Marketing your rental property online is the fastest and easiest way to get your listing in front of thousands of potential tenants. However, your listing can quickly get buried by all the other rental property ads, so take the time to create online ads that will really get a renter’s attention.
Write a Catchy Heading
Make your listing stand out from dozens and dozens of others.
When you realize that renters are scanning dozens of headlines for rental properties, you’ll understand that you need to catch their attention and entice them to read further. Examples include the catchy—“It’s Not Complex, Rent Our Duplex,” to the funny—“Do Your Best Celebrity Impersonation and Get Application Fee Waived.”
You can also promote a unique feature of the property in the heading, rather than just list the number of bedrooms. Examples include “Spacious Apartment 4 Blocks from University” or “2-Bed. Apt. with Private Laundry.”
Give Enticing Details
Readers want details of your rental property, not vague descriptions that say nothing.
When you are writing about the rental property in online ads, go beyond a simple advertisement that describes the number of bedrooms and that it is clean. Point out the special features, such as fireplaces or hardwood floors, and give dimensions to the bedrooms.
If the rental is partially furnished, indicate some of the major pieces you are supplying. In the ad, always use proper grammar and avoid abbreviations. Stay away from using too many adjectives—instead, choose a few descriptive ones to highlight the property’s details.
Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Save yourself time on the phone by answering the most common questions right in the ad.
Information like what is included in the rent, how many bathrooms there are, whether the heat is electric or gas, whether you allow pets and so forth can quickly inform readers and help them decide whether to contact you for more information. You’ll also appreciate not having to answer the same questions over and over, letting your online ads do the work for you.
Insert Awesome Photos
Pictures really are worth thousands of descriptive words, so use them to promote your place.
Most online ads and property listing sites allow you to upload photos, sometimes as many as you want. Take photos that will really let prospective renters know what the property looks like and consider the details that will entice them to call you. For example, take a picture of the bedroom with the closet door open so the viewer gets to see both. Take the best photos you can to showcase the property (well lit, clean and clutter-free).
Provide the Full Address
Let potential renters drive by the property before contacting you to save both of you time and effort.
If the prospective tenants drive by and like what they see, they’ll be able to contact you. Those who are not interested will self-screen and never contact you. The address also lets them check out important features around the rental property, such as nearby schools, freeway entrances and so forth.
Double Check Your Contact Information
Your ad should have your contact information on it, such as a phone number or email address.
Look at the info carefully in all your online ads to ensure it is correct before you post the ad. It’s easy for your eyes to skip errors in such familiar information, but a transposed number or misspelled email address can lead to very frustrated potential renters, can cause you to lose promising leads.
Do you think it’s more effective to use catchy, funny ads or stick with the no-nonsense approach? Why? Please share this article and let us know about your online marketing experiences in the comments below.