Today’s consumer has a limited amount of attention thanks to the ability to always have a smartphone in hand. In fact, research indicates that the average attention span for a person has followed to just 8 seconds, from 12 seconds in a few years. Without a doubt, you have very limited time to capture the attention of your consumer as they are scrolling through social media or search engines. Just 8 seconds – time it and see just how short that timeframe is.
How can you get the attention and maintain it of your most likely home buyer, then? As a home builder, one of the most important steps you can take is to create engaging content – content that's going to make them pause, read, and click to learn more. That sounds easy, but video marketing for home builders isn't always simple, especially when many building companies don't have a lot of experience in this area.
Why Video Matters
Video content is one of the most important and effective types of engaging content in today’s digital world. Working within the construction industry for a long time, there's no doubt we've helped many home builders and construction firms to utilize effective video marketing to achieve their biggest goals. Video is, from our proven experience, the most important tool for getting people to your website or just getting them to call you for a consultation.
Are you already using videos? That's fantastic, but you need to produce high-quality content and videos that really ring true and stand out. We often see many home builders and contractors creating videos that poorly reflect their business and the quality of products they offer. That's a costly mistake for your brand. To help you, we're addressing the most common video marketing mistakes home builders are making. We'll provide you with the tips you need for producing exceptional video marketing for builders, too.
#1: You’re Overselling
This is one of the biggest video marketing mistakes companies make. If a video is too promotional or promises something that is not realistic, there is no doubt your audience will disengage from the brand and move on. That’s a problem.
Instead, create videos that help to improve the focus on your finished product, showcasing what customers can expect when working with you. That's going to lead to bigger and better results.
#2: Not Creating Videos Strategically
Don’t make a video just to have a video. Rather, effective marketing for builders should incorporate videos that work with your overall branding and digital marketing plan. Why are you making this video? If you don’t know, then no one else will either.
Instead, create a plan for your video based on what any other component of your marketing would include. You want to be able to see a clear business objective in the benefit and function of this video.
#3: Creating a Boring Video
It’s not uncommon for many businesses to create videos that are lacking in an engaging tool – entertainment. Most people watch videos for this purpose. Are you unsure how to make construction industry content that’s really interesting?
Add in some creativity and even a bit of over-the-top zeal. Find a way to create content that people really do want to watch. A professional video agency can help you to develop content that’s far more interesting.
#4: Your Video Is Too Long
Long videos do not get the attention you want and need them to get – and it ends up costing you money needlessly. Extra-long – and extra-short videos are not worth it.
The ideal length for video marketing for home builders is about three minutes. That’s plenty of time to get the attention of your target audience, provide a message and give them a call to action. Cut out any content that’s irrelevant.
#5: Packing Too Much Info into Your Videos
It's possible to put too much into your videos as well. Remember, people have a limited amount of attention to offer, and if you give them tons of info, they'll be bombarded with it, limiting their willingness to stop and watch.
Instead of a single video with too much content, create a series of videos that will give you far more mileage in boosting your digital marketing reach. Create graphics and visuals to help you to communicate more information in a shorter timeframe.
#6: Tell Them What to Do
If you do not have a clear call to action in your videos, people will watch them and move on. It’s important people know what they should do.
At the end of a video, place a specific call to action, such as "call us" or "join us," based on what works for your business model.
#7: Low-Quality Video Production
Everyone has a smartphone that can capture videos, but that doesn't mean that low-quality, non-professional videos are worthy of the attention of your customers. Remember, your videos are an extension of your brand. If your videos are poor quality, viewers may expect your workmanship to be as well.
Instead, look to a professional to help you with creating higher quality videos. You will likely see a much bigger ROI when you do.
#8: Creating a Single Video for Multiple Needs
Choose videos for a specific task, and then be sure that the video focuses just on that task. This could be a how-to video, a behind-the-scenes video, or customer testimonials.
Offering several different formats with very specific goals like this can help to improve your business’s overall success with each video.
#9: No Defining and Focusing on Your Target Audience
Create videos that speak specifically to your target audience. A big mistake often made in video marketing for builders is not having a well-defined target audience. Who is your likely customer? Who do you want to attract to your business?
Define who your audience is specifically. Then, build your videos around that audience.
#10: Not Incorporating Video SEO Strategy
If you are not incorporating SEO into your videos, you could be missing key mileage from them. It's easier to see than you realize.
Using keywords, thumbnails, meta tags, and other SEO strategies can help give your website a bit of a boost as you pull in more viewers.
#11: Choosing the Wrong Partner or Producer
You need a professional you can count on to provide exceptional results. If you are just choosing based on price or an ad you saw, you’re leaving benefits on the table.
Instead, do your homework. Find a professional that creates videos you love. That’s going to help you create content for your business.
Video Marketing Is a Must
There’s no doubt that video marketing for home builders is a must. The right tools can help you to reach your customers far more effectively and increase sales. Contact us today to learn more.
