Creating real estate content is time-consuming. Creating content that turns into leads and converts prospects, even more so.
Content marketing ends up feeling like a game that only the giants of online business play, one that properly kills those without the time or budget to compete. Even when you create content, you wonder if it was effective.
But the truth is that content creation need not end in lackluster — looking back on time spent creating content, wondering if it was worth it. In fact, there’s a way to create content that takes very little time and almost guarantees a return.
We call it on-the-job content and all you need is a camera.
Here Are 3 Steps to Creating Real Estate Content in Under an Hour
1. Choose A Topic
Just Sold A House
When you finish signing the papers for selling a house, take a video of the accomplishment. Explain the process you used to sell the house quickly, how the house seller got a fair price, and why you could do the same for anyone watching. To provide proof that you really sold the house, take a walk around the property as you talk about it so viewers see it in the background.
Although this example doesn’t show the full potential of this topic, it gets the idea across.
Since website traffic is 7.8 times higher for content marketing leaders, we’re going to show you how to reap the benefits of content marketing without spending extra time or money to create it.
Open House
Prospects once had to get in their car, start the ignition, and drive to an open house. But now, with technology, you can create a way for them to walk through the house without them ever getting off their couch.
During an open house, simply show the house and talk about what makes it amazing as you record.
Here’s an example from a live Facebook open house.
What To Look For When…
Start your video with the title, “What to look for when…” and fill in the blank. What to look for when buying a house in [your city]. What to look for when selling a house in [your city]. Think about what makes your location unique and create a live video for that.
Simply walk around the appropriate location while you talk (the house you’re selling or the area you’re talking about) and discuss what every buyer/seller needs to look for when…
Client Relations
Testimonials are powerful, and so too are live videos of you and your client discussing what you’ve accomplished together. Once a deal is signed and your client is happy, ask them if they’d be okay with hopping on a quick live video to talk through what was just accomplished.
If other prospects see this, they’ll be comfortable working with you because of your current client’s enthusiasm.
This is similar to the “Just Sold A House” topic idea, but broader. Record these at any moment that your client is pleased with your service.
Before And After
Do you renovate houses? Before you start renovating, take a video emphasizing the current disastrous state of the house. Then take incremental videos of the house renovation process. Once the house is finished, take a final video showing the beautiful difference.
People love to be included in a story. Frame these videos as one cohesive journey and once people are watching, they often can’t help but see how the story ends.
It’s difficult to find an example of this kind of content because so few people are doing it. There are plenty of before-and-after renovation videos, but there is almost no one taking short live videos of the renovation process, documenting the adventure. This means you can feel free to dream up your own way of doing it.
2. Record
Live videos are the heart of on-the-job content. Since they are live, they don’t take any extra time to produce, just however long you decide to record.
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all currently allow for live video recording. Which platform you choose is ultimately up to you, but there are a few key differences to take note of.
Facebook — Facebook live videos will notify friends when you start recording and saves the video for later viewing, meaning your audience doesn’t have to be online when you go live to see your video. They can watch it whenever they like.
Instagram — Instagram’s live videos will also notify friends when you click record, but the videos won’t be saved for later viewing. If your audience doesn’t see it while you’re live, they won’t have a chance to see it later.
Twitter — Similar to Facebook, Twitter will save your live video for later viewing and as long as followers have the correct notifications enabled, they will be messaged when you start recording.
Use whichever platform you’re most comfortable with and whichever you think will provide the best return.
Note: If you’re uncomfortable with live video, just do the same thing with traditional videos. There’s no reason that these can’t be just as effective and presented in the same personable and real-time way as live video. Do what makes you comfortable.
3. Market
The last part piece of the puzzle is to market your content. Content is only as effective as your marketing strategy. Luckily, since the hard part is done — creating the content — all you have to do is spend a little bit of time marketing the videos to your audience.
Here are three places you should market your video.
- Social Media
- Website
- Email List
When it comes to on-the-job content, Social Media will probably be your first marketing touch point.
Before posting to your website, though, send the video you recorded to rev.com and they’ll transcribe your video for $1 per minute. Post the transcription to your website under the video, titling it as “transcription,” much like we do on our strategy sketch videos.
You might think, “But what’s the point of the transcription?” Here’s the key: Google can’t rank your website based on video content. But it can rank your website based on the text. Including the transcription gives your content the ability to rank in Google without you having ever written a word.
As for your email list, write a quick review of the video, what you talk about, and why your audience should care, similar to our CarrotCast announcement emails.
Set your mindset to under 100 words. Then simply link to the video you produced or embed it directly in the email — depending on your content goals and the email service you’re using.
Once your video is out to your audience, you’ll start reaping the benefits of content marketing without spending much more than an hour creating and marketing it.
Save These 3 Real Estate Content Creation Steps
Use these three steps religiously to produce and market content that impacts your audience — despite the short amount of time needed to create it. When you do, you’ll find that the end of the story isn’t so bad after all.
Whether you are just starting in the real estate industry or you are looking to scale your business, having a plan of attack is vital.