Avoiding Property Marketing Video Clichés

Advances in drone, cell phone, and video editing technology have made it incredibly affordable and easy to find video creators that can tell a property listing’s story in 90 seconds. Although it’s easy to find a professional, these technological advances have also made it easy for individuals to create their own marketing videos.

Assembling raw drone footage or putting together a photo slideshow won’t cut it in today’s digital marketing landscape. Video content expectations are high in the commercial real estate industry, so if you’re convinced you can create your own content, avoid these 5 clichés: 

1. "Videos" that are really photo slideshows.​ It isn’t hard to put professional photographs of a property into PowerPoint and export it as a video file. However, if you’ve convinced an interested client to view a video but they could get the same content in a flyer or photo gallery, you’ve removed the integral benefits of offering a marketing video. A property video should tell a story, and present new information you couldn’t get from looking at a brochure. 
2. Videos that only show Google Earth maps. When you’re working with development or future land projects, it can be tempting to focus on the location as the primary selling point. It’s that story of the property’s potential that will woo buyers, after all. But resist the urge to go with a video composed solely of maps and Google Earth footage. Even dynamic maps don’t offer a lot of visual aesthetics and you’ll find it tough to hold someone’s attention for longer than 30 seconds. 
3. Videos that haven’t been edited but only include raw footage.​ The drone pilot sent you the raw video files from the property flight. You figure you can throw it into YouTube’s video maker and call it a day, right? In 99% of instances, you may be doing more harm than good. Using unedited video footage will look unprofessional, even to people that don’t know anything about property videos. And if you don’t use a voiceover, informational titles, or other on-screen additions, what message are you really sending about the property in question? 
4. Videos that include walking tours taken by someone holding a cell phone in portrait mode.​ Guided tours or walking tours can be integral to a video marketing strategy. In CRE, showcasing the inside of an industrial or office building can help a potential tenant better visualize how the space could work for their business. In residential, a walking tour can provide another feel of the space to potential tenants, especially if they can’t view the space in person. However, quality here matters considerably. A walking tour doesn’t need to be professionally edited, especially for residential properties that may be shared via social media, but should be captured in landscape mode and using stabilization equipment so that the footage isn’t shaky. 
5. Videos that don’t showcase the entire property, introducing doubt into potential client’s minds.​ Maybe it’s a retail building near a railroad track or the back side of a warehouse that’s seen better days. Unlike with photos that can be staged to minimize less photogenic areas, videos make it apparent if you are hiding something. If you only show one angle of a building from a drone’s perspective, there’s a chance that viewers will get suspicious about what you aren’t showing. It’s better to be upfront and strategic about how you present every part of a property. 

If you’ve seen a property marketing video on LinkedIn, YouTube, or Vimeo, chances are you’ve seen a handful of videos like these examples. If you decide to make a video yourself, think strategically about what information makes the most sense in marketing the property listing in 90-120 seconds, and what is the best way to do that. Avoiding these clichés is a great first step in focusing on telling an effective story and conveying the most important details.

And if you decide to put it in the hands of a pro, they’ll avoid them for you!