Browsing the archives for the News category

The Growing Demand For Video Content on the Web

Flash Video, News

I found this interesting article while browsing the Internet the other day.  It addresses the growing demand for video content on the web.  I have paraphased the article for this blog post.

The future of the web is video. With websites such as Ifilm, YouTube and Google Video bringing the online community the latest in short films, trailers and music videos, the prevalence and demand for video content is growing by leaps and bounds. However, business on the Internet have a lot to gain from providing video content on their websites as well.

Producing video for a website is different than creating a traditional video because of bandwidth and size limitations on the web. In addition, a 5-minute video clip is at the maximum of the average web user’s attention span making most pre-existing training or corporate videos too long and inappropriate for streaming. Online video content needs to be fresh, interesting, fast-paced, and short – preferably under 3 minutes.

Studies have shown that providing video content on your website increases traffic and helps to sell products and engage customers. Large news websites such as CNN.com, MSNBC.com, and Forbes.com features video news clips. Amazon.com features short films to generate interest. The sky is the limit as far as how any business can use streaming video to educate customers or clients, generate interest in new products, or enhance their online presence.  The popularity of Internet video continues to grow.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davy_Russell

Realty Support

Helpful Tips, News, Technology

We have officially completed our first 6 months of business here in Vancouver.  I would like to thank all of our clients who have supported us and enabled our business to grow. 

Being new to Vancouver, we have tried to promote ourselves by partnering with or cross-promoting other real estate based service providers.  Dara Sklar, founder of Realty Support was one of the first people to contact us and request one of our sample DVD’s.  We were fortunate enough to initially meet her at a Ubertor training session she hosted at the end of April.  Since then, our paths have crossed on numerous occasions as we share mutual clients, including Team Andruff and Graham Kirby.

If you are a real estate agent, Ubertor client and need help keeping your website up-to-date or up-and-running, I would highly recommend Dara.  She’s both knowledgeable and professional.  Ultimately, her service has been designed to free agents from the responsibility of maintaining their own website, allowing them to do what they do best, sell real estate!

Online Real Estate Ad Spending

News, Real-Estate

I recently read a report that was published by Borrell Associates, a firm that provides research and consulting on interactive advertising and marketing.  One of their latest reports addressed online real estate ad spending.  Simply put, real estate buyers have moved online en masse, with approximately 80% using the Internet for home searches.  Buyers are moving from traditional print-based advertising to the convenience of online searching.  Correspondingly, online real estate ad spending is lagging far behind this trend. 

This is an opportunity for progressive-minded real estate agents to surge ahead of their competitors by capitalizing on the real estate industry’s slow reaction to the way in which buyers are using the Internet to “shop” for a home.  I have a word of advice to any real estate professional who believes that having a website is all they need.  The migration from traditional newspapers and magazines to real estate listing services is well under way.  Promote yourself and your listings by using web-based marketing tools.  You will get a greater return on your advertising dollars.

Voiceovers

Helpful Tips, News, Technology

I’ve always been told that multimedia is about engaging all the senses with information.  But when the topic of voiceovers is raised, I’m still undecided which I personally prefer.  Currently we have 2 clients that have experimented with voiceovers.  Zygmunt Riddle (www.riddle-realestate.com) and his wife Kasha Riddle (www.kriddle.com) have been using voiceovers since we started to produce videos for them.  We have hired professional talent to provide the vocals in all their videos.  Graham Kirby (www.grahamkirby.com), on the other hand, has provided his own voiceovers which also include an opening shot of Graham speaking to the camera. 

We are always open to any new ideas and we encourage our clients to experiment with their videos in an attempt to identify what it is that captures the audience.  Here is an example of a professionally produced voiceover:

Kasha Riddle, 76 – 1034 Premier Street

Using Video to Capture a Neighbourhood

Helpful Tips, News

We have recently produced videos for 2 new clients, Alan Vlemmiks and Graham Kirby.  Despite the obvious differences in their 2 listings, both properties share a similar challenge.  Both condos are incredibly unique for different reasons and have incredible potential.  They are also located in 2 of Vancouver’s most interesting neighbourhoods. Both Alan and Graham wanted to prominently feature the respective neighbourhoods, Commercial Drive and English Bay, in their videos.  Our videos are a great way to “tie in” the property to neighbourhood in which it resides.  Written descriptions and even pictures don’t place a home in the context of its immediate surroundings. 

Here are their videos:

Alan Vlemmiks, 1003 – 1833 Frances Street

Graham Kirby, 4 – 1861 Beach Avenue

MLS Website vs. Realtylink

Comments Off on MLS Website vs. Realtylink
News

I have been analysing some web stats from the past month and I was wondering how many local vancouverites use the mls website.  From a users perspective, the servers are slow, and often doesn’t load properly.  On the other hand, the realtylink website is much faster, incorporates larger pictures and has a few very useful tools for people searching for homes in the Vancouver area.  The Open House listing is a great tool for buyers, offering a centralized location where I can find Open Houses in my area. 

Currently, our website is getting lots of hits from overseas, notably Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan, China, The European Union, South Korea and Great Britain.  The actual list of countries that have visited our site is truly astounding.  So my question then (since we are somewhat new to Vancouver), does the general public know about RealtyLink?  or do most of them labour through the slowness of MLS.ca?

Pomaria Progress Report

News, Real-Estate

We were recently approached by David Hutchinson to put together a progress report for Pomaria, a 30 storey condo development in False Creek that is currently in its construction phase.  We were fortunate enough to be able to gain full access to the construction site and shoot some great footage.  They are still building skyward but on the lower levels, they are just starting some finishing work.  We put together a blog-style website that allows for frequent updates.  Here is the link:

pomaria blog