How To Create Compelling Listings With Dynamic Visual Media

In the evolving and highly competitive property market, there is arguably no task more important than standing out from the crowd. As a landlord, achieving a positive return on your investment is heavily reliant on your ability to attract the right types of buyers or tenants, whether you’re selling or letting your property, respectively.

One of the most effective ways to immediately pique their interest and grab their attention (something hard to do in the predominantly digitally-powered marketplace nowadays) is through the strategic use of visual media.

Intriguing images, professionally curated videos, interactive digital assets, and other forms of dynamic content can be the perfect accompaniments to a digital property listing. A standard, paint-by-numbers listing on a property portal can instead be transformed into a captivating, enriching advertisement for your property. Its best features and unique selling points can be highlighted in ways that bring the prospective buyer or tenant closer to your property, at which point you can set it apart from tens of thousands of other listings in profound ways.

It’s widely and consistently documented how listings with high-quality visuals and professional photographs are more enticing. A recent survey found that 94% of buyers are more inclined to view a property with impressive visuals, while 78% said they’d be dissuaded if visuals were poor. However, there is more to impressive visuals than photos alone, as this guide will document.

Therefore, if you’re considering putting your property on the market, it’s worth bolstering its listing with some quality assets and supporting material to give it that proverbial wow factor. Consider taking the tips outlined in this article for inspiration when giving your next listing some compelling visual media.

The Benefits of Visual Media for Property Listings

Before delving deeper into the types of visual media that can be a valuable asset to a property listing, it’s important to understand what benefits you will be getting out of it. Truly compelling visual media isn’t always curated overnight so it’s worth bearing in mind the time and resources needed. However, when it comes to your property listing, planning and making a few additional key decisions will make the effort incredibly worthwhile.

With the right visual media supporting your listing, you’ll see the following advantages and then some:

1. Increased visibility: Eye-catching visuals are more likely to grab the attention of potential buyers or tenants scrolling through countless and often indistinguishable listings. This increased visibility can lead to more enquiries and potential viewings, either directly through you or your estate agent.
   
   
2. Emotional connection: Professionally shot images and videos allow viewers to envision themselves living in the property, fostering a valuable emotional connection that can be a powerful motivator in the decision-making process.
   
   
3. Competitive edge: In a saturated market where time is of the essence, visually enticing listings give you a competitive advantage over those with minimal or lacklustre visuals. Prospective buyers and tenants are more likely to remember visuals over text, so it pays dividends to ensure yours are as memorable as possible.
   
   
4. Time-saving: High-quality images, videos, and footage provide a comprehensive virtual tour of the property, enabling potential buyers or tenants to save time by only visiting properties that pique their interest. In turn, you are also potentially cutting through the noise more efficiently by only having fervently interested buyers or tenants arranging viewings.
   
   
5. Increased perceived value: Professional visuals convey a sense of higher quality and attention to detail, which can positively influence the perceived value of your property. Provided that the visuals convey the best and most attractive features (both structural and cosmetic) evocatively, you could be encouraging a higher offer price indirectly.

Types of Visual Media to Consider

When it comes to creating compelling listings, a variety of visual assets can be utilised to turn them from an uninspired advert to a compelling and immersive one. Here are some of the most effective options worth considering:

1. Professional photography: High-resolution, well-lit, and expertly composed photographs are essential for showcasing your property’s best features. Consider investing in a professional camera to create film-like visuals and capture stunning images that accurately represent the space. Alternatively, hire a professional photographer to take and edit photos themselves.
   
2. Virtual tours: Interactive tours and viewings allow potential buyers or tenants to explore your property from the comfort of their own homes, minimising logistical problems between you (and/or your estate agent) and the prospect. Fundamentally, virtual home tours provide an immersive experience that can help them envision living in the space.
   
3. Video walkthroughs: A video walkthrough, narrated or not, offers a dynamic and engaging way for viewers to experience the property’s flow and ambience. It can often be a beneficial first step in helping them decide whether a property is worth visiting.
   
4. Drone footage: For larger properties or those with impressive, wide-reaching outdoor spaces, drone footage can provide breathtaking aerial shots that highlight the property’s surroundings and capture its scale.
   
5. 3D floor plans: Interactive 3D floor plans help potential buyers or tenants understand the layout and dimensions of the property. If they will be bringing furniture and large belongings, a 3D render makes it easier for them to imagine how a room might look to them, compared to 2D drawings.

Best Practices for Visual Media Integration

Considering the possible assets you can give your property listings, it begs the question of how you can best utilise them. As is the case for many projects, sometimes quality is better than quantity.

Maximising the impact of your additional visual media for your listings will involve a few key steps.

1. Invest in high-quality equipment: While smartphones can suffice and capture fairly decent visuals, investing in a professional DSLR, with lenses and attachments will ensure you’re capturing images a grade above the rest.

2. Highlight key features: It’s not just about capturing as much of the property as possible, but rather capturing enough of the appealing features (be they renovated kitchens or bathrooms, open space, gardens, and more) to make the property seem more valuable. 40 subpar images are going to be less effective than 6-10 picturesque, quality ones.

3. Optimise for online viewing: Utilising visual media for online (predominantly mobile) viewing is key, which means compressing files, using accessible formats, and ensuring compatibility with several property portals.

4. Take advantage of Landlord Vision’s property management software: Landlords can streamline their portfolio of rented properties by utilising accounting and management software that gives them complete visibility and control over their assets and liabilities. All visual media and reference material can be stored in the Landlord Vision repository for easier access, meaning that all obligations can be met with greater ease. For a closer look, arrange a Landlord Vision demo today.

Embrace the Power of Visual Storytelling

Many marketplaces of today are visually driven, and property is no different. It is also a sector where decisiveness, assertiveness, and timing are all pivotal, and luckily visual media can be a vital component in bridging all of these factors together.

By incorporating professional photographs, virtual tours, immersive videos, and engaging assets, you can quickly and assuredly tell a compelling story about your property that piques the emotional interests of prospective buyers or tenants. In doing so, more of them will be inclined to act efficiently and confidently, meaning you achieve your goals of letting or selling your property in less time and for the right price.

Why settle for uninspiring and templated listings when you can set yours apart from the crowded property marketplace with a few assets that give your property a tremendous boost? The relatively low risk is sure to pay handsome rewards, setting you up for continued property investment success.