Rental video tours are a different marketing tool you can use besides property images. It doesn’t mean that video tours will replace property photos, but it will benefit you more to create a rental video tour as an additional feature. Some people prefer looking at videos than at static images, so your pool of prospects will widen.
If you’re trying to capture more leads for marketing your rental property, there’s benefits to expanding into video, such as being able to reach a new audience. Currently, social distancing has increased people’s decision to stay at home, so they may prefer to watch a video tour first before arranging a property showing. If you catch their interest, then they’ll be contacting you to book a showing.
Are you interested in finding out what makes a video fare well with an audience? Here are some tips to help you maximize the value of marketing your rental through a video tour:
1. Planning
Before shooting a video, you must already know the major selling points of your rental. Doing a haphazard video wastes your time since you’ll be filming for longer. You should already rehearse your route before making the video. Your stride will be confident, and you’ll know the areas of the property to highlight or focus on for longer.
If you’re planning to talk in the video, have a script prepared. The important thing is to maintain a good flow and transition smoothly from one room to the next.
2. A Compact and Compelling Story
A good video holds a viewer’s attention when there’s a good story behind it. Be creative and organized. When providing a voice over, sound enthusiastic. Viewers are more engaged when the video is well made and well thought out.
It’s also important to know where you wish to bring focus. What parts of the property are you highlighting? Does the property sit on a historical land?
Maybe you could create a story around that. Is the architect famous? Build on the information and proceed to talk about the features.
3. Good Background Music
Music sets the mood you wish to convey. So, it’s also an important aspect to include in a video tour. Choose it with great care. Avoid using loud music that can turn off people and make it generic to avoid getting negative reactions.
Most importantly, make sure you get royalty-free sounds. You wouldn’t want to get banned after putting in so much effort into creating a video.
4. Title, Intro and Captions
Creating good video titles is essential to inform people on what the video will be focusing on. Avoid click-bait ones and opt to be more specific.
For example, write “2-bedroom townhouse in xxx
neighborhood.” This reveals to the viewer clearly if it will match what they’re looking for. If they’re scouting for a rental in a specific neighborhood, this video will be helpful. If they want a 2-bedroom unit then it will also fit their expectations.
For video introductions, go straight to the point. Don’t leave the best parts for the end. To engage the viewer, start with the features that will be enticing to the target market. Furthermore, don’t forget to add captions since some people need them or like to read captions when they didn’t catch a specific line.
5. Lighting
One of your best allies when creating a video is
good lighting. If you want to skip the lighting equipment or avoid color grading your video, plan the time of your video shoot. Good lighting is hard to mimic without professional skills. So, make time to wake up early, around sunrise or shoot in the late afternoon.
Your property looks the best either in the late or early hours of the day. The light is softer, and the shadows are also lighter. You want your video to be bathed in golden light that enhances the images more naturally.
6. Framing
Compose your video well and make sure the viewpoint is aligned. If you’re holding the camera, ensure your hands are steady. If not, consider shooting with a tripod. A shaky video looks unprofessional and you want to engage the attention of the viewers.
Take panoramic shots of the property so the viewer will have a sense of the size. If you’re only zooming in on parts of the house, it’s difficult to gauge the landscape of the property. It’s helpful to have a distant shot that will include the entire property and its space.
7. Length of Video
Some people think a longer video is better. They can include more details or explain more. However, it’s actually advisable to have a quick video tour of your rental. There’s a high risk viewers will skip ahead if your video gets too long.
Three-minutes-and-under videos are preferable and recommended. Try to include everything within this time frame as you want repeat views. Know the essential features that your target viewer is looking for. This prevents you from making a video that’s too long.
Avoid over-explaining features and state the basics instead of an in-depth description. You want to avoid boring the viewer.
8. Landscape Shooting
Make your video more cinematic by
shooting in widescreen. This is vital in a property shot since you want the viewers to have a sense of the layout.
Landscape formats are also not new to viewers since TVs, theaters and YouTube uses a landscape format. Sticking to the traditional horizontal format makes the viewer comfortable with watching since it’s familiar.
Bottom Line
A great video tour requires a planned approach. So, take your time to film a good one and focus on keeping it simple and effective. Opt to cut rather than to add more sequences. Make the scenes compact and aim for the best features that create an impact with your target viewer.
If you're looking for more help regarding the listing and advertising of your rental property, contact
Advantage Realty Services today. We work our hardest to ensure your rental attracts quality
potential tenants and stays occupied for longer.
