Should you watermark your drone real estate video?

This question pops up in online forums everywhere. A watermark is a logo or text superimposed on an image or a video. Its goal is to help prevent the image or video from being copied or allow others to know where it was copied from and who owns the rights.

If you’re producing real estate videos as a business, a watermark can give you some degree of copyright protection. I’m saying “some degree” because let’s face it, most intermediate level video editors will be able to remove them without difficulty. In my opinion, the main benefit of a video watermark is to advertise your business. It is definitely the main benefit for agents creating their own videos.

I personally don’t use watermarks for my videos. In my opinion, they decrease the apparent value of the product and distract from the message I’m trying to convey. I think watermarked videos look cheap.

Make sure you understand the copyright protection in contracts you’re signing (if they have their own contracts). Many agents won’t allow watermarks on videos they purchase, so that would settle the debate. It’s not a point worth negotiating over.

My Preferred Solution

A better option, in my opinion, is to add your logo at the end of the video. It gives you visibility, is not annoying and is usually an easy compromise to get from your clients. It would also be reasonable to add your watermark to your first proof and remove it when you deliver the final version, but I don’t bother.