Real estate meets web 2.0
Real estate and web tech met last week at the Real Estate Connect conference. The WellcomeMat team was among the attendees.
Co-founder Phil Thomas Di Giulio will present the real estate video startup at Tuesday’s Web2NewYork.
WellcomeMat has been active since 2004. ‘In the pre-YouTube days we were met with much resistance,’ Phil Di Giulio says, ‘but in 2008 it will be different story.
‘Video is going to become a major movement within the real estate industry. It’s a game changer. Video producers across the country are setting up their own production shops shooting real estate and local business videos.’
This month WellcomeMat launched an upgraded site that includes a new video player, social networking features, and the option to consolidate several member channels into a network.
At Real Estate Connect WellcomeMat co-founder Christian Sterner participated in a panel discussion on ‘New Ways to Market Properties Effectively’. A video of the panel will be up later this week.
The leading marketing tool for real estate is not video.
Real estate consumers-Realtors, Buyers and Sellers-have chosen with the dollars: photographic virtual tours-360 photographs combined with stills/slides-and an effective syndication/export program where results can be measured.
Again we have location, location, location: where are these RE video tours aggregating on the web? How are they being syndicated? How is their effectiveness being measured as a marketing tool?
Look carefully at RE videos – they are serving three very narrow niches: building affinity for a location, unique architecture or botique properties and perhaps an occassional dynamic Realtor team or brokerage.
Other problems with RE video: poor visual quality, technology is cost prohibitive and has a learning curve too steep for DIY.
Finally, no RE video company is listed in the NAR Vertical Metrix Marketing Ranking.
With most Realtors not even having a website or understanding the web game, it seems a long stretch to say RE video is going to be a game changer.
Obeoman
http:obeoman.blogspot.com
Obeoman 6:20 pm on January 14, 2008 # |
“The leading marketing tool for real estate is not video.” Hello! Did anyone say it was? I’m quite sure Peter’s post mentioned nothing of the sort.
Oh Obeoman, why must you follow WellcomeMat.com? Are you paid per comment, every copy and paste? I love the tirades but seriously, tracking down every reference to WellcomeMat and real estate video will not change the state of things… Video is here to stay. And why is Obeoman so defensive, so snippy? Yes, we said game changer. Did we mean it’s going to make companies such as yours obsolete? Of course not – you have a thriving business. Again, we are talking about video helping consumers NOT speaking as if we (Obeoman) are THE consumer. I presume we’ll see you the next time there’s some WellcomeMat coverage? Wouldn’t be the same without you.
Phil Thomas Di Giulio 7:14 pm on January 14, 2008 # |
video in 2008 will be great….
see you tonight.
rudy 10:42 am on January 15, 2008 # |
You bet your ass Rudy. Great seeing you in the City man. Thanks very much for having us at the event Web2NewYork!
Christian 12:43 pm on January 15, 2008 # |
Thanks to everyone for coming out and listening to all six of us pitch/present our businesses. It’s truly an honor to participate in these types of events. I meet interesting passionate people every time. Go New York!
For those of you that did not quite get why I (WellcomeMat.com) stood before you and presented in a space suit, here’s a quick video that should clear things up…
Stand out from the competition, USE VIDEO:
http://www.wellcomemat.com/video/4EC2124829
Lastly…
A quick video tour of the Gallery from January Meetup: http://www.wellcomemat.com/video/4515487CE5
Best, Phil
Phil Thomas Di Giulio 2:57 pm on January 16, 2008 # |
Phil,
You can call me Steve!
Engagement and debate are part of the whole process; keeping an eye on the market, your competition and talking about it have become pretty much the same thing in the bloggosphere.
I have always given props to WellcomeMat – they arguably have the right idea with their presentation, content and video viewer.
Video can help, but now only a vary narrow sector of the RE market.
Changing things is pretty much up to the consumer.
Most would probably be agree that it could be hazardous for any business enterprise to assume what the consumer needs in terms of help, or product.
In any open marketplace, consumers vote with their dollars, and they already have.
If you are interested, you can check out Greg Swann at Bloodhound Blog-
“Obeo, baby, where have you been all my life?”
Steve
http://obeoman.blogspot.com
Steven Stearns 6:18 pm on February 2, 2008 # |