Short-form video content, such as TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts, has emerged as one of the most prominent marketing trends and is expected to remain relevant in 2024 and beyond. This article will explore some of the top tools and strategies for creating short videos, with a special focus on real estate.
Recent studies have shown that 73% of consumers prefer watching short-form videos while searching for products or services. This preference is understandable as people have a limited attention span, and innumerable online platforms and messages compete for clicks, likes, and comments. Marketers have realized that short-form videos can engage online audiences more effectively. As a result, they are allocating more resources to create such videos. It is estimated that revenue from short-form video ads will exceed $10 billion this year. This projection highlights the substantial financial opportunity presented by short-form video advertising. It reflects short videos’ increasing effectiveness in capturing consumer attention and driving engagement across various digital platforms.
Generally, video is crucial in creating a deeper connection with the potential customer base. It can easily be repurposed into other forms of content, such as podcasts and text-based content. Although long-form videos can provide depth and more information, they take more time and resources to create. Thus, short-form is a convenient and effective way to tell a brand’s story and boost conversions.
What Are Short-Form Videos?
Vidico, a video production company, defines short-form video content as multimedia materials characterized by brevity and focused messaging. It is ideal for quick consumption and sharing on digital platforms, typically spanning a couple of minutes or less. Short-form videos can range from entertaining snippets to informative tutorials and compelling advertisements. They offer versatility and adaptability to cater to diverse content preferences and consumption habits. Knowing some of the most widely used tools and strategies for creating short videos is crucial if you incorporate this type of content into your strategy.
Why Include Short-Form Videos in Your Content Strategy?
Including short-form videos in your content marketing strategy has numerous advantages. It is estimated that 55% of consumers watch videos before purchasing. Platforms like YouTube and Instagram are widely used to explore product reviews, demonstrations, and user-generated content. They allow consumers to make informed decisions before completing a purchase. Viewing videos lets people visually assess the product’s features, benefits, and functionalities, leading to a more informed purchase decision. Check out this article to understand how video fits into a digital marketing strategy.
In a market with many competitors and potential clients exposed to numerous messages on different platforms, using short-form videos to complement other types of content is a wise strategy. Studies indicate that videos less than 90 seconds long retain 50% of viewership. The highest engagement is observed in videos up to two minutes long.
Short-form videos effectively capture audience attention, foster engagement, and increase brand visibility and awareness. Additionally, the brief format of short videos facilitates message retention and comprehension, ensuring that key information is effectively communicated to viewers. Furthermore, short-form videos are easily shareable across social media platforms, extending their reach and amplifying brand exposure.
Incorporating short-form videos into your content marketing strategy enhances audience engagement, boosts brand recognition, and drives meaningful interactions with your target audience.
How Do Different Platforms Compare to Each Other?
Given limited time and budget resources, it is important to understand one’s audience and where they consume most of their video content when deciding which platform to focus on. For example, over 70% of Gen Z watch online videos for over three hours daily. Therefore, if your target audience is Gen Z, it would be wise to focus on TikTok, as this platform is dominated by this cohort, with 44.7% of users coming from that age group.
When it comes to real estate professionals, they must stay updated on the latest trends in property purchasing. One interesting trend is the transfer of wealth from the Baby Boomer generation to the Millennials. This transfer is significantly increasing the purchasing power of Millennials for homes. Therefore, it’s important to know which platforms are effective when it comes to reaching Millennials.
According to data from Digital Media Ninja, Facebook is the social platform used at least once a week by the highest percentage of Millennials (87%). Instagram comes next (71%), followed by Snapchat (52%) and X (formerly Twitter) (42%). These figures can be useful for real estate marketers. Each of these platforms requires different tools and strategies for creating short videos.
When considering all age groups, Sprout Social’s video media statistics reveal how video content is consumed on various social media platforms:
YouTube
YouTube, the second-largest search engine after Google, is crucial in brand visibility and product discovery. 74% of consumers use YouTube, and users are twice as likely to purchase after viewing a product in a YouTube video. This platform is instrumental in helping brands showcase their unique value propositions. Additionally, YouTube is accessible on multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. This accessibility allows social media users to watch short-form videos anytime, anywhere, at home, on the go, or offline with downloaded videos.
80% of Facebook Stories that include sound or voice-overs tend to drive better lower funnel results. Additionally, 62% of users become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories. Fluency in the most relevant tools and strategies for creating short videos on Facebook is essential.
91% of Instagram users watch videos on the platform weekly, with 43% preferring Instagram Stories over other types of content. Videos that are approximately 26 seconds long receive the most comments, indicating the effectiveness of concise content in engaging users.
X (Formerly Twitter)
Video content on X significantly enhances engagement. Posts containing video get up to 10 times more engagement than those without. Positive human interactions in videos can increase response by 40%. Lastly, videos that get their message across in the first three seconds see a 13% increase in breakthrough metrics.
This data highlights the growing importance of video in social media strategies. It also gives businesses a roadmap to leverage this powerful medium to its fullest potential.
What Is the Best Strategy for Creating Short-Form Videos?
As Don Dodds explains in an article for Forbes, a useful content creation strategy is to start with a significant piece of long-form content. This long piece of content is also known as “pillar content,” such as a keynote speech, Q&A session, or video blog. One can then repurpose it into smaller, platform-specific pieces of content like short videos, images, quotes, and articles.
This approach saves time and effort by avoiding the need to create new content from scratch. By tailoring the repurposed content to each social media platform, this method emphasizes the importance of context and ensures that the content is relevant to the audience’s expectations and behavior. It is important to remember that what works on, for example, Instagram may not be suitable for other platforms. This strategic repurposing increases content reach and engagement and ultimately drives traffic back to the original content or the brand’s website. Parceling out long-form content is one of the most effective tools and strategies for creating short videos.
The 5 C’s for Creating Short Videos
To get started with short-form video, consider the 5 C’s proposed by the Digital Marketing Institute: commitment, creativity, content, consistency, and community. Be realistic about how much effort you can devote to creating and promoting your short-form videos. If necessary, consider outsourcing production to a creative agency. Study what types of videos work best on each platform and adjust your strategy accordingly. Set a consistent posting schedule and make sure your target audience is active on the platform before posting videos.
To optimize your short-form videos for success on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, change the angle or setting to keep the viewer engaged. Tell a story with a clear focus and a narrative arc, and include a call to action to prompt engagement. Provide value in each video, whether educational, inspiring, motivational, or something else. Consider using your own staff and colleagues to showcase your brand and build trust and authenticity with your audience. The 5 C’s are important guidelines when deciding among the most relevant tools and strategies for creating short videos.
Short-Form Videos as a Hook
Short-form video content is an excellent way to draw people in and lead them to your long-form content. When done correctly, you can produce endless “hooks” or short-form videos to direct people to your website, blog, custom landing pages, YouTube channel, podcast, or webinars.
Think of short-form video content as a fishing hook. Short video content on platforms like TikTok or Instagram can be great for brand awareness, but long-form content ultimately converts. The more short-form content you create, the better chance you have of pulling people into your brand, where they can experience everything else you have to offer.
Short-Form Videos in Real Estate
The trend of short-form videos has also made its way to the real estate sector. As explained by Luxury Presence, a marketing consultancy, Real estate videos have become an essential part of an agent’s marketing toolkit, with 73% of homeowners stating that they are more likely to list with an agent who uses video in their marketing. However, only about 10% of agents use this strategy, creating a significant opportunity for agents to gain a competitive edge online. While creating video content may initially seem overwhelming, knowing where to start is key.
Here are some effective tools and strategies for creating short videos that Luxury Presence has identified for real estate marketing, along with tips on finding inspiration for your content:
Educational Videos
Creating educational videos in real estate can help connect with potential clients. These videos can cover topics ranging from pre-approval versus pre-qualification, the value of home inspections, and the nuances of negotiation and closing costs. Interactive sessions, like Q&A prompts and clear calls to action, are great ways to engage viewers and invite them to attend seminars or download free resources.
Additionally, focusing on frequently asked questions or common misunderstandings can be a great way to build your list of real estate video ideas. Educate sellers about the legal aspects of the process, from disclosure requirements to potential fees, and prepare them for closing day with accurate information. Providing regular market updates can also solidify your position as an expert in the field and help create a deeper connection with your audience. Remember to include a call to action in your videos and encourage potential clients to schedule consultations or get home valuations.
Neighborhood Spotlights
Creating a “Neighborhood Spotlight” video can help potential buyers understand what living in a specific area is like. It is one of the best-loved tools and strategies for creating short videos in real estate. To make the video comprehensive, it’s recommended that local parks, schools, businesses, beaches, and access routes be showcased, interviews with local business owners or residents should be conducted, and community events should be highlighted. In addition to providing valuable information for buyers, this can also help build relationships with local businesses.
Real Estate Client Testimonials
Client testimonials effectively establish trust and credibility with potential customers and improve your online presence. They serve as evidence of your competence and accomplishments. To create a successful video testimonial, it is essential to ensure that it is specific, trustworthy, and authentic. You should establish a process for requesting client feedback and always seek their consent before sharing their testimonials or Google Business Profile reviews. By obtaining proper consent and using a compelling call-to-action, your video testimonial can be a powerful tool for generating more consultations and driving traffic to your website. Additionally, it is essential to remember that individuals have different personality styles, so it is ideal to tailor your approach to meet their unique needs and preferences.
Tools and Strategies for Creating Short Videos for Real Estate Professionals
Creating captivating short-form real estate videos is easier than ever with the right tools at your disposal. Here are some top picks from The Dojo, a real estate marketing blog, to enhance your video marketing efforts:
Your Phone
Your smartphone is a powerful tool for creating authentic real estate videos. Modern phone cameras offer high-quality video capabilities, surpassing those of previous years. Audiences appreciate genuine content that feels natural and unscripted, making your phone the perfect tool for capturing real-life moments. A series of well-crafted videos infused with your personality can often have a more significant impact than a single expensive production. Never underestimate using your phone (a true pocket media house) as one of the best tools and strategies for creating short videos.
CapCut
CapCut is a versatile, free video editing app for mobile use. Its intuitive interface and professional editing features have gained popularity among content creators. One standout feature is its selection of pre-designed templates, which streamline the editing process. These templates come with stylish effects, transitions, and layouts, allowing you to create polished videos easily. Simply add your clips to a template and customize it to suit your needs, saving time and effort.
Later
Later is a comprehensive social media marketing platform tailored for busy real estate agents. It simplifies the process of planning and scheduling content, ensuring a consistent online presence. With Later, you can upload photos and videos, craft captions, and schedule posts ahead of time. Its visual content calendar provides a clear overview of your content schedule. Later helps you maintain a cohesive brand image across platforms.
Captions
Captions is an AI-powered tool designed to enhance the accessibility of your videos. It automatically generates captions for your content, making it easier for viewers to engage with your videos in any environment. Whether they’re in a noisy setting or prefer to watch without sound, captions ensure that everyone can access your content. By improving accessibility, captions can significantly boost viewer engagement and retention. This and other caption-generating software are among the essential tools and strategies for creating short videos.
ChatGPT
Brainstorming content ideas can be a challenge, especially for those new to video marketing. ChatGPT is a helpful tool that generates content ideas based on your input. Simply provide a few details, and it will suggest relevant topics for your videos. Whether you’re struggling with writer’s block or looking to explore new content avenues, ChatGPT can provide valuable inspiration to fuel your video marketing efforts.
Don’t Dismiss Long-Form Video Content Just Yet
Short-form videos have become a staple of social media. However, industry predictions suggest that long-form video will come back by 2024. According to realtor.com, Instagram’s Reels feature has already increased its video length, and TikTok has changed its rules to monetize videos longer than a minute only. These changes will significantly impact video content creation. With longer videos, we can expect to see more impactful trends and topics, higher engagement with this format, and more authentic content.
Conclusion: Knowing the Right Tools and Strategies for Creating Short Videos Is Key
Short-form videos have become essential for real estate marketing, offering a dynamic way to engage audiences and drive conversions. Utilizing tools like smartphones, CapCut, Later, Captions, and ChatGPT can streamline the creation and optimization of these videos. Especially for real estate professionals, incorporating educational content, neighborhood spotlights, and client testimonials can enhance your marketing efforts. As the trend towards short-form content continues, integrating these tools and strategies for creating short videos will help you stay ahead and effectively reach your target audiences.
