What is a community video?
A community video is a video tour that shows off the best of a neighborhood, local community, or multifamily complex.
It’s a step up from just showing off a listing–a community video tour is an opportunity for you to establish yourself as a local expert, generate web traffic, and build your network of leads.
There are all kinds of different styles and types of community videos you can create. A few of our favorite options:
- Neighborhood walkthroughs with you as the tour guide
- An aerial tour of a community, set to music
- A tour of a condo community showcasing amenities and lifestyle
Why do community videos matter?
Reason #1: Community videos establish you as a local expert
When you create a community video, you have a unique opportunity to show you are an expert in your city and, more specifically, the neighborhood or part of town you sell in most.
When buyers are considering moving to a new (for them) city or part of town, you can be the welcome wagon that greets them as they begin their research.
If you sell a lot of homes in a couple of different areas of town, showcase your expertise in each by creating a community video for each area!
Reason #2: Community videos sell potential customers on a lifestyle–not just a home
Any marketer worth their salt will tell you marketing isn’t about pitching a product, it’s about selling a lifestyle. In order to sell something, you must convince the buyer that having that thing will turn them into the kind of person they want to be.
Community videos are the perfect tool for this kind of marketing! Woo potential buyers by showing them what living in the neighborhood looks and feels like…and what kind of life they could live if they choose one of your listings.
That’s smart marketing!
Reason # 3: Community videos generate great SEO on your website
If potential buyers are new to your city or area, they will likely do some research on the neighborhoods they’re interested in before they start looking for houses.
This means you have the opportunity to capture web search traffic like “best restaurants in Brookside” or “things to do in Olathe”, and can establish yourself as a reliable source before the home shopping even begins.
Putting community videos on your website (or even YouTube, with links to your site) can optimize your site and help it rank higher on search pages, earning you more traffic and more leads.
Reason #4: You can use the videos everywhere
Community videos can be uploaded to your Facebook page, Instagram account (clips in your feed, or the full video on IGTV), website, and YouTube. You can even use them in emails to your client list. Talk about bang for your buck!
One of the huge benefits of community videos is that a potential lead can find it anywhere on the internet and quickly trace it back to you. Think of it like a business card–all you have to do is put it out there.
Reason #5: You can turn one video idea into a series that will keep generating you leads
Why make just one community video when you could make many? If you’re an agent who sells in multiple areas of your city, make a community video specific to each area! Or, make a series of videos about one neighborhood, like a “what to do in Brookside” for all four seasons, or “why Leawood Town Center is great for…” young families, singles, retired couples, etc.
A video series, whether it’s a series covering multiple neighborhoods or a series focused on different aspects of one neighborhood, will widen your reach for search engines and become evergreen content that continues to circulate on the web and gain you leads long after you post.
What’s the best way to shoot a community video?
There are a couple of different options when it comes to shooting a community video.
One option is to shoot a quick selfie video on your smartphone. This is a great choice if you want to use the video on Instagram or Facebook Stories, or IGTV. It’s quick and easy, and you can even use a selfie stick (remember those??) to shoot it completely solo.
However, if you want to be able to use the video across all social media, on your website, on YouTube and in email communications, we definitely recommend hiring a videographer. You’ll get professional quality video, as well as the creative eye of someone who knows what they’re doing. The better your video looks, the better it will perform for you!
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