Being on social media is no longer optional for real estate businesses. 54 percent of users now browse social media before they buy something. Grabbing their attention with beautiful images helps to boost interest and sales.
But with so many images online, is there an extra way to stand out? Thankfully, there is. 3D images are a great way to grab more likes and follows.
There are two different ways to create 3D images to market a real estate business:
Both of these can be extremely powerful in helping to sell a property. But they have a place in two different parts of the selling process.
We'll look at how to create each of them. Then we'll show you how to use them.
3D photography lets prospective buyers take a virtual tour of a property. It's already popular in academic fields like archaeology, where students can visit faraway locations while staying at home.
Unlike watching a video, the buyer controls the viewpoint within a 360-degree panorama. These virtual tours let the buyer choose what they want to see, so they don't have to spend money or time traveling to see a property.
It also makes it a lot easier to show off a property on social media. Facebook already enables 3D images and 360-degree panoramas. (We'll take a look at both of them below, as they're slightly different.) Either one of them is a great option because they're eye-catching. They grab attention among the sea of static images in any social media feed.
You can create these photos yourself using the camera app on your smartphone. Choose the panorama mode and take an image as instructed. (Some smartphones, like the Huawei P20 Pro, already offer a 3D panorama mode.)
When you upload the image, Facebook turns it into a panorama. Viewers can view all angles by tilting their phone.
Choose the best parts of the property to show off. Has part of the property got unusual design features? Or has it got an amazing view?
Pick the time of day carefully. Photographers have long known the value of shooting during the 'golden hour'. This is the hour leading to sunset and the hour after dawn.
Think about contrast within the images. If everything's the same color, nothing will stand out. So try to put contrasting colors or textures together.
Look at the property as a prospective buyer, not a developer. What would you want to see? Focus on providing images of that.
You'll need powerful software to create these images. They're made using a process called rendering.
They show a 3D version of what the finished property will look like. These images come from CAD drawings of the building. Architects and builders use these drawings during construction.
The advantage of these CG images is you can use them to pre-sell property. Say you're selling apartments in a block that's under construction. These 3D images give prospective buyers a more realistic impression of the building. They can see both the exterior and the interior. Many 3D renders work within photographs, too. So you can show off how the building will fit into a neighborhood.
You can even use CG imagery to 'furnish' an empty property. Software allows you to add 3D rendered furniture to photographs. This is a great way to show prospective buyers or tenants the potential of your portfolio.
Get the highest quality CG images you can. Anything less will look dated and unappealing.
You can also turn photographs of an existing property into a 3D model. Turn this into a GIF or short video to share on social media.
Consider commissioning 3D animations to give a 'walkthrough' of your properties. These videos work well on YouTube or Facebook.
Now you know how to make the two main types of 3D image. How do you get the most out of them on social media?
Post them on Instagram. Show sneak peeks of the images, perhaps as they're being made, on Stories. Then post the full image to your grid. Your Instagram account becomes a visual portfolio. But it also means you can grab attention while a user scrolls through their feed.
Make the most of hashtags for the area the property is in. That will help you reach more users beyond those following you
Add 3D images and videos of 3D models to Facebook. 68 percent of American adults use Facebook so it's not a platform you can ignore.