During the pandemic, finding innovative ways to connect with potential buyers is of paramount importance. Virtual open houses have proven to be a beneficial and necessary tool to promote new and existing listings.
Additionally, the live component of virtual tours on social media provides the opportunity to engage with viewers in real-time, delivering immediate access to the hosting agent to answer any questions about the home or to get a better look at specific spaces.
Harnessing social media to propel our listings’ visibility further while casting a wide net for potential buyers has proven to be a successful strategy for our team. Here’s how we do it, with a few Instagram posts sprinkled in to provide examples.
Create virtual open house campaigns
When we decide to film a virtual open house for our online audience, our team strategizes a promotional campaign to ensure optimal visibility for the listing.
We promote the tour on all our social media platforms in advance to drum up excitement for the event. We particularly enjoy creating Instagram stories to promote the tour further, and we utilize features such as a countdown clock to engage with our audience.
The MLS also allows us to schedule virtual open houses in place of physical events, notifying anyone who views the listing that the property will be virtually “open” at a specific time and inviting them to tune in.
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Host progressive virtual tours
If you have various open houses planned, a progressive, live virtual tour is a dynamic and engaging experience for viewers and an excellent way to showcase multiple listings in different areas and at varying price points.
Designating a team member at each property, having them give a 15- to 20-minute tour and then handing off the camera to the next team member provides a fast-paced and compelling experience for potential buyers. This method is also an easy way for agents to answer questions about the property.
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Extend the life of livestreams
One of the advantages of utilizing social media for virtual tours is that you can save the video to your page so that viewers can go back and watch it as many times as they’d like.
Doing this extends the life of your virtual tour, and it can garner continued interest throughout the coming days or even weeks. This past year, many of our sales have resulted from buyers viewing our saved tours on our social media platforms.
All in all, virtual open houses are — and will continue to be — the new normal as we further navigate this unprecedented time in our history. By utilizing the tools available via social media and the MLS, agents can maximize exposure for their listings while building new relationships with potential buyers.
We have witnessed enormous success through these channels and look forward to continuing to open the virtual doors to some of the most spectacular listings in our roster in 2021.
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David Parnes is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram. James Harris is a director at The Agency in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
