Imagine promoting your apartments using a polished on-screen avatar that can speak your brand’s message, all without needing you to film anything. That’s HeyGen’s video magic in action, and you can test it out in less than 10 minutes! Here’s how it works and what you should keep an eye on.
Getting Started with HeyGen Videos
- Pick or upload your avatar: Choose from HeyGen’s built-in avatars, create a lifelike AI-generated character, or create a digital twin by uploading your own images.
- Write your script: Fill in your message—building highlights, move-in benefits, amenities, or leasing details.
- Generate and go: Pick a voice, add a background or background elements, captions, and hit generate. Within minutes, you’ll have a branded, informational video you can share on social media, in email campaigns, or embed on your listing site.
Why use HeyGen? Because it’s easy to create videos with consistent branding, and it doesn’t cost time or money on videography. You can customize multiple videos easily for different units or audiences.
Why Gen Z Responds to Video Content
For property marketers targeting younger renters (like Gen Z), here’s what the data says:
- Short-form video is king: A whopping 81% of Gen Z prefer short-form video over images or text content; these videos (especially those with sound and looping) outperform static posts on social media sites by 42%.
- AI tools? They use them, but trust is mixed: About 70% of Gen Z have used AI tools, but only 52% trust them—they appreciate the convenience but still question authenticity.
- How about using AI avatars in chatbots? Useful but not for all: Around 46% of Gen Z view chatbots as ideal for quick fixes, and 60% appreciate the speed, yet they still prefer real human support when things get complex.
So, for apartment marketing, avatar videos tap into Gen Z’s video-first mindset, but don’t slow them down by using AI avatars instead of text on website chatbots.
Pros and Watch-Outs of Avatar Videos in Apartment Marketing
Pros:
- Consistency and scale: Applications like HeyGen create dozens of custom videos (unit tours, announcements, neighborhood highlights) quickly.
- Cost-effective and polished: Creating a structured video promoting your community can be costly. HeyGen allows for high-quality output at a fraction of the time and cost.
- Be unique and on-brand: Choose avatars that reflect your brand personality; formal, friendly, or quirky.
Watch-outs:
- Keep it authentic. Gen Z craves authentic connection—something too polished can feel hollow. Use approachable language and relatable delivery.
- Avoid overloading with AI. Too much automation can knock down trust. Gen Z sees avatars like these all over TikTok, so they know they are fake. Don’t overdo it, or try to deceive your audience into thinking these are “real people.”
- Keep privacy as a forethought. Especially if you’re using a real resident or team member as an avatar, it’s important to get that team member’s consent when using them. HeyGen requires signed consent and real videos to build a digital twin.
- Caption thoughtfully. Not all users play videos with sound. Adding captioning can be helpful to keep them engaged.
Digital Twins + Human Support: The Perfect Balance
For the smartest approach:
- Use avatar videos for marketing content. HeyGen is perfect for this. Make videos giving a quick property tour, highlighting rent specials.
- Offer text-based chatbots. When renters have quick questions (“What’s the deposit? Pets? Parking?”), let them get the fastest answer.
- Add human-based tours and follow up later. Use the video to draw them in, then switch to human-led engagement to finalize their journey.
HeyGen videos give you a fast, sleek way to stand out and scale your marketing. Use them smartly, pair them with real support, and they’ll be a serious asset, especially with video-first audiences.
From the desk of Ellen Thompson, Co-founder and CEO of Respage >> Since its founding, Respage has helped over 10,000 communities attract, engage, and retain residents. Its platform assists properties in generating leads, automating leasing, and managing reputation and social media. Thompson is also the Founder of Results Repeat, a digital marketing agency that has helped hundreds of companies create a digital presence and use SEO and paid marketing to generate more business online.
