12. YouTube is the #1 channel used by consumers for brand research and discovery.
Plenty of agents are posting on YouTube to better advertise their business. Whether it’s publishing a monthly report on the housing market, including local insights alongside trending content, or offering a hands-on tour of a neighborhood, the options are endless.
And the stats don’t lie: Video is a critical part of any marketing approach for today’s agents. It can be intimidating. But it helps to remember you don’t need a camera crew or pricey equipment to start creating and posting video to social media.
Many marketers even use their phones to record and edit. This puts your marketing potential at your fingertips.
How to use video to build a following – without breaking the bank
Video isn’t going anywhere. Quite the opposite: Video is a social trend that’s expected to be a leading method marketers use to connect with customers in the upcoming years. When it’s time to step up your social media game, start – and end — with video. Partner with a local loan officer to get access to our full video library and make sharing exceptional content easy.
For educational purposes only. Please contact your qualified professional for specific guidance.
Sources are deemed reliable but not guaranteed.