Videos & Virtual Tours on Zillow

Here is a quick description and summary of the current video and virtual options, and more importantly, how syndication sites are handling them. Property Video – vs – Virtual Tour – vs – Virtual Showing – vs- Virtual Open House.  After much investigation, Zillow / R.com are not yet prepared to accept video links from our MLS datafeed.  Zillow does accept virtual tours – and helps you create them, if needed.

Property Video = Prerecorded. Push play and it runs: 

If your listing has a video walkthrough, you can add it to FlexMLS.  Additionally, must be manually uploaded through the Zillow App, it can’t be uploaded directly from the MLS yet.  You can use their video walkthrough upload feature to add videos to their listing. https://www.zillow.com/z/video-upload and here is the FAQ for questions. https://www.zillow.com/z/video-upload/faqs/. Here is the instructions for uploading to REALTOR.com. Don’t forget, this high value content is GREAT for social media shares and your own website, as well as sharing inside the MLS so that brokers can share direct with their clients.  Increases the value of a REALTOR!

Virtual Tours: Allows the user to stroll through the house and “look” up/down/sideways through different rooms:

Alternatively, virtual tours (think Matterport or Apex) are included in the MLS datafeed to Zillow (for those that opt to syndicate).  They can be found under “Facts and Features” on Zillow.  We have asked and they assured us their programmers are working to move these to a more prominent location.  Those that pay Zillow for services may want to talk to your sales rep to get this moving.  You should also note that Zillow 3D Home App for those struggling to make Virtual Tours as well.  This type of tour is very popular with buyers and is great content for your own marketing efforts and for cooperating brokers to help their buyer clients “narrow the field” of homes they want to see in person.

Virtual Showing:  Allows you to facetime/stream a “live” private showing for buyers.

You can offer this as a service, but it is not currently something you market via the MLS.  Should you accept Virtual showing appointments, it is important you have clarified your agency relationships before and they know and understand who you are representing.  If you are a buyer’s agent, you should clarify for the seller’s agent that the showing will be virtual and you should have the ability to walk through the home hands free and focus on features the buyers wish to see in more detail.  Please remember to save the material client conversations about offers and interest until after you leave the home.

Virtual Open House: Allows you to Facebook/Zoom/GoToMeeting, etc… a “live” public showing for unknown buyers / prospective buyers.

Agents can schedule time to “live” tour a home you have listed online, that can be viewed by anyone without restriction.  These recordings can be saved later as a property video, if desired. These Virtual Open Houses get the most traction from Facebook where your network is notified that you are “live”.  FlexMLS has also built in feature to promote these open houses just like in-person viewings.  Click here for all of the details.