Video is the most powerful marketing tool on the planet. Why? Because it’s the only form of marketing that works on your behalf whether you’re working or not.
Then you add the “live” element to it and it takes it to a whole new level. Facebook Live videos are being watched six-times more than regular videos and are commented on 10-times more.
So, it’s time to not just pay attention. It’s time to implement. Right now!
Before you is a step-by-step guide to using Facebook Live in your real estate marketing. Read every word. The future of your business depends on it.
Let’s begin by stating the obvious — video is hard. We are humans. We have insecurities. We care what others think. Video puts us in a glass house. It is what it is, let’s move past it.
Get rid of self-limiting beliefs
We all carry around self-limiting beliefs that can crush our business if we aren’t careful. Many of them surface when we start doing video. Here are the main ones we all battle:
1. You don’t watch videos
Maybe you’re one of the few people on the planet who doesn’t watch videos on Facebook. If that’s you, then you will naturally, if left to yourself, assume no one else does either.
Well, can I say it? You’re wrong. Facebook gets over 1 billion views a day on its videos. Don’t let not watching videos yourself keep you from doing videos.
2. You don’t like what you look like
None of us do. Join the club. Sometimes the best looking people are the most insecure. We have to figure out a way around it — and I think I have.
Think about this scenario: You just had coffee with a friend. Did you wear a ski mask into Starbucks? Of course not, right? Because you wouldn’t have access to reading this article from jail.
Why didn’t you wear a mask? Because you were meeting a friend. So, whether you are skinny or fat, tall or short, young or old, gray or not gray, wrinkled or not wrinkled, tons of hair or bald, it doesn’t matter. Your friend knows what you look like, so you’re cool with it.
Well, now think about this: Who is going to watch your videos? Your friends are. (More on this later.)
3. You don’t like what you sound like
I hate hearing my own voice. It’s like nails on a chalkboard. But let’s go back to the example from No. 2. When you go to coffee with a friend, do you borrow Kanye’s auto-tuner? Of course not. Your friend knows how annoying or not annoying your voice is already. He or she loves you anyway.
Quick tip: Don’t watch your videos back. Because we are our own worst critic, watching our own videos can be the fastest way to get us to stop doing them in the future. I have certain people I really trust whom watch them and help me keep improving.
4. You have nothing to talk about
We assume our lives are boring. We assume no one cares about our lives. And for the most part, you might be right. But ”your people” do value your stories and opinions.
One more time, let’s go back to the coffee example. Do you stare at your friend over coffee and five minutes in have nothing left to say? Of course not. You probably spend twice as much time together and have plenty to say. Why? Because you aren’t selling to them, which means you talk about things other than your business. It’s time to do the same thing through video.
Now, we’ve eliminated the most daunting self-limiting beliefs we carry, we are ready to start tackling video.
Success is what it’s all about with live video, but what does that look like?
Ask yourself the right questions
- Is this going to be a solo video or an interview? Pick the “box” at the bottom accordingly.
- Is your Wi-Fi strong? If you have bad or spotty Wi-Fi, turn it off, and go with your cell signal. It will be far more consistent.
- Do you need headphones? If you are in a crowded place or in a room that echos, headphones will help increase the clarity of the audio on the video.
- Are you well-lit? Natural light is huge. If you can stand where natural light is facing you, that’s great. If not, make sure you are in a place with consistent light.
- Are you distraction free? Lock the door. Turn on “do not disturb” on your phone. Letting the video get interfered with could take away all of your momentum.
- Do you know your “why?” Not your big why for your life, but the why for this video. Make sure anytime you spend effort on video, you’re doing it on purpose. We waste others’ time with pointless videos, they will lost interest in watching the next one.
Secrets to growing your audience
Whether you’re wanting to create more video or just getting started with your first one, there are some “secrets” that most people don’t know. The tips below will help your views go up each time.
Pay attention to the % of your friends who are currently online
If you have over 10 percent of your friends online, it’s a good time to do a video. What should you do if you get ready to go and under 10 percent are online? You can try, but it might be best to pick a new time to go live.
Get people commenting
Try out these tips:
- Ask direct questions, and ask people to answer in the comments.
- Give shoutouts as people jump on. This will encourage them to say hi or wave at you.
- Get people voting. Use A or B or give them a 1, 2, 3 option. The more comments we get, the better our views can be.
- Let your friends who comment know you saw it. I make sure to love, laugh, wow, sad or angry every single comment. I want my audience to know I appreciate it when they take the time to comment. Make sure you do the same.
Respond to comments over time
This one is huge: Respond to two comments per day starting 24 hours after your video is over. This tricks the algorithm. After 24 hours, your video is “dead” to Facebook. So, when you comment a couple times, it wakes back up.
If you do this consistently with the right content. You will get videos with 200 views to over 1,000. It’s a beautiful trick.
Promote the video in advance
When you are doing highly valuable videos, promote them in advance. Let your audience know the day and time of your video and what they can expect. This will increase your live audience.
Share to multiple pages
This won’t be necessary for all videos. But, depending on the content, share the video to the appropriate channels. This will introduce new audiences that will quickly increase your viewership.
Now that you are prepped and ready let’s talk about content. This is where a lot of real estate agents make mistakes — because all their content is 100 percent real estate-specific.
Can I be frank with you? No one cares about your real estate posts if that is all you post about. They need variety, they need and want to get to know you. Give them what they want.
7 video ideas
And finally, here’s seven different types of content for your videos:
1. Open houses
Let’s start basic. This is a no brainer, non-negotiable. You should never be inside a home and not leverage it for video.
Whether it’s your listing or not, get it out there for people to see. Everyone loves looking at houses. Use it! From a content perspective, this is the easiest as well. Because it’s your face for must a few seconds in the beginning and end, then it’s all about the house.
Quick tip: When doing videos about houses, try not giving the address away. Force them to request that from you. This will help leads actually happen from your tours.
2. Insight on the way to closing
Be in front of people in a healthy way. Instead of just closing after closing pictures, what if you went live on the way there or while you’re out in front?
Share a quick tip, tell a quick story about the current client, anything that will help you leverage this moment. It’s so much more powerful than just a closing photo.
3. Behind the scenes
There are a lot of people that are losing interest in using a Realtor. Why? Because technology is advancing and new companies are showing up trying to give the consumer your commission.
But let’s be honest, it’s your fault to some degree. Why? Because all the consumer sees from most Realtors are your highlight reels.
So, to stand out, go behind the scenes, Let them in on what your day really looks like. Show them the stack of papers, give them a look into one of your team meetings, and show the struggle. This will make a massive shift in the way they view what you do day in and day out.
4. Interview someone
Even if you are a rockstar on video, your audience will get used to seeing you and keep scrolling from time to time. When you introduce a new face, it piques the interest of your audience.
Create value for your audience. Bring in other experts, ask let their expertise pour over your people. Every time you do, even though they are talking, you get the credit because it’s on your video.
5. Get personal
What are you passionate about? What fuels your creativity outside of real estate? Talk about it. Let your people see a different side of you.
Because of the impact social media has on business, people don’t just want to do business with “the best.” They want to do business with someone they know, like and trust. Trust happens beyond just business. Talk about your family, your weekend, your ups and downs of life — let people in. It works!
6. Teach something
Do you read, watch insightful videos or listen to podcasts? If so, why? To better yourself. But most people don’t take time on purpose to do those things.
So, we have a great opportunity to help. Start talking about what you’re learning, what you’re listening to, etc., because most people won’t do it themselves, but they’ll love your insight.
These are easy videos. You’ll become known for this, and your audience will not only eat them up but also look forward to them.
7. Talk about stats and research
Bring important data to the table. For example, this year, based on NAR data, 18 percent of homes sold have been to single women. How many single women do you know who are probably renting somewhere and assume they can’t afford and/or qualify for a house because of their one fixed income?
Well, get on video, and talk about it. Let them know they can! You can argue about opinion, but you can’t argue data. Leverage data to inform your people with what matters.
Here are my final tips as you embark on your Facebook Live adventure!
- Be yourself. This industry is already so full of fake people. Be memorable by simply being yourself. And remember this, people buy who you are, before they buy what you sell. There’s only one you, go be it.
- Try the “only me” privacy setting. Before you go live, you can change the privacy setting so no one can see it. That way, you don’t feel the pressure of technically “being live.” Record the video, then if you like it, post it. Then, change the privacy setting back to public. Now, you have a video that you get all the benefits of having been live, even though technically you weren’t live at all. Just remember, your next post will be set on “only me,” so make sure to change it back.
- Be consistent. Video is for the long-term benefit of your business. Don’t do a few and then if nothing comes from them, you choose to stop. Stay focused on great content, and I promise it will work out well for you! Every single time.
Video is king. Take what you’ve learned here, and get a head start on an industry that is still behind. You’ve got this.
Kyle Draper is the CEO of EMPWR Media in Fort Worth Texas. Connect with him on Facebook or LinkedIn.
