Tuesday, 05 March 2019 / Published in Featured, Marketing & Branding, Trending

How I Generate 70 Percent of My Business From YouTube

By Karin Carr

Who is Karin Carr and what does she do? Well, I could tell you that I’m a full-time Realtor in Savannah, Georgia. That I’m a proud Air Force wife, self-professed tech nerd, and seafood fanatic. Or, I could embed a video here so that we can make this introduction a little more personal!

Hi, welcome back! Hope you enjoyed the video. There are actually in total 264 videos with over 95,000 views and nearly 2,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel. A little project that took off in 2017 when I moved from Atlanta to Savannah and found myself a solo agent with no market share, no name recognition, and no past clients. I was starting over in a new market. Today, I’m proud to say that 70 percent of my business comes from YouTube, including referrals from other agents. <h4>How I Got Started on YouTube</h4> Things originally took off in Atlanta. I had started creating videos to embed on my blog and quickly realized that a two-minute video was much easier to put together than a 3,000-word blog.  The move to Savannah is where the whole picture really became clear. When I first got here, I poked around to see if anyone else was doing videos. I did a search for “Savannah real estate agents” and “Homes in Savannah” and found that no one was really doing any face-to-camera style videos. And, perhaps more importantly, no one was doing it with consistency. So, of course I did it sporadically. That is until someone told me, “I feel like I know you already,” after watching my YouTube videos. At that point, I was all-in. Here’s what I love about YouTube for real estate agents: You Know What They Say … Smiles Sell! While I’m a self-professed tech nerd, these days, the only requirements are an iPod, a tripod, and some get-up-and-go to get in front of the camera. The upfront investment is minimal. Once you’ve got equipment checked off, all you need is that shining personality of yours. Let’s be real, everyone is nervous about being in front of the camera. In those early days, my videos were cringe-worthy … to me. The truth is, we are harder on ourselves than the public is. No one has ever said, “I almost hired you, but your production quality was lacking.” A YouTube-First Approach … Is That a Strategic Lead Generation Engine? YouTube has its own built-in digital strategy: keyword research, content production, online amplification, lead capture, and lead management. Keyword Research Is Key You (or someone you hire) are going to do a lot of keyword research. You have to make sure you are covering topics that count – literally – in monthly views and potential traffic to your channel. We use <a href="https://keywordseverywhere.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Key Words Everywhere</a>.  We’re looking for low-hanging fruit, 500 searches a month but low competition score. I cover topics like: These are active searches. So I know people are looking for a trusted, local person to educate them, and what better way than video. One response came from a woman whose husband was stationed in South Korea with the United States military. She said, “Your videos were so helpful. Are you busy, and would you have time to work with us?” That’s just one of the many leads I receive directly from my channel. Buyer Intent Is Clear One of the most compelling reasons to continue using YouTube as a lead generation strategy is its ability to capture people at a certain stage in their buying journey. I find most everyone watching has an intent. They didn’t stumble on the video and choose to watch it by accident. <h4>A Few Final Tips on Getting Started</h4> <ul> <li>Do your research, understand your competition –As far as I can tell, very few agents are using YouTube as a consistent method for lead generation. The field is wide open right now for agents who want to consistently share engaging videos that generate awareness, interest, brand affinity, and leads.</li> <li>Keep the equipment simple –No, seriously. A tripod, your phone, and some good lighting are all you need!</li> <li>Get in front of the camera! Be yourself on camera, show your personality – you don’t have to be stiff and formal. I’m a goofball on camera. People always say, “I love that you are lighthearted on camera and that you don’t take yourself too seriously.” I attract people who can appreciate how I weave that into my business and client relationships. Know that you will attract what you put out there – so be yourself. </li> <li>Establish a frequency and stick to it I post my videos every single Monday, like clockwork. It was important to make that clear to my viewers from the beginning – I even say it in my channel’s cover photo. In a year and a half, I’ve only missed one Monday and that was because we were evacuating for a hurricane.</li> <li>Find some inexpensive help – As you get your rhythm, or if you need help right off the bat, there are inexpensive online services available. We use Fiverr. We pick the same person each week for continuity, and $11 later, you have your edited video.</li> </ul> Clearly, I love to share my knowledge and passion for real estate. These days, I’m doing that more and more with real estate agents. In fact, what I love most about Keller Williams is our willingness to share. If you walk away with anything from this post, I hope it’s that you see an opportunity to own a channel that buyers and sellers are tuned into and consider it as an option to drive your business and help more clients.