No matter whether you are a real estate agent advertising a home on the Internet or you are a home owner looking to sell your property yourself this information is for you. I own a company called PropertyNut.com. We are an online property listing and advertising company. Of course I want you to use our company, but the more important message I want to deliver is how to properly advertise a home online no matter whether you use our service or not.
There are many places to advertise a home online. Our website is just one of literally hundreds. But not matter where you advertise you still need to know the basics. That is what this article is about – the basics of creating a home listing ad for the Internet. We’ll cover steps as simple as writing a description to something as confusing as browsing and uploading photos.
Create a Catchy Title
This may sound silly, but you should really give some thought to the title of your Ad. The title is the key to catching a potential buyer’s interest. One of the primary ways your Ad gets found by people searching online is by the title.
When people search for homes they are going to search for amenities of a home that they want. For example, they may search for “Home in Scottsdale, Granite Counters, Travertine Floors.” Incidentally, this would make an ideal title for a property ad. It is not too long, and has a few of the amenities highlighted in the title. Another thing to put in your title is the subdivision or neighborhood if you are selling a home in a very desirable.
The key in putting together your title is to phrase it in such a way that someone is going to search. When thinking about your title, put yourself in the shoes of a home buyer searching online. Are you going to type in “find nice and cozy home in my city”? No, you’re not. What you might type in is “Home with Fire Place, Family Room, on Quiet Street in My City”. This type of title answers what the buyer is looking for in a home – ie a nice and cozy home while having the words that they are going to search with.
All too often as I look around the Internet at not only my competitors, but with Ads within PropertyNut.com I see ads that have titles that read “nice and cozy” or “warm and cute” etc. These Ads aren’t found in searches and limit the success of the online marketing efforts of the seller. Here’s my tips for your title - keep it simple and mention a couple key benefits – characteristics of the home – and don’t get cute.
Write an Appealing Description
The idea here is not the more the merrier. Again, this is an area where you really want to make mention of every possible advantage of the home. The specifics of the home like number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and AC – Heating are going to be listed in the “Features” section of the Ad. So don’t waste time writing about this information in your description. Use the description to cover everything else you want to say about the home that isn’t in the “Features” section.
Again for the description you want to give thought to what a home buyer is going to search for. My biggest point here is that metaphors and individual opinions about the home should be kept out. Refrain from using adjectives such as “cute, cozy, charming, elegant, warm, inviting,” etc. They won’t be picked up in keyword searches and sometimes can actually turn certain buyers off.
I’m not trying to offend anyone here. I am trying to help you sell your home as quickly as possible. I know that you may think your home is “cute”, but personally, I would never buy a home that someone calls “cute.” If I am spending that kind of money on something, I don’t want to hear someone say its “cute” or “cozy.” However, there are reasons why the home is cute, such as specialty “handmade wood carved cabinets in the kitchen.” This information you definitely want to list.
Look Around At Other Ads
This last suggestion will give you a sense of what works and what doesn’t. Take a look at other home Ads out there, including PropertyNut.com. As you look at them, ask yourself these questions: “Would I be looking for what is listed in their title or description? Is this Ad written for me, or for what the seller thinks about their home?” If you keep in mind you are writing the Ad to match what someone is searching for on the Internet your results should be much better.
Hopefully I have pointed you in the right direction of writing a successful Ad that helps you sell your home quicker. Good Luck and by all means list your house on PropertyNut.com.
Article by Dan Blew. Dan owns and operates PropertyNut.com. PropertyNut.com is an online listing service for real estate. This Article is designed to be of general interest and should not be considered legal advice. The specific information discussed may not apply to you. Before acting on any matter contained herein, you should consult with your personal legal adviser.
