Use these video ideas for real estate agents to attract leads and prove your status as the local expert in your market.

If you want to increase your brand awareness, foster greater engagement, and build trust in your role as the go-to local expert, one of the easiest, most cost-effective, and fun video ideas for real estate agents are best-of clips focused on hyperlocal content.

Building trust with videos

In 2022, 24% of respondents to a Gallup Poll rated the honesty and ethical standards of real estate agents as “very high” or “high”—the industry’s second-highest rating in the four-plus decades the poll has been run. However, it’s not unreasonable to assume that the 2024 verdict against the NAR and other defendants, including Keller Williams, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, and RE/MAX will have a negative impact on this number. This begs the question: How can individual agents win and retain the trust and respect of prospects and clients in an uncertain climate?

In a 2022 Gallup poll about honesty and ethics across several industries, 24% of respondents gave real estate agents their second-highest rating since 1977.

According to the Social Shepard, “Well-tailored (video) content can drive engagement and communication with your audience, giving your brand an aspect of reliability, trust, and honesty— values important to consumers looking to connect with a business.”

“Well-tailored” is open to interpretation, but even the most cursory review of available information indicates that videos better capture attention, support engagement, and build consumer trust when they:

• Show speakers’ faces, including smiles and bright, open eyes.
• Feature confident voices.
• Demonstrate authenticity.
• Are visually appealing.
• Include social proof.

Image by melancholiaphotography from Pixabay

As a real estate agent, there are many types of videos you can create that include most, if not all, of these features. Ones featuring client testimonials readily come to mind. But while these videos absolutely need to be a part of your marketing, they typically attract a smaller audience of viewers actively looking for an agent.

To broaden your brand’s reach, encourage engagement, and add entertainment value to your digital marketing content, consider creating on ongoing series of best-of videos.

Why use best-of videos

Ever since Charles Weinraub appeared on our Stay Paid podcast, I’ve been hooked on the idea of best-of videos. Charles is a real estate investor in Lindenhurst on Long Island and he’s used these videos with such great success that local residents now recognize him on the street as the face of his brand. (You can check out this clip to hear the details of his strategy, or click the image below to listen to the full episode.)

Charles Weintraub has used best-of videos to explode his social media following. Local residents routinely recognize him on the street as the face of his brand.

Aside from the sheer enjoyment you’ll have researching your selections and shooting these videos, you’ll also gain from them significant advantages for your real estate business.

1. Hyperlocal video content focused on the best elements of your neighborhood positions you as the well-connected agent who knows their community inside and out. By showcasing hidden gems like the charming farmers market or the family-friendly park with stunning views, you’re not just selling houses—you’re selling a lifestyle. This both builds trust with potential buyers seeking a great place to live and attracts sellers seeking an agent who genuinely understands the unique appeal of their neighborhood.

Image by Martin Winkler from Pixabay

2. Best-of videos have wide appeal compared to market reports and industry jargon. This makes them powerful magnets to attract a larger social media following, including people who might not be actively searching for a home right now but could be potential future buyers considering a move to your area. They’ll see you as a valuable resource and a trusted voice on all things related to your neighborhood, making them more likely to reach out to you when the time comes.

Best-of videos have wide appeal, making them far more appealing and engaging than dry market reports.

3. Best-of videos are highly versatile, lending themselves to a variety of formats. You can be the star of the show, describing your notable picks and recording yourself in different settings, including ones connected to your selections. (Picture yourself having a cup of coffee and a slice of pie at the counter of the best local diner.) Alternatively, you can feature people associated with your choices, such as owners and employees—the welcoming ranger at the park, the chatty barber at the barbershop, or the chef who makes authentic, Italian-style dough at the pizza joint.

Create relationships with local businesses by inviting business owners and employees to tell their stories and why theirs is the best of what they offer.

But in my humble opinion, you’ll get the most bang for your video buck if you interview unrelated parties.

Rather than you or those with vested interests taking center stage, feature locals on the street, asking what they like best. The genuineness of their responses, the fact that the opinions are from objective parties, and even the lower technical quality of your smartphone will enhance viewers’ trust. (And if you’re camera shy, this is also a way for you to avoid the spotlight.)

Capture the authentic responses of people on the street when you asked them to share their local favorites.

If you serve a highly defined niche, make sure to interview some of its representative members. Single, first-time homebuyers could provide insight into the best grocery delivery services; working, single moms and dads likely have their preferences for child daycare facilities; and pet owners will surely be happy to share their favorite grooming service.

Find potential clients representing various niches of the population, like pet owners, and ask them to share their preferred professional service providers.

Professional tip #1: It’s prudent to get permission from the people you record to use their image. To avoid any potential legal issues, have them sign a release form.

Professional tip #2: Ask your volunteer stars to share their email address with you so you can send them the link once you’ve posted your video, as well as add them to your drip campaigns.

4. There is a practically endless supply of topics. Simply walk around town, check a local business directory, or read the local newspaper. You could even pop by the tourist center, if there is one. Should you still need ideas, try conducting a local internet search, or asking Google Gemini (formerly Bard) or ChatGPT for a list of suggestions specific to your market area.

Best-of videos are among the easiest to make, in part, because there is an endless supply of ideas you can choose from.

Popular ideas for your best-of video series

With so many potential topics at your fingertips, it’s easy to see why best-of videos can be a gold mine for content. You can further increase your options by dividing a single idea into many. For example, one video about the best local restaurants can be turned into several about the best Mexican restaurants, best kid-friendly restaurants, restaurants with the best desserts, best places for a quick lunch, and so on.

Marketing is a game of inches, and having a resource like a best-of video series you can point clients to may be just the edge you need to seal the deal.

Use this list of ideas to get your best-of video series rolling and inspire additional subjects:

• Approach commuters at a bus or train stop, and ask them what they think is the best drive-through coffee place.
• Visit with parents waiting for school to let out, and ask what they admire about the local district.
• With their parents’ permission, ask young children to talk about what makes their playground special. (Kids are about as authentic as you can get.)
• Visit various grocery stores, and ask shoppers what makes them prefer theirs to others.
• Stroll through local neighborhoods to meet dog walkers and ask why they selected their vets.
• Stop by a particular coffee shop for a latte, and ask patrons why they frequent it or what makes it their choice for remote work. You could even ask what their favorite coffee order is.

The unfiltered comments from children are not only authentic but also oftentimes entertaining—two engagement-boosting ingredients to include in your videos.

With these examples in mind, think about how you might approach these additional subjects:

• Best bookstore
• Best happy hour
• Best hidden gems
• Best green spaces
• Best neighborhoods
• Best internet service
• Best place for date night
• Best volunteer opportunities
• Best place to watch the game
• Best fitness centers and gyms
• Best entertainment and nightlife
• Best hiking, biking, and walking trails
• Best garden centers and flower shops
• Best seasonal festivals and annual events
• Best places to take the kids on a weekend

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

Bonus: repurpose your video content with AI

The key to sustaining your content marketing efforts is to repurpose what you have so you can do more with less—and artificial intelligence has made doing so with content, including videos, incredibly easy. For example, you can use AI to turn any of your best-of videos into a blog that you can share on your website, post to social media, or include in your newsletter.

Get more bang from your videos. Use AI to convert them into blogs you can promote.

To accomplish this, you will need to use an AI video summarization tool and an AI writing assistant.

Video summarization tools analyze videos and generate written summaries or transcripts of their key points. AI writing assistants will then use these summaries or transcripts to produce a blog post. You can easily find a selection of both with a simple internet search. Some may offer free versions, but any reasonable investment is likely to be worth the time and effort you’ll save in the long run.

Efficiency is the name of the game when AI is in play. Use it to convert your videos into blogs, snippets, newsletters, and other forms of content.

It’s important to remember that these AI tools are still under development and may not perfectly capture all the nuances of your video. Much of what they produce depends on the prompts you provide. (Check out this blog for tips on AI best practices and prompts.) You’ll likely need to edit and refine the generated summary content to ensure that it accurately reflects the video and your desired message. Similarly, you’ll want to review the drafted blog and make any changes as necessary.

Next steps

Best-of videos offer an effective, creative, and crowd-pleasing opportunity for real estate agents to elevate their digital marketing strategy, expand their brand recognition, and begin the process of establishing trust with their audience and potential clients. By showcasing your knowledge and enthusiasm for your neighborhood and surrounding area, you’ll establish yourself as a trusted advisor recognized for their local expertise.

Go ahead and brag! Your enthusiasm and inside knowledge about what makes your area special will help establish you as a trusted advisor recognized for their local expertise.

Challenge yourself to film one best-of video in the coming week. You can brainstorm a hyperlocal topic you’re passionate about or use the list provided above. Remember, even something simple can resonate with viewers so long as the recommendations are sincere, especially when you allow authenticity to shine through.

Optimize your video by including it in an email campaign, social media posts, and even a landing page, and utilize AI to convert your video to a blog for your website, social media, and newsletter. The more ways you use it, the greater your exposure. And who knows? You might just be recognized on the street as the neighborhood expert and the one to call when it’s time to buy or sell a home.