Mastering YouTube For Real Estate Agents And Brokers: Tips To Elevate Your Marketing
YouTube is an invaluable social media platform in real estate. In fact, 51% of home buyers use it as their first destination for a property search.
Using YouTube isn’t just a great way to attract more potential buyers to a property; it can also help you land more listings. This is because 73% of homeowners say they are more likely to list with an agent or broker who uses video.
Additionally, YouTube is far more effective than traditional methods like door-knocking and cold calls.
If you’re unfamiliar with using real estate YouTube videos to close more deals, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll share some ideas for YouTube videos that can help you elevate your video marketing efforts. We’ll also share some top tips for getting YouTube right.
The Benefits of Having a Real Estate YouTube Channel
A real estate YouTube channel offers several benefits for brokers and agents. It provides a platform to showcase properties, build authority, and engage with potential clients.
Enhanced visibility and reach
YouTube is one of the largest search engines globally, allowing real estate agents to reach local buyers and those relocating from other areas. This reach is valuable for real estate professionals in a competitive market or those specializing in relocation.
Building trust and authority
Consistent content positions you as a knowledgeable resource in the real estate industry. Brokers and agents who share educational content build credibility with their audience.
If you’re an agent, videos let you connect with clients on a personal level, building rapport and showcasing your personality, communication style, and professionalism.
Cost-effective marketing
Professional video production can require an upfront investment. However, content on YouTube has a long shelf life and can continuously attract viewers for years. Unlike traditional advertising, these videos remain accessible without ongoing costs, providing long-term returns.
Lead generation and conversion
YouTube is a powerful tool for lead generation. In fact, 81% of marketers say video has helped them generate leads, and those who use video receive 66% more leads than those who don’t.
Including links to property listings, contact information, and a link to your website in video descriptions can drive significant traffic to your site. Agents and brokers can use calls to action (CTAs) throughout their videos to encourage viewers to:
- Reach out for more information.
- Subscribe to the channel.
- Visit their website for available listings.
Viewers who contact you create a source of qualified leads.
In one case study, Century 21 increased its home sales by 20% after running a video campaign on YouTube. They did this by embedding YouTube videos of home tours on all their listings.
Increased engagement and client interactions
YouTube allows for live streaming, which enables you to interact directly with potential buyers and sellers and answer questions in real-time. This direct engagement fosters a sense of connection and trust, creating a more personal experience.
Additionally, viewers can leave comments and questions on your videos, giving you valuable insights into buyer preferences and allowing you to address concerns or provide additional information.
10 Ideas for Real Estate YouTube Channels
Below are some engaging and effective YouTube video ideas that realtors can use to attract and retain clients:
1. Virtual open houses and tours
You can post the virtual tours you’ve created on your YouTube channel for better reach. Your video walkthroughs should showcase the property’s layout, features, and unique details.
Using YouTube for virtual open houses or tours allows anyone, regardless of their location, to view the property, enabling you to attract buyers anywhere in the world.
The virtual tour video below shows off a property that viewers can explore without physically having to visit the home to see its best features:
Another option is to showcase properties at different points of staging or renovation to highlight the transformation of the space.
2. Neighborhood guides
Over 85% of home shoppers use video to learn more about a specific community. This is why you should use videos to highlight parks, schools, shopping centers, and other amenities nearby to give buyers a sense of the area’s appeal.
Spotlight an area’s lifestyle by sharing nearby restaurants, local businesses, entertainment venues, and community events to help viewers envision their lifestyle in that neighborhood.
You might also want to create videos that break down the cost of living in a particular neighborhood, including factors like average property prices, taxes, and utility costs.
This video showcases various shops and boutiques in and around the Chicago area, showcasing the neighborhood to potential buyers:
3. Real estate market updates
Share the latest trends in real estate, such as average prices, number of listings, and time on the market.
You could also offer insights into how national economic trends impact the local market, positioning yourself as an expert on market dynamics.
YouTube videos can also be used to compare market trends with those from the previous year, illustrate trends, highlight seasonality, and discuss how they might impact buyers or sellers.
In the example below, real estate agent Jill Creek provides a market update, showcasing her expertise while answering questions that a potential homeowner might have:
4. Educational content for buyers and sellers
You could create a “Buying a Home 101” series that breaks down the homebuying process into simple steps, such as securing a mortgage, making an offer, and closing.
Another idea is a “Selling a Home 101” series that covers the essentials of preparing a home for sale, staging tips, and pricing strategies.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) videos enable you to address common questions clients may have about buying or selling, like “What’s the difference between pre-approval and pre-qualification?” or “How long does the closing process take?”
Below is an educational video that guides viewers through everything they need to know about luxury real estate:
5. Real estate tips and tricks for homeowners
Your YouTube videos could offer quick fixes or home improvement tips to increase property value or make a home more appealing to buyers.
You may also want to create a video explaining how small changes, such as decluttering, adding fresh paint, or rearranging furniture, can enhance a home’s appeal.
Sharing seasonal maintenance tips for homeowners, such as winterizing a home, maintaining landscaping, or preparing for storms, is also a good idea.
In the educational video below, the realtor shares 10 home maintenance tips for homeowners to remember:
6. Client testimonials and success stories
Your YouTube channel could feature satisfied clients sharing their positive experiences with your brokerage. This adds social proof and builds trust with your audience.
You may also want to showcase case studies and success stories of home sales or purchases, detailing how you helped clients overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
In the example below, League Real Estate uses its YouTube channel to share a testimonial from a family who used their services to find their dream home:
7. Local business spotlights
Partner with nearby businesses to spotlight their offerings, such as cafes, gyms, or boutiques. This will promote local establishments while adding value to your videos.
You could also interview local business owners about why they chose your area, helping showcase the lifestyle to your viewers.
The example below is a simple, to-the-point overview of a neighborhood, covering local businesses, parks, scenery, shopping, and school districts:
8. Explaining real estate terminology
Use your videos to define complex terms and phrases that are common in real estate, like “escrow,” “closing costs,” “contingencies,” or “earnest money.”
The video below explains some complex commercial real estate terms so that viewers can better understand this niche:
9. Behind-the-scenes videos
You could walk viewers through what a day in the life of a real estate agent is like so they can better understand your role and get to know you.
This video by real estate agent Carys Cachero takes viewers through a behind-the-scenes look at a day in her life, showing off her personality and professionalism:
Another idea is to show the preparation that goes into organizing and staging a successful open house.
10. Question and answer (Q&A) sessions
Collect and answer questions from your viewers in a video, building community engagement. You could invite viewers to suggest topics, ensuring your content meets their needs and interests.
In this example, Abode Base Real Estate answers common questions that buyers may have about homeowners insurance:
Our Top Tips for Captivating YouTube Videos
Creating captivating YouTube videos is essential for real estate professionals looking to engage viewers, showcase properties effectively, and build a strong online presence. Here are our expert tips to make your videos more engaging:
Plan a compelling hook
You should aim to grab the viewer’s attention within the video’s first five to 10 seconds with an intriguing statement, question, or unique feature. For example, open with, “Ever dreamed of a backyard oasis?” if you’re featuring a property with a stunning outdoor area.
Use high-quality video and audio equipment
Use a high-quality camera (a smartphone with high resolution works, too) and a gimbal or stabilizer to keep shots smooth.
A good microphone helps ensure your voice is clear, avoiding distractions like background noise. Quality audio can make your video appear more professional and keep viewers engaged.
Focus on clean, stable shots
Avoid excessive panning or zooming, as this can disrupt the flow of the video. Instead, use wide, stable shots to give viewers a clear view.
Keep videos concise and engaging
Viewers tend to stop watching videos that are too long, so you should aim to keep educational YouTube content under 10 minutes.
You should also break up the information you provide. For educational videos, divide content into small, digestible sections, like “Top 3 Staging Tips” or “5 Things to Look for in a Neighborhood.”
The video showcases the Charlottesville neighborhood. It is broken down into 10 reasons to move there so that the viewer isn’t overwhelmed by information:
Add on-screen text and graphics
Simple graphics make it easy for viewers to understand your video and remember details. For example, if you’re doing a virtual tour video, use text to emphasize features like “Hardwood Floors” or “Updated Kitchen.”
Use storytelling to connect emotionally
If you’re sharing virtual tours, describe how a family could use the space or what makes the property unique. Instead of, “Here’s the living room,” try “Imagine enjoying a cozy family night by this fireplace.”
Incorporate voice-overs or narration
A clear, well-paced narration can enhance the flow of your videos and help viewers understand what you’re communicating.
Leverage drone footage
About 80% of real estate brokers and agents use drone videography to market their listings.
Drone footage offers a unique perspective of properties, highlighting their size, nearby attractions, and overall layout. Aerial views can make a property or neighborhood look more impressive and add a cinematic touch.
The YouTube video below uses drone footage to make this walkthrough captivating and showcase the property’s surroundings:
Use strong CTAs
Agents receive 403% more inquiries if they use video marketing with a good CTA.
This is why you should use CTAs throughout your YouTube videos to guide viewers to what they should do after viewing your content, such as “Subscribe for weekly real estate tips” or “Contact us for a private showing.” Text overlays and clickable CTAs in the video description can also drive engagement.
Abode Base Real Estate uses a strong CTA at the end of each of their YouTube videos, encouraging viewers to contact the agent featured in the content:
How to Scale Your Business After YouTube Success
Once you start nailing your YouTube videos and building up a subscriber base, you’ll naturally attract more interest, resulting in more deals. In fact, brokers and agents who use video grow their sales 49% faster than those who don’t.
To manage multiple deals simultaneously and ensure nothing falls through the cracks, you need a robust transaction management system.
Paperless Pipeline is purpose-built transaction management software designed to streamline your transaction process, giving you more time to focus on creating outstanding video content.
Our platform simplifies real estate transactions, ensuring that every critical due date and milestone is met, saving you time and reducing errors.
Visit our website for a free Paperless Pipeline trial and see for yourself how much time you can save with our software.