DO Audio Tours is an audio marketing solution that lets agents record narration over visual listing content.
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DO Audio Tours by DirectOffer creates vocal content to help agents market listings.
Platforms: Browser; mobile app on iOS, Android
Ideal for: Brokerages, teams, agents and marketing managers
Top selling points:
- Off-camera audio marketing
- Ideal for ADA compliance
- Add verbal detail to listing photos
- Capitalizes on podcast popularity
- Audio content landing pages
Top concern:
The concept is simple and has been around for quite a while through codes and custom numbers on yard signs. While this is above and beyond that early model, it’ll need to overcome those stigmas to secure widespread adoption.
What you should know
DO AudioTours is an audio marketing solution that lets agents record narration over visual listing content. It’s a unique way to add extensive detail to property images and helps demonstrate an effort to go above and beyond traditional listing marketing tactics.
This is a spinout from DirectOffer’s initial feature lineup, which included a very cool tool, called Interest Grid, a compact way to monitor offer activity. The full Direct Offer app remains available.
DO AudioTours is being rolled out nationally by Exit Realty, marking the product’s first enterprise deal, and a significant technological investment by DirectOffer.
Not a mere partnership, Exit offices using the software (it’s an opt-in program) can have listing data fed directly into their DO Audio Tours account to make narration a couple-click process. It’s a full integration.
At the risk of sounding obvious, the software gives users an audio recording interface to add narration on top of listing photos. Users select an image, tap record, and speak. It’s that simple. You can delete and start over if needed, and choose to add audio to only a few images, likely a smarter marketing move than inundating your audience with excessive narration.
Content is useless without distribution, and this is accomplished through a landing page that showcases each listing with an audio component. Links to each can be shared in a variety of ways, and will lead interested parties back to the landing page. However, it may be best to promote the entire showcase page, which is as simple as sharing its URL.
Agents who are fluent in other languages should absolutely take advantage of that ability when recording for such audiences, while keeping in mind that it also benefits the visually impaired.
DO AudioTours is doing some cool stuff for Exit. In addition to the deep data integration, it can brand landing pages and add audio content to listings on company property search pages.
This is one of those simple but useful marketing bolt-ons. It’s creative, easy and capitalizes on the power of storytelling. Savvy agents can do more than describe what’s in a photo; they can offer insights into what roles a room can play for a buyer. Maybe it’s an office, maybe it’s a playroom. Offer these ideas to the listener, as you would on an in-person home tour.
I’d ensure my photos look as good as possible, too. Don’t give a person more reason to stare at a sub-par image, especially kitchens and primary bedrooms. Also, don’t expect to capture the best narration in one take.
Now that DO is its own thing, let’s talk about its future.
I’d like to see the addition of a teleprompter feature, and there’s little reason not to add graphics capability. Would it cease being an audio tool at that point? Probably. But it makes sense, as it’s already audio-visual, as are Reels and TikTok videos. The image is there, why not enhance it? And text highlights could also come directly from the marketing copy created for the listing.
I find this to be a nice tool to punch up listings, create quick marketing snippets for social media and help stand out in listing presentations. The advantage is in the simplicity of its user experience. It’s been demonstrated to me twice, and it’s clear the engineers were challenged on making something lightweight and fast. There’s potential here to go beyond what it’s currently doing.
DO AudioTours might land a couple of other big national partners, but adoption among teams and independents would provide them an easier road to widespread traction. I’m not sure how this spinout may affect the livelihood of DirectOffer itself.
But I bet Jennifer Berman has a handle on it.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Craig C. Rowe started in commercial real estate at the dawn of the dot-com boom, helping an array of commercial real estate companies fortify their online presence and analyze internal software decisions. He now helps agents with technology decisions and marketing through reviewing software and tech for Inman.
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