WellcomeMat - The Killer App for Real Estate Video
I’ve written before on how how to use video to sell your house. I’ve written about using Youtube to host a virtual tour. Heck, I’ve even written about all the video hosting alternatives to Youtube.
But until now there really hasn’t been an easy to use solution for Realtors looking to use video to help sell their properties. But now there’s WellcomeMat, which rolled out a total redesign of their site today.
WellcomeMat first hit my radar screen after I met one of the founders at a cafe in SoHo prior to the Inman Connect conference in New York last month. Phil sat me down over coffee and showed me an early version of the site and how easy it was to use their product.
I was sold right away.
The basic premise behind WellcomeMat is they want to create an easy way for Realtors to market their properties online using video. They’ve succeeded and done it in a couple of different ways.
First off, unlike Brad Inman’s TurnHere, which provides full-service video production services (of which I’m a big fan BTW), WellcomeMat doesn’t want to produce your videos for you.
Rather, they provide a marketplace to help connect Realtors and video professionals. Video pros can create a profile page on WellcomeMat that showcases their work; Realtors can go to the Videographer Directory and find a videographer they like, one that’s close to home. You choose the pros, post the nature of the job you’d like shot and get a quote from each. It’s that simple. A user rating system ensures the integrity of the marketplace.
WellcomeMat does not currently charge anything for this service.
Secondly, whether your video is professionally shot and edited or it’s something you’ve shot yourself and cobbled together in iMovie, WellcomeMat can host it and stream it for you. Their relationship with Limelight Networks means they have the horsepower to do this and ensure the video quality remains top notch (my 2mb test video uploaded in less than 10 seconds - pretty impressive stuff).
In my opinion, this is where WellcomeMat really shines. The quality of WellcomeMat’s video far surpasses that of Youtube and Google Video. Their upload process is easy and their patented video player is second to none. The ability to add tabbed chapter markers to the video file makes is a visually compelling way to highlight the selling features of a property.
It’s this one-two punch that I think makes this company’s strategy a winner. WellcomeMat’s founders both come from film production backgrounds and are passionate believers in the power of online video (check out their blog for more insight). Furthermore, they are truly committed to helping Realtors get the best out of video and go to great lengths to do so.
They won kudos from many real estate bloggers at the Connect Conference for jumping in and hosting videos (see WellcomeMat to the Rescue at sellsius° real estate blog) and several other bloggers have subsequently dabbled in creating their own videos (see “Bamboo is the New Granite� at 3 Oceans).
Finally, check out Doug Heddings from True Gotham in his WellcomeMat video (embedded below). Now that’s a great example on how to show a home online!
The site is currently free during its Beta period. WellcomeMat has not yet disclosed its pricing model for the service.
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10 Comment(s)
15 Trackback(s)
- From Der Makler | Dec 31, 1969
- From Real Estate Video - Wellcomemat Blog » Blog Archive » Recent Activity at WellcomeMat | Feb 11, 2007
- From Turnhere Takes a CAR Ride | Feb 21, 2007
- From Videomaker Forums :: View topic - Video Pros Wanted! Make money and showcase your work. | Feb 23, 2007
- From Video Pros Wanted - Digital Video Pros Meetups | Feb 24, 2007
- From Behind the Scenes On a Video Shoot | Feb 26, 2007
- From Ubertor Real Estate Blog | Mar 9, 2007
- From WellcomeMat - Real Estate Video Tours | Mar 13, 2007
- From WellcomeMat - The Killer App for Real Estate Video [Copywriting Etc @ Ectio.us] | Mar 24, 2007
- From Looking to use video to help sell your properties? - Real Estate Agent Meetups | Mar 26, 2007
- From Marketing Real Estate On The Tube… And I Don’t Mean Youtube | Future of Real Estate Marketing | Apr 3, 2007
- From OPTIMUM WORLD | Apr 27, 2007
- From Phil Thomas Di Giulio - NY Real Estate & Technology Meetup (New York, NY) - Meetup.com | May 15, 2007
- From i-joomla.com - Real Estate Video is Here to Stay, Video Podcasting Maybe | Jul 5, 2007
- From GeekEstate Blog - Real Estate Technology News and Analysis for Vendors and Real Estate Professionals | Founded by Zillow | Sep 20, 2007
Kevin | Feb 9, 2007 | Reply
Doug did a great job here!
john harper | Feb 10, 2007 | Reply
Joel - thanks. Pat Kitano over at transparentRE.com has been pitching me on WellcomeMat but I hadn’t followed through yet. Guess it’s time to get with it.
Incredible Agent | Feb 10, 2007 | Reply
I love this service…I just wonder when agents are going to start using this. How long will it take for agents to adopt video listings?
Drew M from Zillow.com | Feb 10, 2007 | Reply
I love this video listing by Douglas Heddings — very impressive. There is real value to the end consumer in being able to see the property prior to visiting in person.
P.Digiulio | Feb 11, 2007 | Reply
Bravo! Very impressive site.
Laura Kaan | Feb 12, 2007 | Reply
Very impressive. I haven’t seen many video listing yet, something it’s something that I want start using.
Jeffrey Simonds | Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
Yes, real estate marketing via video will be the norm in a few short years.
I recently heard of another video real estate marketing startup at Buyontv.com that reportedly consists of two seasoned entrepreneurs with extensive startup, IPO and industry related backgrounds in this field, and that both previously held CEO positions in an internet real estate marketing startup they took public (NASDAQ) back in 2000.
They are working on a very promising model (in stealth mode) that confronts the concern of the increasing disintermediation of the real estate brokerage industry. Their model is centered around a hybrid version of the increasingly popular For Sale By Owner model, that involves selling agents as much as it omits the need for a listing agent, using a computer telephony and video-based marketing service transmitted via TV, Internet and video-enabled mobile devices. I also heard that their model has at least two viral marketing methods that operate simultaneously to complement each other to create enormous marketing synergies. I think the company is based in Nevada. That’s all I know other than they are seeking to raise the final amounts of capital needed to launch.
Bill | Apr 7, 2007 | Reply
Is there anyone that has some success stories using video to sell a home?
Bill
http://www.makenawailea.com
Phil Thomas Di Giulio | Apr 12, 2007 | Reply
Bill, That’s a great question. Kind of useless unless you sell the home right? Well yes and no. Video is simply another tool used to sell/rent a property. It can help is so many different ways but it’s not going cut you a check. That said, there are many intangibles video can provide aside from helping with the sale. Doug Heddings (True Gotham.com) is using video in New York to sell apartments. Is video selling the apartments? Time will tell. One thing’s for sure, it’s certainly helping him land new clients AND stand out from the crowd. With a housing market full of inventory, that’s just what’s it’s all about.
Tyson Harper of Hot Homes of Utah | Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
Awesome article. I just found your blog and am loving it. We have been using video marketing for new homes and are having a lot of fun. We have found that using iTunes and metacafe for distribution to be some of the top sources once you have created content. We get more views at a fraction of the cost of our TV Show. Thanks for the article.
-Tyson
hothomesofutah.com