Visual marketing for real estate with HouseLens

Can you imagine a buyer closing on a house without ever seeing it? It happens.

In a survey by Redfin and Mailchimp, 21% of respondents said they had purchased their home without ever setting foot in it.

How’d they do that? Because they were able to visit the property virtually, using photos, video and 3D modeling. And those elements make up the visual marketing for real estate.

Words are wonderful, but pictures are powerful

We’ve written about the importance of real estate headlines, and top agents go above and beyond writing their property descriptions. But with limited time and countless listings to review, home buyers will quickly move on if the photos don’t reflect well on a property.

In fact, NAR estimates 87% of buyers relied on the photos for assessing a home.

“More than 90% of buyers start their search online, so the Internet has become the new curbside,” says Kathryn Royster from HouseLens, a company that understands the importance visual marketing for real estate to help tell the story of a home.

“From that perspective, photos are like driving by the house for a quick view. If you want buyers to really come inside and be qualified as leads, adding video or interactive 3D is the perfect way to do that.”

What do people do on social? They share pictures and video!

“Going viral” is a marketer’s dream come true. Imagine putting a house out there and having your community market it for you!

Videos are shared 12 times more often than text and links on Facebook business pages. According to Facebook, 87% of its most-shared content comprises photographs. But finding the right way to share pictures and videos is the trick — think about choosing the most intriguing for your social channels. Does the house have a unique front door or a custom bathroom? Share the photos and videos that tell the story of what makes the property one-of-a-kind and something your network will see and say, “Wow, did you see this?”

DIY real estate photos and videos: do you or don’t you?

Thanks to every new smartphone release, we have amazingly powerful cameras right in our pockets. But having a powerful camera doesn’t transform you into a photo pro overnight. You don’t want to be the agent that shares the picture of the blurry backyard or the gloomy kitchen. Think about the quality of the images you’re publishing to tell the story of your listing.

“Professionally photographed homes command a significant price premium,” shared Kathryn. The study she cited shows prices up to $11,200 “And Comscore found that professional video is 30% more effective than DIY video as a marketing tool.”

The takeaway? When it comes to visual marketing content, quality matters. Professional services will pay for themselves by giving you a measurable advantage over DIY.

But what about budget? How do you prioritize for your seller?

“If your video budget is limited, focus on producing community videos and video house tours,” said Kathryn. “Can’t afford both? Find a videographer who can produce videos that combine listings and community information. You’ll still nab the lion’s share of the video audience, but you’ll probably spend less than you would to produce both types of video separately.”

The cliche is true: every picture tells a story. Visual marketing is the most powerful way to tell the story of your listing!