What makes the perfect online advertisement?

Advertising your property is easy nowadays, with the internet allowing you to create listings that are accessible from all over the world. However, this wide reach means landlords and agents need to make adjustments when advertising to ensure they are targeting people who are interested in their home.
Here are some tips and tricks to create a listing that will be seen, clicked on, and applied for. Don’t become the property that everyone scrolls past.

Quality photos

It doesn’t matter how well the writing is in your advert if there are no high-quality photos to accompany it. High-quality photos give a more honest story about the state of the property and allow people who might be interested to gain a sense of the space. Some tips for taking photos of your property are:

Use a wide-angle lens so that the photos capture the entire space. No one wants to see a close-up of the coffee table in the lounge – even if its tones compliment the wall-paint. Show tenants the space they will have to work with through a wide-angle lens, rather than taking close-ups of how previous tenants have made the home their own.
Take photos on an overcast day. Although sunshine might seem favourable for taking photos, overcast days provide much better natural-lighting. Overcast days ensure there will be no shadows in your photographs. They are also great for avoiding high-exposure which may end in you losing features of your home in the photo due to there being too much light.

For more info on taking photos of your property please see this article:
How to take high-quality listing photos

The title

The title is the first thing prospective tenants will see before viewing your listing. Make sure your title stands out from the rest. Make sure it:

Is easy to read and avoids big words that might put tenants off.
Mentions a feature about your place that shows it is better than other properties around it. E.g. the harbour views, the private garden, the pool, etc.
Uses adjectives that make tenants want to take action. E.g. luxury, private, peaceful.

You usually have around 50 characters so tell the world the one thing that makes your place super special.

Clarity

You’re writing an advertisement, not your life story. Include all the important details, but keep it as short and sweet as you can. An advertisement is just a taster, you don’t need to include huge amounts of text. Chances are, people are just going to skim over it anyway. Information that you do want to include in the ad is:

The house location
The amount of rent per week
How many people can occupy the home
If the property allows or does not allow animals/smokers

You want to weave all of this information into short sentences that also discuss other positive features of the home. E.g. “Located in the heart of Wellington city, this six-bedroom, three-bathroom home is only a short stroll away from three local schools.”

Brief description points

Here are some questions to ask yourself before writing an advert for a home:

How many people can occupy it?
Is it for a fixed term or periodic tenancy?
Is it north facing?
Is it near a school?
How far away is it from the bus stop or train station?
Is it ideal for families?
Does it have amazing views?
Does it come semi-furnished or fully furnished?

Keep it positive but honest

Don’t lie about the state of your property, if it doesn’t have a washing machine than let people know in your listing.
But, while you’re at it, mention that the kitchen has plenty of bench space (only if it actually does). By adding a little dash of positivity here and there, the negative points of the property don’t stick out so much, and people are less likely to linger on them.

Mention any restrictions

If you do not allow tenants with pets, or you do not want any couples – make sure you mention this. This is important to avoid having to turn people away or organise viewings that – in the end – will not work out.

Featured photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash