Home Builder Video Marketing Gets Creative in Housing Downturn

Online, September 28, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Oakland, CA - Builder Target, an online resource for internet new home marketing ideas and information, reports that home builders are developing more creative ways to use video as part of a comprehensive home builder social media strategy.

"The rise of home builder social media is challenging new home marketing professionals to constantly provide fresh, compelling, informative content online. Today buyers are looking for more than online tours when researching a home purchase. They need instant access to reliable information about the housing market. Builders are responding with videos that address specific buyer concerns," said Dawn Sadler, Founder of Builder Target.

Sadler reports that in addition to model home virtual tours, home builders are using more informational videos to educate potential home buyers. Recent home builder videos on YouTube have featured homeowner testimonials, response to changing housing trends, information about financing for first home buyers, and condensed versions of an on-site sales presentation.

There is compelling evidence to support the decision for home builders to include video marketing in their online marketing strategies. YouTube, which currently dominates monthly video uploads and views in the US, reported that more than 100 million Americans watched more than 6 billion videos in 2009, and the trend is growing. Earlier this year Facebook reported that more than 20 million videos were being uploaded to the popular social media site every month, generating more than 2 billion views for the same time period.

The explosive growth of online video and social media provides the opportunity for home builders to reach more buyers for less money at a challenging time in the housing market. Low cost, high quality recording and editing software has created an opportunity for home builders to develop multiple videos on almost any budget. Additionally, social media offers fast, easy, immediate distribution to promote home builder videos across the web and gain a wider audience of potential home buyers online.

"Home builder videos can be promoted on YouTube, Facebook, on Craigslist, in emails, and in press releases. Creating a wide distribution of real estate videos online drives more traffic to a home builder's website, increases new online sales leads, and contributes to higher sales office traffic and sales. It is a tool that any builder can use to promote their new home community online," says Sadler.