RE/MAX rolls out new DIY video capability for agents

RE/MAX rolled out Monday a new tool for agents that creates customized video content on the spot. Though the real estate company is calling it an industry-first, the tool is the latest entry in an expanding group of technologies that are making video creation at scale easier for marketers.

The video feature was created in partnership with video rendering vendor Imposium.

How does it work?

To create a customized video to send to a client, agents visit the Remax Hustle portal and add personal details, upload a headshot and choose three pre-made clips that illustrate features or benefits, such as a 3D home tour. Then, they choose music. In less than a minute, they’ve created a :15 spot that can be immediately shared via email or uploaded directly to Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.

The clips are part of an overall update to RE/MAX’s “The Sign of a RE/MAX Agent” ad campaign, which also launched on Monday.

“Our agents are productive and we want to make sure they have marketing materials at their fingertips,” Abby Lee, RE/MAX SVP of marketing and communications said. “With this tool, they don’t have to re-invent the wheel. We want to make it as simple as possible for agents to stay in touch with their customers and take the burden of marketing off their plates.”

Frame from sample video | RE/MAX

There are more than 5,000 possible combinations marketers can make from the provided assets.

Lee said that she expects the technology to be used mostly for social media posts at first, but said that “digital-savvy agents might create TV spots.”

Why you should care

More than 80 percent of businesses use video as a marketing tool, according to Hubspot’s State of Video Marketing 2018. But in an environment where marketers are already struggling to keep up with the demands of personalization, easy-to-use self-service video tools can be a lifesaver.

Nathan Labenz, CEO of self-service video creation Waymark, says that its self-service platform gives marketers a way to produce a professional looking video using already-created spots that can be customized on the fly.

“[Marketers] need a technology partner that can help scale video for the path from 40,000 to a million cable TV advertisers,” Lebenz said. “We’re giving them a private space where all the content is TV-ready and where they can easily watch, find something that they like and then customize it to their particular needs to get on TV faster and easier and with a more affordable entry point than ever before.”

To use the Waymark service, marketers can either subscribe or purchase videos separately; a quick glance through Waymark’s inventory showed most videos at a price point of under $100.

Many other platforms and apps also provide templated videos and customization tools that marketers can use, including Hubspot, which offers a free video production kit, and video app Triller, which uses artificial intelligence to help social media influencers create music videos.

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech Today. Staff authors are listed here.

About The Author

Robin Kurzer

Robin Kurzer started her career as a daily newspaper reporter in Milford, Connecticut. She then made her mark on the advertising and marketing world in Chicago at agencies such as Tribal DDB and Razorfish, creating award-winning work for many major brands. For the past seven years, she’s worked as a freelance writer and communications professional across a variety of business sectors.