5 Reasons Real Estate Agents Should Use Video in their Facebook Ads

How much time did you spend watching videos online yesterday? 

If you're anything like the average American, we'd guess it was a little over an hour ⏰

That's right, on average, US viewers spend eight hours and 33 minutes per week watching various types of online video, a 59 percent increase since 2016. That’s more than one hour PER DAY- just spent watching online video!

There's no doubt that we are living in the age of video. We spend so much time consuming videos online that it’s a miracle Americans get anything done 🙊

Video is everywhere, whether it be on YouTube, Facebook, IGTV, or most recently, Tik Tok, users are consuming video more than ever before.

There’s a reason video has taken off. It’s personal, attention-grabbing, and easy to consume. Think about it: after a long day would you rather relax by reading a long article (like this blog post 🤣), or a fun video like this one 👇

@the_queencity_realtor

Facts #threewords #dreamjob #realestate #realtor #charlotterealtor

♬ Original sound - vbankzs

This upward trend in online video is a huge opportunity for real estate agents, especially when it comes to Facebook ads. Think about it: you can reach thousands of people outside your network + build trust and make human connections. Sounds pretty great, right?

In this post we'll dive into why video is such a powerful tool, and how you can combine it with Facebook advertising to skyrocket your business.

Use Video Ads to Build Trust with your Audience

Video is the best way to connect with your audience, build trust, and create virtual relationships with potential clients. 

To understand just how much of an impact video can have when it to comes to connecting with people, we reached out to Dustin Brohm, host of the Massive Agent Podcast.

He explained how video can both help you expand your reach and make personal connections:

"The real power of video is its ability to create personal connections. Video is literally the next best thing to meeting someone face to face. From a marketing standpoint, I’d actually argue it’s even MORE powerful than face to face. How likely are you to get 1,000’s of people to hear you live and in person? If you do, cool, but how long would that take you to get in front of 1,000+ people? With video, you can literally post a 60-second video that cost you $0 to produce, and potentially 1,000’s can see it.

They not only hear you and see you, but they hear HOW you say things. Facial expressions and body language are HUGE for creating a subconscious connection. That’s why face to face is so powerful. Video just lets us be face to face with thousands of people at a time with the click of a button. Anyone not utilizing video in their business is really missing out." 

Video really is the best way to develop trust with people who you've never met. It is so powerful that it can create a sense of really knowing someone, even if you've never spoken in person. Combine that with Facebook ad promotion, and you're able to reach and connect with thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands of people.

Get Higher Engagement Rates on Social Media

Another reason to use video in your Facebook ads is that video gets a much higher engagement rate than all other content on the platform. 

Clocking in at 6.13%, the engagement rate of Facebook videos is almost double the engagement rate of text and static images (3.6 percent).

“Why should I care about engagement?”, you ask.

Well, each and every interaction on your Facebook ad acts as social proof.

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior for a given situation. 

For example, the restaurant that’s filled with people every day must have better food than the empty one next to it, right?

Social proof plays a role in every aspect of our lives, and is possibly one of the most effective marketing strategies, especially when it comes to social media.

If people see 50 likes and 10 comments, they are much more likely to trust your brand and pay attention to your ad.

Relay Tons of Information in a Short Amount of Time

Everyone knows the saying that a picture speaks a thousand words? Well, video speaks hundreds of thousands. 

With videos, you can package information into a narrative that tells a visual story in a way that text or static images simply cannot. 

If you can engross your audience in a story, they’ll pay attention for longer, which explains why 62% of Hubspot survey respondents say that they consume videos thoroughly, versus skimming. 

The ability to relay tons of information in a matter of seconds is an invaluable aspect of video ads. 

Video is more memorable

Off the top of your head, name the best three ads you’ve seen. We’re willing to bet that at least one of them was a video ad. 

It’s not a coincidence. According to Hubspot, branded video content is more memorable than static images or text among all age groups.

In another survey, Optinmonster found that video marketers achieve a 54% increase in brand awareness than those who don’t use video in their ads.

The ability of video to combine graphics, movement, and sound to illustrate an idea allows the viewer to both process the information faster, and more importantly, have an emotional reaction as they watch the video. Studies show that when we experience strong emotions around an event, we are able to remember it much more clearly.

Impress Potential Clients

Marketing your listings with video not only improves your results, but is also a huge perk for home sellers. In fact, real estate video Facebook ads are so effective that some 73% of homeowners say they are more likely to list with a real estate agent who uses video to sell the property.

When it comes to real estate marketing, it’s important to communicate that you are the expert. A portfolio of professional videos that you use to market your client’s listings makes it clear that you’re the best in the business.

Video content is a powerful trend that doesn't show any signs in stopping. If your goals for the new decade include growing your business, connecting with new clients and building a powerful social network, video will be an important tool to help you reach these goals. In 2020, video is where it’s at, and should be a part of every real estate agent’s marketing toolkit.