Video content is powerful in marketing, and it’s something every real estate professional should be using if they aren’t already. More specifically, in 2023, it’s short-form video that’s getting all of the attention among marketers.

According to a HubSpot marketing report, short-form video was recently named the most effective and popular format for social media content. Thirty percent of marketers said they were planning to invest more in short-form videos than any other social strategy.

So, what is it?

Short-form video is anything less than 60 seconds, according to the definition from most marketers, although some say it’s anything less than three minutes. A short-form video is very easy to digest for the audience, and it’s often also called bite-sized content. The content is easy to scroll through, and viewers can watch several within a short period of time.

TikTok has really been the leader when it comes to short-form content, and it’s also the fastest-growing social media platform, but others like YouTube and Instagram are getting in on the action.

Seventy-three percent of consumers prefer watching short videos to learn about products and services, and it has the highest ROI. Viewers are much more likely to watch shorter content all the way through, and these videos are also more likely to go viral. It’s an engaging format with impressive conversion rates. 

Short-Form Video Platforms

The three major platforms to share your short-form videos are TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

TikTok is exclusively for short content, although there is pending legislation regarding its use, so you might want to focus your attention on Reels and Shorts.

How to Create Compelling Short-Form Video Content

As a real estate professional, there are a lot of ways you can leverage the power of short-form videos in your marketing. There are also general best practices to keep in mind.

First, keep an eye on popular trends. This can give you inspiration and help you see what audiences are responding to most at any given time. You also want to try and create the most relevant content for your audience. If you already have long-form content, think about what’s performed best for you, and consider breaking it up into smaller chunks for your short videos.

Ideally, aim to make your videos under 60 seconds, record vertically, and use captions because so many people watch videos without sound.

Content Ideas

Content ideas that work specifically for real estate agents include:

• Create virtual property tours. You can simply use your phone for these videos and point out a property's features and unique selling points.
• A question-and-answer format works well for short-form video content. Think about what your clients most often ask you about or go to social media and ask your followers to submit their questions.
• Along with highlighting a property, neighborhood spotlights also work well for a shorter video format.
• Use your short-form videos to offer tips. You can do tips specifically for certain audiences, like first-time buyers, families, people who want to buy a home where they can age in place, or any audience you often work with.
• Home staging tips are a perfect content option for short-form videos.
• You can use your videos to talk about trends in your local area.
• Client testimonials can be a way to use short-form videos.
• Create shorter clips that are like introductions or teasers for your longer content.

Finally, what’s great about short video content is that, in addition to audiences preferring it, it’s easier for you. You don’t have to do a lot of editing, and you can make these videos on the go or whenever the inspiration strikes. With longer video content, you have to invest either time or money into editing and polishing the video, whereas the concept of short-form video is that it’s organic and done on-the-fly.