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How can estate agents grow their social media following?

In this blog, we’re not focusing on reality TV personalities from “Selling Sunset” or agents showcasing super-mansions.

Instead, we’re talking about how everyday estate agents can organically grow their social media presence and utilise effective social media marketing to boost their agency’s brand.

Let’s be honest: growing your social accounts isn’t easy. It takes consistency and strategy. 
 
So, in this blog, we’re going to give you five steps for growing an engaged social media following that can directly support your business objectives and help develop your personal presence in the real estate industry. 

 

Why Should Agents Care About Social Media Marketing?

44% of agents have reported gaining a new client from social media, and 82% of agents have stated improving their social media presence is a key priority.

It’s clear that social media marketing is only going to become more important in the real estate sector. Here are five key ways it can benefit your agency:

1. Social media offers a cost-effective marketing channel for agents

The beauty of organic social media is that it’s typically lower cost than other promotional channels, and your target market is likely to have more trust in the content you post on this channel.

The growing bias towards authentic content driven by social media (think lower quality, user-generated content over polished ads) is undeniable, and it’s a trend almost anyone can capitalise on. Including you!

A shocking 50% of consumers now use social media to research a product or service.

Specifically, 27% of buyers and 32% of first-time buyers stated they would use social media to find their next real estate agent.

This raises the question: can your agency afford not to use social media?

2. Social media facilitates interaction with your target audience

Social media also offers a two-way conversation between the creator and the audience. 

Unlike traditional media, you’re able to engage and interact with your audience, making them feel closer to you.

40% of surveyed consumers stated they are unlikely to create an emotional connection with a brand they hadn’t engaged with on social media.

This is a unique advantage of social media which can be especially valuable in the real estate sector.

Potential clients want to select an agent they trust to facilitate an emotive and stressful stage of their lives, and the opportunity to connect with them in a non-sales environment can be invaluable in building that trust.

3. Social media builds community

Beyond facilitating connections with individual followers, social media personalities are increasingly focusing on building community on platforms.

This can be invaluable for word-of-mouth promotion and establishing yourself as an industry expert, raising your profile among peers and potential clients. 

4. Social media allows you to market your properties more effectively

Importantly, social media allows you to showcase properties in engaging ways.  

The growing prevalence of social media content creators has resulted in social platforms making content creation more accessible than ever.

This means that virtually anyone (with a little bit of help from experts like us) can get behind their phone camera and create captivating real estate content that could potentially build and convert their social media following. 
 
The days of site listings and leaflets being the only way to promote your properties are over. In fact, 33% of buyers are now finding their dream home on social media.

Catch your audience where they are spending the majority of their scrolling time – on social.

5. Social media supports lead generation

All these points ultimately highlight the potential for social media to be a powerful channel for lead generation at a low cost, whilst humanising your agency and boosting SEO in the meantime. What’s not to love about that?

Social media is now considered a top lead-generation source with 47% of real estate businesses stating that it’s a vital part of their lead-gen strategy.

Read our five steps below to find out how estate agents can grow their social media following using some basic marketing principles.

Step 1. Deciding Which Social Platforms You’ll Post To

So, you want to start posting but you have no clue where to start. 
 
Let’s start with the first question every marketer has to ask themselves when building a content strategy – who am I trying to connect with?

This will inform where your audience is and therefore which social media platforms you’ll be using.

 Take a look at this research from SproutSocial showing social media usage demographics if you’re not sure.

Step 2. Deciding What Valuable Content You’ll Post

You’ve figured out which social platforms you need to be present on to reach your target audience; now you need to decide what you will be posting. 

I like to think of this as who you’re going to be on social media.

What will your personal brand be on social?

What do you want to be known for?

Which content is going to convince someone to hit that follow button after seeing your content? 

The key here is creating value, whether through entertainment, education, or a blend of the two.

Your audience has to be getting something from your content, or they won’t be interested in becoming part of your community.
 

Let’s look at some examples. 

For instance, if you’re a residential agent, you’re likely looking to target first-time homebuyers, families, retirees, and investors.

Your valuable content will therefore likely include pieces such as property tours, neighbourhood guides, and maybe home-buying tips if you deal with a lot of first-time buyers. 

If you’re a letting agent, your target audience will be tenants and landlords. Valuable content for this group will likely include rental property showcases, tips for tenants, landlord advice, and maintenance tips.

Something to bear in mind here is the fine art of balancing promotional content with ‘generous’ content.

Ultimately, you’re on social media to generate leads and sales, but if your audience senses this is the only motivation behind your content, it will likely put them off. 

Balance promotional and value-added content on your profile to keep users engaged, and build community while promoting your agency and the properties you are marketing. 

Bonus point: remember, your profile should reflect your personal brand and the content you create – so your bio, profile photo, and captions should be in keeping with the identity you are building. 

Step Three: Being Consistent with Social Media Posting

Unfortunately, posting twice a month on socials and expecting viral fame is not a realistic expectation. 

Again, being consistent on social is hard, especially without a strategy which streamlines your process. It takes dedicated effort and time.

So, here are 3 tips to make posting consistently easier: 

1. Use a content calendar

Put an hour or two at the beginning of the month to plan your content in a content calendar. Hubspot has a great template here.

Commit to posting three times a week, to begin with, and see if that’s sustainable. Revise if necessary. 

The key to consistency is finding a process and publishing cadence that works for you.

2. Use AI tools to make content creation easier

A pivotal tip to help estate agents grow their social media following is to utilise AI.

AI is a content creator’s saviour – make sure you use it! It will make the process far quicker and easier.

In fact, over 55% of marketers now use AI in their content creation process.

For example, I used Perplexity to help me grammar check this blog, and it probably saved me 30 minutes of my time.

You can also use AI to help with content ideation and creation (copy and imagery).

Here are some prompt examples you could use with ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude to get your creativity flowing:

My tip here would be to review anything AI created and give it a personal spin. After all, you are the expert, and your followers want your unique insights.

3. Create content templates

If you’re using video and graphics on your socials, creating templates will make things so much easier.

These are standardised designs which ensure content remains consistent, whilst saving you time.

For example, if you post property showcase videos frequently, create a template that you can drag and drop different content into to save time each week.

Or use a tool that has preset templates ready, like our campaigns tool.

A big benefit here is you can also brand your templates. This means followers can recognize your content instantly in their feed, helping to build your brand awareness. 

Here’s a list of templates you could create:

Step 4: Analysing Your Social Media Metrics and Adapting Your Strategy

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that the first piece of content you post will get good reach and engagement.

Social media marketing involves a lot of trial and error. You’ll likely have to test a few different content formats and topics before you find something that resonates with your target market. Once you do, scale it! 

However, to do this, you have to keep a close eye on your metrics so you know what content is performing and what isn’t.

You can do this natively on all social platforms, but that can be a big waste of time. Instead, try to use a social scheduling or posting tool that can make social media analytics easier for you. 

Shameless plug: PropertyBox allows estate agents to create content, post it directly to socials, and track content performance all from one place. You could say we’re a social media one-stop shop.

Unsure of what metrics you should focus on? You can look at the video metrics cheat sheet we included in our video marketing blog for agents. Most of the metrics also apply to static content, apart from watch and retention time. 

Step 5: Engaging on Social Media

Social media is social for a reason. You’re not just shouting your content into the void to be consumed.

Encourage discussion in your comments, ask questions, and reply to your audience. Make your content seem like a safe place where your target audience can get advice about buying, selling, or renting. 

The key to encouraging engagement is showcasing you, not just the properties you’re selling or the expertise you can give.

Let people see your personality, hear your voice, and see you in content.

Potential clients are far more likely to engage with a person rather than a logo or a brand. They are also far more likely to relate to, and like someone, who is authentic and unique instead of a carbon copy of other real estate ‘influencers’. 

So don’t be afraid to be you!

Engagement is also key in sending messages to social media algorithms to push your content as it shows users are finding your content valuable in some way. Use hooks, CTAs, questions – anything you think will get people to stop scrolling, like, comment or share your content. 

Conclusion

And that concludes our five-step guide on how estate agents can grow their social media following.

Growing an engaged social media following is an incredibly valuable asset for estate agents in today’s marketing landscape, especially with the declining reliability of search. 

By leveraging cost-effective organic content, creating authentic interactions, and showcasing properties creatively, you can build a strong online presence that resonates with potential clients. 

Remember to choose the right platforms, create valuable content, and maintain consistency in your posting.

With these strategies, you’ll not only expand your reach but also establish yourself as a trusted expert in your local real estate market.  

Eleanor Keech

Eleanor has worked in content creation across various industries, including tech, beauty, and fitness. She is excited to support both existing and potential BoxPros through content that will help them enhance their property marketing.

Creating property listing content is a key element of any agent’s day-to-day, but what should your listings actually include?

Homebuyers and vendors no longer accept the bare minimum when it comes to property listings; buyers want as much information as possible to inform their decisions, and vendors want their property marketed effectively.

The bar for agents is now set far higher – so, what does the perfect property listing look like in 2024?

In this blog, we’ll explore how you can optimise your listings for fast sales with content, whilst showcasing your agency’s brand at its best.

Property Photos

Property listing photos – the part of your listing that viewers see first on portals, platforms or your website.

Whether they’re taken by you, or by a professional, your photos should set your listing up for success.

Studies have found, unsurprisingly, that listings with high-quality photos sell up to 50% faster and for a higher price.

(Psst. If you want to learn more about taking property photos we’ve got lots of information on our blog!)

Before we get into the specific photos you should be including in your listing, let’s outline some general tips for property photos.

Specific Photo Checklist for Agents

These are the specific shots you should be considering including in your listing:

Make Your Property Listing Photos Stand Out

You know those listing photos that stop you scrolling and make you go ‘WOW’ – those are the kind of photos that differentiate your listings and your agency.

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create this effect either, here are three tips that can help you get that wow factor from clients and buyers.

1. Aerial, Drone and Elevated Shots 

For high-value properties where you are using a professional photographer, these can be a great way to make sure your listing stands out from the rest.

2. Dusk Shots and Blue Skies

Dusk shots and blue skies can easily transform drab property photos. This is a simple but cost-effective way to make your listings jump out at readers.

3. Object Removal

Video

Video content is becoming increasingly common in the world of property listings, with most portals now offering options for video upload.

it’s not a necessity, but it can be a great way to help potential buyers get a better feel for the property you’re listing.

Listings with video get higher engagement and are more trusted. Plus, it may positively impact your listing’s SEO.

Here are some video formats you could include in your listing to boost interest and wow your vendor:

Floor Plans

Floor plans are quickly becoming a standard element of property listings. Including them as a brand helps you stand out as a quality agent and contributes to quicker sales.

In fact, recent studies show that listings with floor plans spend on average 50% less time on the market than those without.

When adding floor plans you will want to make sure they are readable, current and that your branding is included if you have created the floorplan yourself.

Here’s an example of a professional branded floor plan created using the PropertyBox Platform.

Property Description

 
That’s the fun bit done. Now it’s time to get your writer’s hat on.

You’ve got to include high-quality written content to accompany your visuals, or all the effort that has gone into your photos, video and floor plan is redundant.

We’ve got a whole blog on how to write great property descriptions, so below we will just be outlining the information you’ll need to include.

1. Property Basics

These are the basics that the reader wants to know before they go any further:

2. Description Details

Now the reader knows whether the property is suitable for them or not, it’s time to bring it to life with some more detail:

3. Miscellaneous

Got some interesting info about the property? Don’t forget to include it!

4. CTA

Don’t leave your potential buyer hanging. Include your CTA so they know how to organise a viewing.

5. Legal info

Double check you’ve disclosed everything you’re legally required to. You can view an in-depth look at material information requirements for property descriptions here.

6. EPC

Make sure you’ve included your EPC too!

Additional Content

If you’ve got this far you’ve already created a pretty stellar property listing. However, if you want to add a few extra finishing touches here’s a couple of ideas:

Conclusion

There you go. All the components you need for a stand-out property listing!

It may seem like a lot, but remember, there are plenty of tools out there to speed up the listing content creation process. Our PropertyBox platform takes the heavy lifting out of description writing, floor plan creation, EPC ordering and photo editing so you can create standout listings, in a fraction of the time.

 
 

Eleanor Keech

Eleanor has worked in content creation across various industries, including tech, beauty, and fitness. She is excited to support both existing and potential BoxPros through content that will help them enhance their property marketing.

Property descriptions are arguably one of the most important elements of a property listing.

It’s normally photos that grab the buyer’s attention, so property photography is vital, but if your property description isn’t well written, you’re unlikely to convert your reader.

View your property descriptions as an opportunity to make your listings stand out, demonstrate the quality of your agency, and motivate homebuyers to action.

In this blog, we’ll outline how to adapt your property description writing for different audiences, the ideal structure and must-haves, three golden rules for property descriptions and useful AI tips and tricks.

The Benefits of Writing a Good Property Description

You have a million things to be doing as an agent, so why spend your time and effort writing excellent property descriptions?

A good property description will help your property listing stand out in the competitive real estate industry. And when done write, it allows you to:

Effective property descriptions have a lasting impact that goes beyond simply marketing an individual listing. They can influence how home buyers perceive your agency’s brand and contribute to long-term SEO benefits.

How to Write Property Descriptions for Your Target Audience

Considering your audience is the key to any effective piece of marketing copy.

Before you start writing your description, think about who is going to be interested in this type of property, and how you should adapt your writing to connect with them.

As well as considering which features to highlight, consider how your tone of voice could resonate with a particular audience

Take a look at our cheat sheet below for some tips on how to write property descriptions for different audiences.

Writing Your Property Description – What Should Agents Include?

1. Headline

Your headline should give the essential property information. Don’t overcomplicate it, think about the key information buyers are filtering by – the number of bedrooms, type of property, location, and stand-out features.

e.g. ‘Stylish 2-Bed Apartment in the Heart of the City’

2. Opening Statement or Summary

Next, Include a concise opening paragraph expanding on the headline. Provide a brief overview of the property, highlighting its benefits.

Introducing this luxurious 2-bedroom flat located in the city centre. Featuring panoramic city views, modern amenities, and excellent public transport links, this apartment is ideal for young couples or professionals.

3. Detailed Property Description

This is where you’ll include the details of the property. Remember, you want to provide the reader with the required information to make an informed decision, without losing their interest.  

Avoid adding information that has already been included in the headline and opening statement. Aim for 250 words or less to keep the reader engaged.

Highlight features of the property that were not essential enough to be included in the headline and opening statement, but still add value to the property e.g. balconies, number of bathrooms, basements, integrated appliances, fireplaces.

This is also the time to include details about the property’s condition, any recent renovations, and provide further insights into the surrounding area and local amenities e.g. schools, hospitals, and shopping centres.

Also, ensure you include any relevant information regarding the sale e.g. no onward chain, immediate exchange of contracts available.

Unsure which features to highlight? A report by RightMove found these are the 10 most popular features for homebuyers and renters:

How to Highlight the Property’s Features

As this full-length segment is substantially longer, you can be more descriptive. Take advantage of this and try to integrate emotive language and adjectives to characterise the features and to help your readers envision themselves in the property (e.g. “Charming roof terrace” “Airy dual aspect living room”.)

Buying property is an emotionally driven experience, so storytelling can be an effective copywriting tactic for listing descriptions.

Elaborating on the property’s features and explicitly stating the benefits is another way to demonstrate the potential of the property to the reader.

e.g. The dual-aspect design of the living room ensures an abundance of natural light, creating a bright and inviting open space

4. Bullet list

Look back at the content you have written and create a bullet list of the property’s most appealing features. This could be anything from chain information to security systems to location details. Ask yourself if you could only tell the homebuyer 4-8 things about the property – what would they be? Remember to keep your target audience in mind!

Listing features like this allows buyers to skim-read and quickly digest the property’s best features. It acts like a hook to entice them to read the rest of your full description. This will normally be positioned towards the top of a listing.

5. Call to Action

Last, but definitely not least, is the call to action. What good is it writing a fantastic property listing if you’re not telling the reader what to do if they are interested?

You, of course, know what you want an interested reader to do, so make sure they do too! Make it easy for them by ensuring your CTA Is direct, simple and stands out.

E.g. Contact the agent here, Schedule your tour here

3 Golden Rules for Property Description Writing

1. Be Concise and Clear

No one likes waffle. Yes, you want your property listings to be descriptive and compelling, however, you want to ensure that the listing is easy to read and to the point.

Homebuyers are reading hundreds of property descriptions, so they want to get the information they need quickly, without unnecessarily complicated phrasing.

2. Be Positive

We’re sure we don’t need to tell you this, but just in case, ensure your listing is filled with positive adjectives and imagery that paint an enticing vision for the reader.

Stuck using the same boring adjectives for your properties? Here are a few you could use to keep things interesting:

3. Be Honest

It may be easy to get carried away with rule number two, but our most important guidance is to be honest! Only include factually correct information and don’t bend the truth. The ramifications for being dishonest in property listings can be reputationally damaging, and legally impactful.

How to Write Property Descriptions Using AI?

It’s hard to talk about copywriting in 2024 without mentioning AI. Here are ways you can use it to simplify property description creation.

Creating an Initial Draft

If you find getting started with your property description hard, using ChatGPT or Perplexity is a good way to create a starting point. Enter your property information and prompt it to create a draft property description. You can then use this as a building block to edit and refine as you choose.

Grammar Checking

AI is making spelling errors an increasingly rare occurrence in property descriptions. Make sure you don’t stand out for the wrong reasons and ensure you are checking your content before posting the listing. You can do this again by using the tools mentioned above, pasting your listing, and prompting for a grammar check.

Property Description Generators

Description generators like PropertyBox’s AI Descriptions tool allow you to create your property listings in seconds. After inputting core information about the property, you can choose your tone of voice, and description length the tool will generate a full-length description, a summary and a feature bullet point list. This tool is specifically created to write descriptions for agents, so you don’t have to worry about getting a prompt right.

All the content will be grammatically correct and you can make any tweaks you wish to make it sound a little more like you!

There you go – an in-depth guide on how to write property descriptions!

To conclude: write for your audience, follow a description structure, stick to our three golden rules, and utilise AI where necessary.

Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to creating listing descriptions that rocket your listing engagement, and get those leads rolling in.

Happy Listing!

Eleanor Keech

Eleanor has worked in content creation across various industries, including tech, beauty, and fitness. She is excited to support both existing and potential BoxPros through content that will help them enhance their property marketing.

Video marketing: You might not want to hear it, but the truth is estate agencies can’t escape it in 2024.
 
Video content has now become the most popular content format.

89% of consumers want to see more video from brands. Marketers who use video grow 49% quicker than those who don’t.

More importantly for estate agencies, 73% of homeowners say they are more likely to choose an agent that uses video.

So, if you want your agency to have an effective digital presence and reap the rewards of content marketing, you need to start creating video.

We get that video is hard work – it takes time, and getting started with filming and editing can feel overwhelming. 
 
However, the benefit of marketing in a world increasingly obsessed with video content is that helpful tools and resources (like this blog) are more accessible than ever. So, you’ve got no excuses!

In this blog, we’ll cover why your agency should utilise video marketing, the types of video marketing that may be valuable to you, tools to help streamline video content creation and distribution, and how to track the success of your video marketing strategy. 

Why Does Video Marketing Matter to Estate Agencies? 

It’s no secret that content is an important element of a successful agency.  
 
Bad content (low-quality descriptions, blurry photos, old floorplans, etc.) means your listings are unlikely to get the attention they deserve, resulting in slower sales and potentially a lower selling price. Uh oh. Unhappy vendor, unhappy agent. 

In fact, a significant 62% of homebuyers stated they would offer below the asking price of a property they liked if it was presented badly online.

It’s important to note that the impact of poor content or a lack of content extends beyond individual sales. Not investing in content marketing can severely hinder your brand’s growth, significantly reducing your visibility and leaving you far behind competitors who are actively engaging in effective content strategies.

On the flip side, good content offers a multitude of benefits to agents. And good content now means video, so it needs to be part of your content strategy.

The Benefits of Video Marketing for Estate Agencies

The benefits of video marketing can not only help accelerate the sale of your properties and improve the experience for your current vendors, but also play a crucial role in developing your brand and sales pipeline by enhancing brand awareness and reputation. 

What Video Content is Right for Your Estate Agency

Okay, so you’ve recognised the need to incorporate video marketing into your strategy. But where do you begin? 
 
When considering which type(s) of video would be valuable for your agency, take a step back and reflect on your objectives. 

What business goals are you aiming to achieve through video marketing? 

For many agents, their primary business objective is to secure more instructions from potential clients. However, you may also have other supporting goals, such as establishing yourself as a thought leader to develop your reputation or providing exceptional service to your current clients to increase word-of-mouth referrals. 
 
Work backwards from these goals and consider who you need to target with video in order to achieve them. 
 
Is it your current vendors, home buyers, or potential clients? If it’s thought leadership you’re prioritising, you’ll be looking to connect with other agents and industry professionals.  
 
These two questions will help you focus your video marketing efforts on the most relevant content and audiences for your agency’s success

Video Marketing Ideas For Estate Agencies

 Here are some content ideas to support different agency objectives:

Tools and Equipment for Content Creation  

 
Now you’ve hopefully figured out which type(s) of video content you want to focus on to support your business goals, it’s time to stop planning and start recording. 

Filming Equipment

When getting started with video content, it’s best to begin with the basics. For most of your content, your phone will do the job. The quality of recent phone cameras is more than sufficient for most content creation unless you need professional-quality footage for high-value property listings, in which case you’re likely hiring a professional photographer anyway. 

Tripod

While not essential, a tripod can be useful. It’s especially useful for talking head-style content or if you want to film yourself in front of a property. This tripod is a great and affordable option, particularly for agents, as it is portable and lightweight. 

External Mic

If you plan to record a lot of voiceovers or venture into audio content, consider investing in a good external microphone. This will save you time by reducing background noise, and provide a crisper finish to your video content. We use this mic for our voiceovers—it’s simple to use and delivers excellent sound quality. 

Screen Recording

The previously mentioned equipment is nfor if you’re shooting live people or properties. However, there may be times when your content doesn’t include ‘live’ footage, and you may want to use screen recordings or incorporate photos as the main content of your video. 

For screen recording, I recommend using Loom, this tool will also allow you to record yourself simultaneously if you want to talk through a property tour you’ve filmed. 

How to Film Content for Estate Agencies

When recording video content you really don’t want to wrap up filming and get to editing, only to realise you haven’t got the right footage for what you need.

These simple points will help you capture the best footage possible, streamline the editing process and ensure you avoid the frustration of having to refilm.

Video Editing Software for Beginners

Now you have your well-shot clips you’ll want to piece your content video together. Like with your equipment, the simpler you keep your editing tools in the beginning, the better.  
 
If you’re looking for a simple and cost-effective way to splice clips together some good examples are Inshot, or Clipchamp if your agency uses Microsoft.  
 
If you want something that gives you more graphic and special effects options, Capcut Pro is a really good option. It also has a decent mobile app if you’re looking to edit content on the move.  
 

If your agency already has a business Canva account this can also be a super-efficient option. Although the editing options are fairly limited, Canva is clearly investing in video, and it is more than sufficient for basic editing. Plus, it makes the inclusion of animated graphics quick and easy. 

Creating Engaging Video Content for Marketing Channels  

There are so many different formats of video content you can create for different channels. This makes it impossible to give a cookie-cutter set of guidelines on how to create video that performs. 
 
However, there are some transferable guidelines for video marketing. This rules will help make your content more engaging and effective, regardless of where it’s uploaded:  
 

For specific video marketing channels, consider optimising video for these video lengths and channel features:

Measuring Video Marketing Success – What metrics should you use?

The metrics you’ll want to focus on largely depend on the goals you set for your video marketing. For example, if you’re only focused on winning new business for your agency through video marketing, CTR and conversions will likely be your key metrics.  
 
However, if you’re looking at building your brand awareness and reputation, metrics such as shares and engagement rates will also be important to you.  
 
For almost all video, you should be looking at your demographics to ensure your target audience is viewing your content, and you should also be looking at watch time/retention rate to see whether your content is engaging viewers.  

Conclusion and Video Creation Alternatives

So there you go, embracing video marketing is no longer optional for estate agents in 2024; it’s a necessity.  
 
The majority of your customer base prefers video content, so integrating it into your marketing strategy is key to increasing your agency’s visibility and engagement.  
 
By focusing on the right types of videos for your agency’s goals you can effectively reach your target audience, and convey your message in a more engaging way.  
 

If filming and editing all video content seems too time-consuming for you, PropertyBox has a Social Media Campaigns feature! This allows agents to create property highlight reels in a matter of minutes and post them directly to marketing channels. You can even track your analytics and send your vendor the content directly via SMS. Check out our free trial offer, and best of luck with your video marketing!

Eleanor Keech

Eleanor has worked in content creation across various industries, including tech, beauty, and fitness. She is excited to support both existing and potential BoxPros through content that will help them enhance their property marketing.

This week, FocalAgent, the creators of PropertyBox, published their most recent report:

10 listing tips to win more instructions

If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, here’s the link you need.

The report outlines step-by-step everything you need to do to craft property listings that secure instructions to help you dominate market share.

We don’t have time to cover all the topics discussed in the report, so instead, we’re sharing our 5 top takeaways:

1. The importance of best-in-class property photography can’t be underestimated.
2. Presenting unique property marketing examples during market appraisals is crucial for standing out and building trust with potential vendors and landlords.
3. Property videos work wonders for extending your reach on social media, allowing you to engage with potential landlords, sellers, house hunters and tenants.
4. Your vendor’s photographs are considered personal data under GDPR and need protection accordingly. 
5. Watermarking your property photos, floor plans, and videos keeps your brand front and centre on property portals, increasing the likelihood of potential vendors and landlords noting your agency and associating it with first-rate property marketing.   

Below, we’ll explore each of these takeaways in more detail:

1. The positive impact of best-in-class property photography

If there was any doubt about the influence high-quality property photos have on the effectiveness of property listings, these stats set the record straight. They prove just how vital first-rate photos are for securing instructions:

• Property Academy’s latest ‘Home Moving Trends, Landlord and Renter Survey’ found the top reason sellers picked their agent was that they ‘felt confident in their ability to market [their] property’ (this included property photos).  
• In the same survey, 75% of sellers rate ‘quality of images’ as important when visiting an estate agent’s website. 
• As many as 80% would click on a property listing because the first image was enticing.  
• Almost 60% would skip properties with an unappealing initial image.

Thankfully, AI-fuelled property marketing platforms like PropertyBox make enhancing images taken on your smartphone or camera a breeze.   

It’s not uncommon for estate agents to view AI as sub-standard or somehow scary. However, in the case of PropertyBox, we’re not an off-the-shelf solution. Instead, we have years of professional property photography knowledge that we’ve funnelled into producing our AI enhancements.  

Below, we’ve listed just a few of the many ways your images could benefit from AI property photo enhancements:  

1. Instant object removal  
2. Automated privacy blurring  
3. HD upscaling  
4. Blue sky replacement  
5. Vertical adjustments  
6. Boosted shadows  
7. Colour enhancements  

…and more!

2. Present unique property marketing examples during market appraisals

There are plenty of ways to elevate your property marketing to stand out from the rest. Our most recent report lists the following methods:

• Dusk shots
• Drone photography
• Elevated pole photography

Below, we’ll explore each in turn:

Dusk shots

One of the main benefits of dusk shots is introducing a point of differentiation between you and your competitors. In your prospect’s living room, you can show examples of dusk shots you’ve listed. This works wonders for instilling confidence in the vendor because it demonstrates you know how to make properties stand out online when people are scrolling at pace on portals. 

Best of all, when you use an AI dusk shot feature post-production (like the one PropertyBox offers), you can make the image look like it was taken at golden hour within a matter of minutes. 

Drone photography

The remarkable thing about drone photography is that it can capture a property’s unique vantage point from 120 metres high, making it an excellent choice for shooting panoramic views and unveiling hidden gems that traditional photography can’t achieve.  

A single dramatic shot of your client’s property can be the driving force that attracts the right attention to your listing. In fact, property listings with drone photography enjoy a 54% increase in engagement compared to listings using traditional property photography alone. 

So, if your budget allows, why not consider drone photography – especially for luxury properties? Clients selling first-rate properties expect the best, and there’s no denying that drone photography will capture your client’s property in all its glory, which is likely why properties with aerial photos sell 68% faster than those using just standard images. 

Elevated pole photography

If drone photography isn’t viable for your agency or the area, elevated pole photography is worth a second glance.  

It costs less than drone photography, and although a pole doesn’t reach the sky heights of a drone, you can still capture shots from 6m+ above ground level, making it superb for capturing winning exterior shots.  

3. Extend your reach on social media using video

Video offers an immersive experience, transporting prospects directly to the heart of the property. Not only that, but videos often increase your social media reach in the local area, engaging with potential landlords, sellers, house hunters and tenants who aren’t yet on the market.  

These stats speak volumes about the power of video:  

• 50% of all content viewed across Meta’s platforms (predominantly Facebook and Instagram) is video, so embracing video is essential for getting your agency in front of as many prospects as possible. 
• 92% of mobile video viewers ‘share’ videos
• 73% of sellers are likelier to list their property with an agent who uses video  
• Property listings with video generate 403% more inquiries. 

To hit the ground running with property videos, you can use an AI property video generator (like the one PropertyBox is about to launch). 

This is an excellent alternative to professional videography if you’re working on a budget or don’t have time to schedule a professional.  

Such a tool takes your static property images and transforms them into engaging reels, perfect for sharing on social media. Just drag and drop photos onto your video timeline and add captions (if you wish), taking inspiration from PropertyBox’s prompts. Then, wait a few minutes for the videos to render before sharing them on your agency’s website, social media, Rightmove, Zoopla, or property portal of your choice. 

4. Ensuring your property marketing meets GDPR standards is absolutely crucial!

Did you know your vendor’s photographs are considered personal data under GDPR?  

Protecting your customers’ data is of the utmost importance. That’s why agents spend their precious time manually blurring out sensitive data in their property photos – for example, people’s faces in personal photographs and vehicle number plates.   

However, not only is such a system laborious, but it’s also prone to human error. It stands to reason that if you manually edit hundreds of property photos each month, things will inevitably fall through the cracks.   

Similarly, some agencies use non-property-specific editing suites for these tasks. It can sometimes take between 6 and 10 minutes to blur a single registration plate.   

Fortunately, there’s a quicker, more accurate solution:

An AI property photo enhancer like PropertyBox automatically blurs faces, personal photographs, and car number plates. 

By automating these kinds of tasks, you can use the time you’ve saved to make your listings really sing. For example, removing unwanted objects from your property photos, adding a dusk sky, writing more compelling property descriptions, etc.

5. Sidestep property portal branding restrictions with watermarking

As an estate agent, you’ll know how frustrating it is that your agency’s brand gets little to no recognition on popular property portals – especially when prospects view listings via mobile.  

Considering that almost half of property searches are done on a mobile, that’s a huge opportunity to market your agency’s brand lost! 

This is where adding a watermark to your property visuals becomes an asset.  

This ensures your branding remains front and centre of the listing, increasing the chances of prospects remembering your agency.  

Want to learn more?

Although we hope you found these insights helpful, this blog post only scratches the surface of the advice given in our full report:

10 listing tips to win more instructions

For a deeper dive into crafting property listings that increase market share, download our free report and put everything you learn into action!