Horowitz Associates just released its Broadband Content and Services 2007 report. As suspected, video is on a tear with adult users. It’s not just for the kiddies anymore. According to the report, a full six out of ten (61%) high speed internet users watch/download content once a week. On a monthly basis the number spikes to 86%. Other reports indicate much of the same.

The comScore Video Metrix report shows viewers watched an average of three hours of video in September with US viewers watching more than 9 billion videos. Yes, that is billion. The report also stated the average video length was 2.7 minutes, also known as the perfect amount of time for a property video. If you have a luxury property, a video is a must have for your marketing package. As video becomes utterly pervasive and mainstream affluent buyers won’t simply be delighted you have a luxury property video, they will demand it. Expect trends like this to see even more acceleration in 2008. 

(Click here for easier viewing)

Via: Horowitz Associates, Emarketer

What do theme parks and real estate marketing have in common? Well, they each feature an assortment of rides to excite our senses and make us come back for more. Yet, it dumbfounds me. Why get on a Tilt-a-Whirl (aka Virtual Tour) when there are rides like the Millennium Force (aka Video) in the same theme park? One makes my adrenaline rush and the other rushes me to the bathroom. A video excites buyers. A virtual tour punishes buyers. Here’s some great questions to ask yourself before strapping into the video roller-coaster of success.

1. What is my property worth? It’s not practical to pay top dollar for a video showcasing a $300,000 listing. Nor is it practical to showcase a multi-million dollar property with a low budget video. Your marketing budget and property should dictate what type of video you produce.

2. How much should I expect to pay for a video? Top of the line, full production videos can reach upwards of $3,000-$4,000. Not exactly the kind of change you’ll find in the penny bank, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for. In this case it’s a turn-key, no hassles, marketing masterpiece. Think of the video as an investment. The more you put in the more you get out. For the value investor, lower budget videos can be as cheap as $200. As long as you use a professional, you will still receive a quality, innovative marketing product.

3. What type of production style fits my property? Do you have a waterfront property? Be sure to use a videographer that can do boat or underwater shots. Do you have a one-of-a kind estate? Be sure to find a provider who offers helicopter shots to capture the landscape. Is your property still being built? Then consider a 3D videographic rendering. These are excellent marketing pieces for luxury clubs and developments.

Quick Tip - Ask your videographer about the music, lighting, and other visual effects. Remember, if in doubt, keep it simple. Videos range from standard voice-overs to full production interviews with architects, homeowners, and historians. Know the extent of production before you take the leap.

4. What is the story? The story is everything! If you don’t have a multi-million dollar luxury property a standard voice-over video tour will suffice. However, if you have a showcase property the story can be the ultimate selling point. Has your property been in a Hollywood movie? Was a former resident a celebrity or political icon? Is there something special about the architecture? Are the kitchen tiles custom made in a small farming village in northern Peru? Every story has the potential to capture the audience. The more humanity in the story the better.

Video Fact - “Nearly a billion consumers worldwide will watch internet video by 2012, up from roughly 300 million today.” (ABI Research)

Contact Video@LuxuryProperty.com for information about our video partners and how to get your video on LuxuryProperty.com

Picture: CedarPoint -GeoCities

Things don’t always “pan out.” Just ask Enron. They crashed and burned. Polyester. That seemed great at the time. 8-Tracks. Baby, those were the days. As companies, fashion, and music industries strive to set the next trend, most eventually fade and become relics of history. If something is going to “pan out” there needs to be logic. It must have intrinsic value. It has to endure. It needs to be precious. It has to be like…well…Gold!

The origin of the expression ‘panning out’ comes from the California gold rush. “Panning out” a cubic foot of gold enriched gravel could produce instant wealth. It’s the same today as it was back then. A brick of gold bullion lying in the street will send people into a raucous frenzy. Web 2.0 is the same kind of tumult. Only, video is the new gold. Today’s top internet marketers agree video is your fast track to success. Its value is just starting to emerge. Online video is going to “pan out” and in a big, big way. Internet TV is already here. The rush has begun.

The following excerpts (all from 2007) highlight the consensus of online marketing firms that agree video is the internet’s gold mine. Grab your pick axe and sifting pan. There’s plenty for everyone!

ABI Research “Nearly a billion consumers worldwide will watch Internet video by 2012, up from roughly 300 million today.”

Pew/Internet “Online video now reaches a mainstream audience; 57% of online adults have used the internet to watch or download video, and 19% do so on a typical day.”

Advertising.com “The majority (62%) of consumers are viewing video online.”

Bill Battino, Communications Sector managing partner, IBM Global Business Services. "Consumers are demonstrating their desire for both wired and wireless access to content… an average of 81 percent of consumers surveyed globally indicated they’ve watched, or want to watch, PC video, and an average of 42 percent indicated they’ve watched, or want to watch, mobile video…"

Online Publishers Association “Watching video online is becoming routine with 5% viewing daily; equaling millions of consumers.”

Lumin Collaborative “Traditional radio is losing its significance in people’s lives. US adults are spending more time each day on the Internet and watching TV than listening to the radio.”

Edison Media Research, Larry Rosin “It is not a stretch to say that the Internet has become just as important as television as an important source of information and entertainment in the lives of Americans."

EMarketer.com "2008 will mark a watershed for Internet video. More than 50 percent of the U.S. population will have watched video online. That percentage should reach more than 61 percent of the U.S. population in 2011, with viewership defined as a person who has watched Web video content at least once a month.”

Video offers luxury real estate professionals the most dynamic form of online marketing. Judging by the forecasts it is only going to get bigger. Presently, some sophisticated buyers and sellers are satisfied with agents marketing virtual tour “fools gold.” It won’t be long until they demand the real thing. Check in with a professional real estate videographer to find out how your can be apart of the internet gold rush. Some of the best professional real estate videographers catering to the high end market include: RealtyVideoUSA, Nashua Video Tours, RealtyImpactMarketing,TurnHere, and OnlineWalkThru (now LuxuryWalkThru)