In the “everyone’s a critic” American Idol culture, your on-line video presence is more important than ever. One mistake and you become either a click-away victim or the joke of every viewer as they say those words you never want to hear, “Omigosh! You have to see this fool!”
Similarly, watching real estate agents in the on-line video world has been quite eye opening and entertaining (though not always in the good way). While the vast majority of the video usage is relatively good, I consistently see the same issues in the videos that are less than stellar. Frankly, if you make these same mistakes with your videos you will not be making it to the next round…
Give Your Viewers Something To Watch
The Talking Head. Easily the biggest violation, in the sea of on-line videos you’ll join the noise of all the other talking heads out there. While it works for newscasters, even they need video overlay, stock quotes ticking below their names and a professional set to keep the consumer’s attention.
Solution: If you must be a talking head, shoot the exact same script three times with three different camera angles:
- Super close-up shot from forehead to shoulders
- a comfortable distance showing almost all of you
- a distance somewhere between the two with a completely different angle. Obviously, you need to edit them seamlessly together
Leave Them Wanting More
The Three Minute SnoozeFest. Internet attention span is measured in SECONDS. Turn on your TV and watch for a national commercial. Count how many seconds each shot is before it changes. Usually you get about two seconds. If a national company like Danon, Toyota or UPS struggle to keep the consumer engaged in the few seconds they have, imagine the struggle we REALTORS face.
Solution: Keep your videos as short as possible when you are speaking on an issue. Home and neighborhood tours are a bit different because the consumer expects a bit more. The typical mistake is in the “talking head” genre. Try to break your education/tips into small 30 second nuggets of information. You can always cut a longer version and tease the consumer to watch it if they want more information. Have several mini-episodes out there could mean you are more findable.
Take Control Of Your Stage
The Voice In The Distance. First, you hear the fluorescent light buzzing. Then you hear the echoes in the room. In the distance, phones and office mates conversing join the noise. Finally, the consumer hears your voice somewhere mixed in the cocktail. You concentrate so much on the clothing choice, what angle makes you look skinnier and how to work the camera that you forget that audio is even more important.
Solution: Make sure your camera has capabilities for a lavaliere microphone and BUY ONE! It will make all the difference in the world. Above that, stand in the room you are shooting in and just listen for one minute. If you can hear it, you better believe it will pick up on the video. Find the quietest place you can. If your take is just perfect and those small sounds are in the distance, a light, music-only instrumental music bed is a great complement to any video.
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