One’s success as a property owner begins with an ability to effectively market the property in a way that attracts and retains quality tenants.
Most digital marketplace consumers scroll through several dozen real estate listings in minutes.
So, each listing has but a fleeting moment to grab the attention of a potentially interested party– before they scroll on to what the competition is offering.
Consider the following suggestions to help ensure your real estate listing gets the notice it deserves
1. Real Estate Listings Must Be Appealing & Engaging.
With only seconds to catch a potential renter’s attention, it is vital to remember the adage – you only get one chance to make a first impression.
Catchy, unique titles with a short property description should emphasize relevant and essential benefits/features, subtly acting as the incentive for potential tenants to click through to the webpage.
The listing’s primary objective is to present a story about the apartment, weaving meaningful facts about the property’s benefits.
Highlight the property (i.e., # of bedrooms, baths, etc.) and neighborhood amenities using descriptive, easy-to-understand language.
The real estate listing should be free of grammatical mistakes and create a sense of urgency to encourage consumers to act in the moment.
2. Use High-Quality Photos & Videography.
The visual representation within a real estate advertisement is an essential aspect that cannot be neglected.
Certain studies (and logic) indicate that listings without pictures (or those that only include a limited number of photos) often pass by potential clients.
Photos should highlight the home’s features. Each shot should be taken from a different angle or perspective.
Doing your own photography?
- Shoot your pictures in landscape, not portrait mode. Use a wide-angle lens to take a single shot of each room.
- Don’t use blurry pictures. Most people will either wonder what you are hiding or why you left a blurry image on the listing.
- Try to take pictures on a bright sunny day. Open the blinds/shades, so natural light fills the room.
- Ensure the pictures are high resolution. If your photos are too small, they become pixelated (or a visual mess) online. This is counterproductive to your efforts.
While photo-shopping can improve a picture that creates a more appealing listing, be sure the edited photograph is an accurate representation of the apartment.
Note that for some, professional pictures may make a considerable difference; plus, you can use them more than once.
3. Take the Time to Show the Property in its Best Light.
Because the pictures included in the real estate listing are crucial to your marketing success, the photographs should represent the property in the best possible way.
Consider these proven strategies –
- The apartment must be “spic-n-span” clean. Hire a professional to ensure it is done right.
- If the unit is currently occupied, make sure it is de-cluttered, so potential tenants are not distracted. If the unit is vacant, consider staging a room to help others envision themselves living there.
- Complete repairs and minor renovations, like painting each room with a neutral color. A dated apartment is a turnoff to most apartment seekers.
- Represent the property using natural light.
4. Diversify Marketing Efforts With Digital & Traditional Off-line Techniques.
No one can doubt or argue that digital marketing is one of the fundamental modes of advertising and communication in the modern business and real estate worlds.
A September 2022 statistical report notes –
- Eight of ten active real estate agents use videos and drone photography. 20% of all drone photography is dedicated to real estate matters.
- Listings that use drone photography in their marketing efforts sell, on average, 68% faster than those that do not.
However, there are still traditional marketing tools (print, billboards, bandit signs, etc.) that effectively supplement digital marketing efforts. Don’t discount these alternative methods.
5. Time Your Listing to Maximize Exposure.
Many studies reveal interesting results about how and when to time a listing. Homes and apartments that are listed on a Thursday afternoon offer the fastest results.
If you intend to make any changes to an existing apartment listing (like a drop in price), it is best to make the change on a Thursday.
On a larger, more macro timing scale, the peak season for rentals (and usually sales) are the spring and summer months.
6. Set a Fair & Reasonable Market Price for the Property.
The price for the listing is among the most significant aspects.
An appropriately priced real estate listing will attract immediate attention.
When determining the price for the listing, do your due diligence by researching the neighborhood and market.
Set a fair price that is not clouded by emotion.
7. To Improve Internet Search Rankings, Use Proven SEO Practices.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a fancy term for using the correct wording/language to ensure the real estate listing appears near, or hopefully at the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Incorporating SEO keyword phrases related to the specific unit – which also may be known as Adwords, targets the listing to those individuals searching for apartments.
To capture a defined audience’s attention (and ensure traffic is diverted to your listing), it is essential to include SEO keywords peppered throughout the narrative.
Take the time to find which phrases/keywords are used by internet searchers for listings like yours.
Other articles you may also like: