A property social media video and a portal walkthrough video start from the same footage but serve different purposes. The portal walkthrough is a 2-4 minute detailed tour for a viewer who is actively searching for a commercial property. The social cut is a 30-60 second highlight for a viewer who is scrolling a feed and has not yet decided to look for this type of property. Both are worth producing. They reach different audiences at different stages of the same decision.
How a social cut differs from a walkthrough
A portal walkthrough moves at the pace of a careful viewing: each room holds for a few seconds, the commentary or title cards give context, and the overall edit gives the viewer enough time to assess the space. The format assumes interest — the viewer is already on a portal and has clicked through to a specific listing.
A social cut is edited for a viewer who may stop watching after three seconds. The first frame needs to show something visually interesting. The edit moves faster, cutting between the best angles rather than moving continuously through the space. Music replaces or supplements commentary. The aspect ratio is often vertical (9:16 for Reels and Stories) or square (1:1 for LinkedIn and Facebook feed), rather than the 16:9 widescreen used for portal embeds.
The goal is different too. A portal walkthrough aims to convert a viewer into an enquiry. A social cut aims to create awareness that the property exists — reaching people who follow the agent or developer but are not actively searching portals, and prompting them to share or save the post for later. For commercial property, that audience on LinkedIn includes commercial occupiers, investors, and decision-makers who may not be actively searching Rightmove but are open to the right opportunity.
Platforms and formats for commercial property
LinkedIn is the most relevant platform for commercial property video. The native video feed on LinkedIn performs well for professional content, and the audience includes commercial occupiers, property investors, and business decision-makers. A 45-90 second edit in 16:9 or square format, with clear title cards showing the key specification, works well for office and industrial listings. The Canning O'Neill campaign that used video as part of its marketing contributed to their biggest month ever in terms of impressions — LinkedIn amplification was part of that reach.
Instagram reaches a broader audience and works well for visually distinctive properties: a recently refurbished office with strong natural light, a development with architectural interest, or a listing where the setting or location is striking. Reels (vertical, 15-30 seconds) perform better than standard posts for organic reach. Instagram is more residential in its typical property audience but commercial listings with strong visual appeal can perform well here.
Facebook remains useful for letting agents with established local audiences. Video content on Facebook pages reaches followers directly and can be boosted for relatively low cost. For commercial agents with a local business community following, a short video of a new commercial listing performs better than a static image post.
How social cuts are produced
Social cuts are edited from the same footage as the full-length property video — no additional filming is required. After the shoot day, we produce the full portal walkthrough and the social cuts as separate deliverables. Standard delivery includes a 16:9 portal cut and a square 1:1 social cut. Vertical 9:16 cuts for Reels and Stories can be added — let us know before the shoot if you want vertical-format footage specifically captured rather than cropped from widescreen, as this affects how some angles are framed on the day.
For a full overview of the video formats available in a single commercial shoot and what each one is used for, see our post on different ways to market commercial property using video. For details on what happens on a shoot day and what the edit delivers, see our guide to commercial property videography in Leeds.