The apartment search process looks much different now than it did just two years ago, and the biggest change is the skyrocketing use of video marketing.
Virtual tours have become commonplace as a result of COVID-19, and the explosion of video content online (think TikTok and Instagram Reels) has made it a crucial tool for apartment marketers.
Consider these statistics: 96 percent of consumers increased their online video consumption in 2020, according to Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing Survey, an annual report now in its seventh year. In fact, the average person is predicted to spend 100 minutes per day watching online videos as of 2021.
Adding more video content to your Multifamily marketing strategy can help generate interest in your apartment community and increase lead-to-tour conversions. In this post, we will discuss ways to ramp up your video marketing and incorporate more video content into your overall marketing plan.
Platforms for Apartment Video Marketing
Multifamily video marketing is like a modern-day version of show and tell, and you have a variety of platforms to choose from:
- YouTube: Long format videos
- Facebook: Videos are 2-3 minutes in length
- TikTok: Videos can be 15 seconds, 60 seconds or three minutes
- Instagram: There are several options for video content.
Stories: Videos are 15 seconds or less and disappear in 24 hours unless you save it to Highlights- Feed: Videos are 60 seconds or less
- Reels: Videos are 15-30 seconds
- IGTV: Videos can be up to 10 minutes, but 2-3 minutes are ideal
How to Use Video in Your Apartment Marketing
As we mentioned, prospects are accustomed to consuming video content, so bringing more video into your marketing will meet prospects where they are. That’s not the only benefit to video marketing for apartments: Video is also important when it comes to apartment search engine optimization and improving your site’s rankings.
Google owns YouTube, which means video has a major impact on where websites appear in Google searches. You’re 53 times more likely to show up first on Google if you have a video embedded on your website.
With so many video editing apps and software available for free, it’s easier than ever for apartment marketers to create their own high-quality videos.
Virtual apartment tours
The pandemic has forced apartment communities to pivot to virtual and video tours, and we can expect the use of video to continue growing in this area. Before long, prospects will expect the option of virtual and video tours, and communities who don’t provide them might find that they can’t keep pace with the competition.
YouTube videos of your virtual tours can be embedded onto your website, then repurposed to be used as content for the community’s social channels.
Social media video ads
The natural progression from video tours is the use of video in online advertising. Given the ease of video creating and editing, apartment marketers now have more options when it comes to video-based social media advertising. Plus, Facebook makes it easy to navigate the process by offering these guidelines.
Video advertising for apartments on social media has grown rapidly when compared to text-only ads for a few reasons:
- It gets to the point without asking consumers to read a lot of text.
- It builds trust by connecting to the emotional needs of the consumer.
- It takes daily habits into account — 75 million people in the U.S. watch online videos every day.
Prospective renters want to gather as much information as possible before even visiting a property, and apartments are visual in nature, making apartment video advertising a no-brainer.
Video content on Google My Business
Google My Business, or GMB, is a free tool that allows businesses to create and manage their online presence on Google. With GMB, you can add your apartment community to Google Maps; update your business information like hours of operation and any COVID-related requirements; post photos and videos; share special move-in offers; book tour appointments; and interact with current residents and prospects through Google Reviews.
Increasingly, renters are bypassing apartment websites and getting the information they need directly from apartment GMB listings. So, it’s worth it to flesh out your listing as much as possible, and adding video is a great way to do so.
Including video marketing on your GMB listing will increase your chances of ranking higher in the search engine results, and video also boots the click-through rate, meaning more people will see your content.
Conclusion
Video marketing for apartments can be a powerful tool to help communities reach as many prospective residents as possible. Video is also more compelling than text or photographs, and it helps to build trust with prospects. Americans are consuming more video than ever, and communities that leverage video marketing will undoubtedly have an edge over the competition.
