Writing a Rental Ad: 10 Mistakes to Avoid

It is quite hard to face the fact that your rental property has recently become vacant, and you again have to go through the hassle of advertising it. Indeed, advertising a property can be a daunting task. That said, tenants come and go, and putting out ads for your recently vacant property is a part of the whole rental business. Having an informative, visually appealing, and accurate rental ad can increase your chances of attracting interested tenants. Unfortunately, there are certain mistakes that owners make while advertising their property.

1) A boring headline

To begin with, the advertisement must contain a short yet catchy headline that uniquely describes your property and makes it stand out from the crowd. It is the first thing that a potential tenant notices. Your ad gets more views when it has an interesting headline.

2) Insufficient information

When writing a rental ad, one should always make sure to include all the necessary details of the property in the advertisement. Whether it is about the furnishings or appliances the property has – each and every detail, however small, will make your ad more informative and eye-catching.

3) Targeting a very specific audience

Focusing on the physical characteristics of tenants or picking them on the basis of their family status would not get you a good tenant at all. Stereotypes and discriminatory behavior are a clear red flag for many and will not do you any favors as the owner of the property.

4) One source of advertising

Trends among renters change very often. Just because you found your last tenant through a certain app does not mean you will be successful in finding your next one at the same place. Relying on one specific application or medium to find tenants can make you miss out on several good options. Hence, advertise wherever you find a good opportunity to.

5) Outdated content

Using the same old, boring way of writing the rental advertisement for your property may not attract many customers. Moreover, details in the listing should be updated from time to time. Make sure to include high-quality content for the ad to reach maximum people.

6) Ignoring feedback

Customer reviews on the listing are very important. Whether the feedback you get is positive or negative, both opinions should be considered valuable. Ignoring users’ feedback can have a negative effect on prospective tenants. For the same reason, it is advised to address the reviews, however negative they may be, and try mitigating the situation. You can always ask for tips to improve your service from customers who give negative reviews under your listing. Also, you can ask them to contact you for detailed feedback, which will help you in crafting the ad as per users’ requirements.

7) Not using social media

Nothing compares to the reach that social media provides. With billions of people using social media applications, it serves as the perfect platform to advertise your rental ad on. You can connect with thousands of interested customers in a hassle-free way if you simply utilize the advancements of social media. Most people, especially the younger generation, rely heavily on social media apps for everything. They prefer house hunting on social media platforms too. So, listing your ad on Facebook and Instagram among other social media channels can make your ad reach a much wider audience. 

8) Not using proper vocabulary

To resonate with the target audience, one needs to use the right words in their advertisement. You can use specific keywords or USPs of your property to appear higher in search results. When you use the proper vocabulary, it helps the target audience to understand what you are advertising better. Stay away from ignorant, crude language, slang terms, or potentially offensive vocabulary so that your ad looks trustworthy and professional.

9) No pictures/Poor quality pictures

An advertisement with no pictures attached is good for nothing. No potential tenant would want to approach the owner of any blank rental advertisement for any queries. Apart from it being an incomplete ad, it also shows one’s unprofessionalism and lack of effort. Having clear, abundant, detailed, and high-resolution property pictures attracts customers and provides them with the convenience to see the flat without actually visiting it. 

10) Using abbreviations

You should avoid using abbreviations in your advertisement. Not only does it come across as informal, but also makes your ad difficult for a lot of people to understand. Poor rental descriptions can result in people skipping your ads and moving onto the ones that articulate the content in an easy-to-understand manner. 

It is nothing short of a harrowing task to properly advertise a property. It can become all the more difficult if you do not know how to go about it. However, if you look out for these mistakes and follow our tips, your renting business will change for good, and you will get a plethora of responses from interested tenants who will be eager to finalize the deal in no time!

Author’s bio. Jessica Fender is a professional marketer and a content writer. If you ever wondered, “I wish someone would write my essay for me”, she is one of those professional academic level writers that will save you time and your degree. She enjoys the beach, martial arts, and literature.