As technology and instant gratification become more popular - it is important for agents to be able to seamlessly create a high quality virtual tour! Open houses can be difficult to schedule and subject to weather, various events, and location. Virtual tours on the other hand offer a lot more flexibility!
Agents are creating more and more virtual tours recently, not only for potential long-distance buyers. Virtual tours of a home are only going to increase in value and popularity because of the 24/7 marketing they give! So, agents must be aware of how to create and integrate exciting virtual tours.
Hosting a Virtual Home Tour 101
If virtual tours aren't your thing - or technology advancements in real estate aren't your favorite - no worries! Follow these simple steps!
Agents will need a device to record the tour, first and foremost. Luckily, most smartphones are more than capable and are very user friendly! If a smartphone isn't an option than a video camera will do as well! Smartphones also make it easy to post a video to YouTube, Facebook, or any other site/platform where the tour will be featured.
Pro-tip: Always hold a phone horizontally when filming.
Agents can do live tours (more on that below) or pre-recorded tours. Recording tours ahead of time and posting them later gives the gift of being able to control the outcome! For instance, an agent can re-record as many times as necessary. These tours can also be edited - content wise or even lighting effects, slo-mo, etc. Of course, visually virtual tours have the upper hand! They can be recorded when the lighting is just right, and one can film the rooms in a way that showcases their best features.
Once you've decided if a tour is going to be live or not - it's time to practice! Run through your tour at least twice and watch the recordings to know where to make adjustments. Make sure you aren't blocking anything important visually with your body, that the camera isn't shaky, and that the audio is clear! A dry run will ensure any tech issues or nerves can be worked out before the tour is available to the public.
Engaging Clients
Truly, engaging clients in virtual tours is the same as in person. This may sound counterintuitive or tricky - but broken down, it's very simple. The warm, engaging conversations agents seek to have in person can be replicated in a virtual tour, especially if it's live. Agents will want to showcase key features of a property, take their time, and really let the home speak for itself.
Another option is to do a virtual tour "live" and be able to interact with viewers. Facebook live, instagram live, zoom, and google meet are options when it comes to recording a virtual tour in real time. Both platforms allow viewers to make comments or react with emojis, etc. An assistant would be good here to read and answer questions and comments while the agent does the tour. The interaction a live tour allows can be really beneficial in marketing a home!
Live tours offer easy engagement as an agent can answer questions from viewers all over the globe in real time!
The Bottom Line
Home tours that are accessible to everyone, at any time, are a great way to market a home. Creating exciting virtual tours allows agents the ability to market the property fully by showing it any time.
Be sure to promote your tour, either live or pre-recorded, ahead of time on all available social media channels and websites! Check out Elite Informers articles on Twitter and Instagram if you need a refresher!
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