Virtual tour or promotional video: Which is best for your listing?

No matter the state of the real estate market, agents are relied upon for one thing: to secure the best deals for their clients. When selling a home, agents need to be able to evaluate their clients’ situation and help them come up with the best marketing package for them.

Virtual tours and promotional videos are among the most impactful marketing tools available. A 2021 report by the National Association of Realtors noted that more than half of buyers between the ages of 22 and 55 found videos to be very useful in their search process. More than 60 percent in that age range said the same of 3D tours.

Although the use of virtual tours and videos have increased in popularity, they’re not common practice in real estate marketing. According to that same NAR report, 17 percent of agents used 3D tours to market a home for sale and 12 percent used video. 

So even though the use of these tools has trended upwards in recent years, agents who incorporate them into their marketing strategy are still setting themselves apart from the pack.

Here are some distinctions between virtual tours and videos that will help agents decide which is best for their marketing approach.

Virtual tours are always open

With 3D tours, the selling point is that they’re like an open house that’s always open. Convenience is king these days. Being able to click, tap, zoom, and swipe through a listing from anywhere and at any time is something that no other photography service can offer.

That demand for flexibility ramped up in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic began. However, according to a 2020 Zillow report, about a third of people said they’d prefer touring a home virtually even once the pandemic is no longer a concern.

Prospective buyers are in full control during virtual walkthroughs. Matterport virtual tours produced by Lighthouse Visuals are the gold standard. They’ll be able to see every inch of the home in crisp detail.

Virtual tours allow buyers to immerse themselves. They can move through each room as if they’re actually walking through the house. They’ll be able to envision how they’d use certain spaces.

Videos are often more captivating

Video is superior for drawing attention to outdoor amenities and other nearby features that make it attractive. Cinematic footage of an outdoor pool or expansive land that surrounds the home can be captivating. Drone shots of nearby schools, parks, and a scenic view can appeal to a buyer on an emotional level. These are features that can’t be highlighted by 3D tours.

Promotional videos for a listing don’t offer the same control to buyers, and that can be a double-edged sword. In some cases, it may be better for the sellers to have more control over the aspects of the home that are highlighted.

It’s also important to know the audience. Video may better suit home selling in a neighborhood that is mostly made up of retirees. It takes less technological know-how to view a promotional video than it does to navigate a virtual tour. 

Why pick one or the other?

For many listings, it doesn’t have to come down to either a virtual tour or a promotional video. The two can work in tandem to create a marketing package that’s unrivaled. Videos can be used to capture the attention and imagination of potential buyers. They’re easily shared on both a one-to-one basis and through social media.

Once they’re brought to the listing, the 3D tour can show buyers everything they’d like to see about the home. They’ll have the ability to look through the property as many times as they want from anywhere.

Reach out to Lighthouse Visuals today for a marketing consultation to help determine which services are best for your needs!