With thousands of views on her videos, this team leader has discovered the secrets to producing engaging real estate video on her YouTube channel.
In May 2020, in the height of the pandemic, Jennifer Wehner, founder of The Wehner Group in Scottsdale, Arizona, noticed a migration trend if people moving from California to Arizona. She immediately posted a real estate video called, Living in California vs. Arizona hoping to get the attention of those wanting to come to the Grand Canyon state. She was right. The video went viral and she has almost 10,000 views.
Because of the success of that video, a month later, Wehner posted a real estate video called, “Things I wish I knew before buying a house in Arizona.” That video has more than 29,000 views. She says building a successful YouTube channel can be hit or miss, but even the misses can bring you business. “If you bring your authentic self to the screen and pay attention to what the analytics on your videos are telling you…as they say, if you build it they will come,” says Wehner.
Wehner launched her YouTube channel in 2009, she didn’t realize she was way ahead of the curve. Using her smartphone, she’d record listing videos herself and post them to YouTube, hoping to catch the attention of home buyers and sellers. Within six months, the channel was already starting to gain some traction, but Wehner admits it took a full year to see real results when she started tracking metrics.
Flash forward to 2021, where Wehner now has a full-time media manager on staff who coordinates the content calendar, schedules real estate video shoots with a professional videographer, and promotes content on a variety of social media platforms. She also just launched a coaching company, Fast Track Agent, after finding success posting helpful videos for real estate agents.
What advice does Wehner offer agents looking to build success on YouTube?
Just start. To create your own YouTube channel, go straight to the source—watch YouTube beginner videos and follow the steps to get set up. Wehner started before she built her team, so her YouTube channel is simply her name, Jennifer Wehner. She also suggests using TubeBuddy (a free browser extension and mobile app) to help you manage and grow your channel.
Be authentic. When just starting out, your first real estate video should introduce who you are. Share why you’re passionate about real estate, what you do for fun, and what causes are dear to your heart. “People are tired of the robot customer service, so show your personality and just be you!” advises Wehner.
Be intentional. Start where you are, with what you’ve got—even if that means shooting videos on your smartphone. Complete two or three videos, build on that, then invest a little more time and money—perhaps getting a ring light, suggests Wehner. To be consistent, time-block it on your schedule to shoot, edit, post, and share videos. For content, think about the top questions you get asked repeatedly and know what consumers are searching for, then build a content calendar around that. For engagement, include an intentional call-to-action (CTA), such as “like/comment/subscribe to our channel.”
Provide value. Wehner creates a variety of videos (mostly 3-5 minutes long) ranging from agent coaching tips to market updates to her popular Welcome Home series highlighting different neighborhoods. She categories videos into playlists to help viewers easily navigate her channel.
Create a structure. Wehner suggests using a predetermined video format. Start with an attention-grabbing headline, provide a brief introduction of who you are, tell viewers what to expect, then deliver the content you promised. End with a quick summary, thank viewers for watching, and provide a CTA, such as, “If you’re thinking about buying or selling, just DM me.”
Shoot videos in batches. Wehner chunks her video shoots every other week. “This provides accountability, plus it saves time and money,” she says.
Repurpose your content. Stretch your time and money further by using your videos for different marketing efforts. “We’ll chop up videos and share clips on different channels and send in emails,” Wehner says.
“Don’t overthink it, and don’t aim for perfection,” advises Wehner, noting you can tweak your efforts as you find out what works best. As you get more comfortable, your videos will improve.
Lisa Beach is an Orlando freelance journalist, copywriter, and content marketing writer. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Parade, Islands, Good Housekeeping, USA Today, Costco Connection, and dozens more. Check out her writer’s website at www.LisaBeachWrites.com.
