Not Every Listing Needs Everything: How to Choose the Right Media for the Property

One of the questions I get asked all the time is, “What do you think I need for this listing?”

And my answer isn't always the same.

Not every listing needs drone photos, a 3D tour, video, virtual staging and every other marketing option available. In fact, I don't think that's the best way to approach listing marketing. Instead of starting with a list of services, I think it's better to start with the property and ask one simple question:

What does a buyer need to see, understand or experience about this particular property?

That's where I would start.

Start With Great Photography

Great listing marketing starts with strong photography—the foundation for showing buyers a property at its best.

Professional photography is the foundation. No matter what else you add, buyers need a strong first look at the property. But after photography, I think the rest of the media should earn its place.

What does it add to the story, and what does it help a buyer understand that the photos don't?

That's when we start looking at the property itself.

What Can't Buyers Understand From the Photos?

ome properties can't be fully understood from the ground. Aerial photography shows how the home, land, outbuildings and surrounding features all connect.

Imagine you're listing a home on several acres. Beautiful interior and exterior photos may show the house perfectly, but they don't necessarily show how the house sits on the property. Where are the outbuildings? How much open space is there? Is the home tucked back from the road? What surrounds it?

That's where aerial photography can completely change a buyer's understanding of the property.

The same thing happens inside a home. Sometimes you can photograph every room beautifully and still have a buyer wondering where one room is in relation to another, how an addition connects to the original house, or whether that first-floor bedroom is really separate from the main living area. That's when a floor plan or 3D tour becomes especially valuable.

So rather than simply asking, “Should I add aerials or a 3D tour?”, ask whether there's something important about the property that buyers aren't going to understand from the photos.

If the answer is yes, that's probably where your next marketing dollar should go.

Is This a Property Buyers Need to Experience?

Some properties are about more than the rooms themselves. Unique architecture, character and design can make the experience of a home part of its story.

Some homes are less about understanding the layout and more about capturing a feeling. Maybe it's a luxury property with beautiful finishes, a historic home with incredible character, a waterfront property, a mountain retreat or a home with an outdoor living area that makes you want to stay awhile.

That's when video can become particularly powerful. Photos allow buyers to stop and study individual spaces, while video does something different—it connects those spaces and gives buyers a sense of movement, atmosphere and experience.

That doesn't mean every house needs a cinematic video.

But when the experience of the property is one of its selling points, video deserves consideration.

Think About What Makes This Property Different

Here's another question I like to ask: If you had 30 seconds to tell a buyer why they should look at this house instead of the other homes in their search, what would you tell them?

The answer can help determine the media you choose. If it's the acreage, aerial photography may be important. If it's the layout, a floor plan or 3D tour may be important. If it's the lifestyle, video may help tell that story. If the home is vacant and buyers may struggle to understand how a room could be used, virtual staging might make sense.

And if it's a visually interesting property that's going to be heavily promoted on social media, vertical video may deserve a place in the marketing plan.

Instead of starting with a list of products, start with the property's story.

Then choose the media that helps you tell it.

Consider Where You're Going to Market the Listing

The MLS is important, but it's no longer the only place your listing is going to be seen. Your marketing may also include Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, email, a property website and other digital channels, and that matters when you're deciding what to create.

If you know you're going to make social media a significant part of your launch, having content specifically created for that format can make your job much easier. If you're trying to reach an out-of-area buyer who may not be able to tour the home immediately, a 3D tour, detailed floor plan or video can give them much more information before they ever schedule a showing.

Think about both the property and where buyers are going to encounter it.

Sometimes Photos Really Are Enough

This may sound strange coming from a company that offers aerial photography, video, 3D tours, floor plans, virtual staging and a long list of other services, but sometimes you really don't need all of it. There are plenty of listings where professional photography and a good floor plan give buyers exactly what they need.

And that's okay.

Adding more media just because it's available doesn't necessarily make the marketing better. I'd rather see an agent spend strategically on the things that help tell the property's story than check every box simply because the option exists.

The goal isn't to create the biggest marketing package. The goal is to create the right one.

What Does That Look Like in the Real World?

The right media isn't about showing more—it's about showing what matters. Here, the pond, home and barn together tell the story of the property.

Let's say you're listing a fairly straightforward three-bedroom home in a neighborhood. It has a traditional layout, a normal-sized lot and no unusual features that are difficult to explain. I'd probably start with professional photography and a floor plan.

Now take a similar-sized home sitting on eight acres with a detached garage, barn, creek and wooded area. Suddenly aerial photography becomes much more important.

Depending on the property, a site plan or property overview may also help buyers understand what they're looking at.

Or maybe you're listing a beautifully renovated historic home filled with architectural details. That's a property where video might add something completely different. Instead of simply documenting the rooms, you can create a sense of what it feels like to walk through the home.

Different properties. Different stories. Different marketing.

So, What Do I Need for This Listing?

When a client asks me that question, I'm happy to help. Tell me about the house. What's special about it? Is there anything unusual about the layout? How much land does it have? Is it vacant? Are there features that aren't going to translate easily in photos? How are you planning to market it?

Those answers usually make the decision much easier.

You don't have to order everything. You just need the right combination of media to help buyers see the property, understand it and want to experience it in person.

And if you're not sure what that combination is, ask us.

We see a lot of houses. We're always happy to help you figure it out.