A Beginner’s Guide to YouTube Marketing for Real Estate Agents
Pop quiz: of all social media platforms, which one is used the most?
If you’re here reading this, you probably already know the answer to that question: YouTube.
And guess what? The popularity of it grows more and more every day.
But here’s the thing: despite this being one of—if not the—most important parts of your social strategy, only 9% of small businesses have their own YouTube channel.
Whether you think it’s too much work, don’t have the time, or are just plain old intimidated, this is your opportunity to set yourself apart and tap into an untapped market of potential leads your competitors aren’t. It’s also a goldmine for enhancing your marketing at every step of the journey: lead generation, nurturing, and conversion.
Here are some easy tips for setting up a real estate YouTube Channel and setting yourself up to make sure it’s a success.
HOW TO START A REAL ESTATE YOUTUBE CHANNEL
The first step you have to take is getting a YouTube channel set up. Thankfully, this is extremely easy!
All you have to do to create a YouTube Channel for your real estate business is follow these steps:
1 – Sign up for a Google account or sign-in using your existing one
This can be a business account or a personal one. However, when dealing with anything digital marketing related for your real estate business, we recommend opting for something professional versus personal.
2 – Go to YouTube and create a channel
You’ll be prompted to give your channel a name. Stick with something simple and easily searchable. For example, “Jane Smith Real Estate” or “Jane Smith – Richmond Real Estate.” If you’re creating a channel for a brokerage or agency, you should also incorporate the agency name and location.
3 – Personalize your YouTube Channel with your branding
Before you start uploading your awesome videos, you’ll need to make sure your YouTube Channel is personalized to your branding. You’ll need to:
- Upload a profile picture – Make sure your photo is consistent with your other social media channels. This could be a headshot or your company logo.
- Add a channel banner – Channel banners are important because it’s one of the first things someone sees when they go to your page. The good thing is, that this can be as simple as an image of some homes or a graphic customized to your brand. Design programs like Canva have pre-made templates that make it easy to create your own and personalize it to your branding.
- Write a channel description – Again, consistency matters! Your “About” description can be the same one you use on your website, Facebook page, etc. It should be at least 250 words long and have the most important information in the first 100-150 words.
- Create some playlists for the types of videos you intend on creating – Looking for real estate video ideas for your channel? Some example playlists include: “Local Market Updates,” “Listing Videos/Property Tours,” “Real Estate Advice,” etc.
- Upload an introduction video – This is the first video visitors will see when they visit your page, so think of it as a promo for your business. It can be as simple as an introduction to you and your business, plus a brief explanation of what value you intend your audience to gain from your YouTube Channel. Since it’s the first video, make it count!
- Pro Tip here: You want your videos, especially this intro video, to seem as authentic as possible. When writing yourself a script, remember to keep it short and sweet. It also helps to read it out loud to yourself before recording. This will allow you to identify any parts of the script that don’t seem natural to you, and you can then rewrite those parts in a more conversational tone—how you would say something if you were actually talking to someone face-to-face. Check out this recent episode of KCM’s How’s the Market podcast with expert Chelsea Pietz for more tips on how to show up authentically on video!
YOUTUBE MARKETING BEST PRACTICES
Compose a long-term strategy for your YouTube channel
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make with their YouTube is they just start uploading random content without a strategy. The key to a great channel is variety and consistency. Taking a look at what other agents are doing is a great way to get started, but here are some additional content ideas for your channel:
- Market Update Videos
- Common Buyer & Seller Questions
- Listing Tours
- Client Testimonials
- Neighborhood tours
- Local market highlights
Keep your visual branding consistent
Consistency in visual branding is key to looking professional. So make sure that when you’re setting up your YouTube Channel that you’re sticking with the same profile picture as other social media channels. Also, make sure your logo, thumbnails, and beginning and end card also match your branding. Check out this Member Spotlight with Tamara Inzunza where she shares some of her top tools and resources for building her video brand:
Create evergreen content
Topical content is important but timeless content can be just as impactful. Especially when you think about all the ways you can utilize these videos in other areas of your marketing: emails, website, social media, etc.
Great ideas for evergreen videos for your YouTube Channel are buyer and seller tips videos, (think renovations with highest ROI, what not to do when applying for a home loan, etc.), as well as answering common buyer and seller questions, (how much do I need for a down payment or should I update my home before I sell it?).
Pro Tip: KCM Blogs & Infographics make great content for videos like this!
Optimize your videos for search
Did you know that YouTube is the second largest search engine next to Google? That means there are a lot of opportunities to reach new potential clients with your videos. The best way to do this is to tap into your local market.
Creating neighborhood tours or local attraction reviews are a great way to do that. Also, make sure that you’re mentioning your location in video titles and descriptions. Those are easy ways to enhance your SEO and optimize all your videos for better discoverability in your area.
BOTTOM LINE
Creating a real estate YouTube Channel is one of the best ways you can generate more traffic, enhance your brand awareness, and build an online presence that scales your business to the next level.
Once you start creating videos, you have endless opportunities to make content that educates, motivates, and engages your audience. Not to mention, it’s also the most used social platform for consumers researching a new business.
If you’re ready to create a YouTube Channel for your real estate business, check out our FREE eguide An Agents Guide to Real Estate Video.
With tons of valuable content that cover topics like video ideas, how to write a script, and optimize your platforms for the best performance, it’s the easiest way to share consistently great content every week and build a Channel that gets results.
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