Top 10 Tips for Attention-Grabbing Listings

In this fast-paced world of online searches, you have mere seconds to grab the attention of a potential buyer or seller, but you don't have to be a professional writer to get the results you want.

Start with the following tips for crafting your listings and watch the online visibility you receive expand!

1. Spend Time Crafting Your Headline

An attention-grabbing headline is the first introduction to your audience. If they don't like the headline, they won't read further.

But great headlines don't fall from the sky. You need to spend time crafting and testing them to determine which ones work best. Start by writing out five to 10 headlines and testing them.

Once you discover which headlines get you the highest open rate, you can use them as templates to accommodate other properties you are looking to promote. You can use these headlines repeatedly with just a little tweak depending on the property you are selling.

2. Learn from Headlines That Get Results

Learn from what works. Currently, attention-grabbing headlines tend to use a couple of descriptive adjectives to highlight the home or a feature of the property. They also may showcase price and location. They are short, with fewer than 10 words and fewer than 50 characters. And, they may target people's FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

Here are some examples:

• Homes for Sale in ___________ Under ___________
• Waterfront Homes for Sale in ____________
• Lowest Prices for Sale in __________________
• Luxury Homes You Don't Want to Miss!
• Just Came on the Market…Don't Miss Out!
• Enjoy This Resort Lifestyle with Water Views
• Lowest Priced One of a Kind Home in __________
• Gorgeous Residence Selling Below Bank Valuation
• Designer Renovated Home in Outstanding Location
• 2021 Renovated Floor Plan for Working at Home
• Private Couryard with Landscape Views in ________
• Corner Family Home on a Sunny Block
• Smart, Energy-Efficient Designer Home
• Demolish, Re-Build or Rent – This Bargain Could Be Yours!
• Iconic Waterfront Home in High Demand Community

Quick tip – Avoid using all uppercase caps on your headlines. Rather, capitalize the first letter of each word. This includes the copy in the description also. Using all caps in your entire description gives the impression that you are screaming and is off-putting to readers.

3. Stand Out from the Crowd

Review similar homes for sale being advertised in your MLS. You can also check out what the top real estate agents in your area are doing. The idea is to not be identical or blend in. Put your own individual style to it and stand out.

4. Use Photos That Wow

Property photos are an important feature along with the headline and listing copy. The featured first photo is the most important. It is what will draw prospects in to learn more about the home.

Consider using a professional photographer to best showcase the home. Homes that have professional photos taken can sell faster, as photographers take the time to capture the entire room along with lighting that amplifies the features of the home.

You can have the greatest home to sell. If the property photos are not sized correctly, well-lit, or feature only a part of the home, it can put your seller at a huge disadvantaged. Real estate is a visual art, and now more than ever, people are searching online before ever reaching out to you.

5. Describe the Property with Love

Instead of just listing features and amenities, give the property some personality. When possible, ask the seller(s) what they love about the home. This can give you an idea of what to write. Use adjectives to create a feeling and continue with the specifics that make your property stand out. Remember to speak to your target audience as you describe it.

6. And Don't Beat Around the Bush

Although you do want to give the property personality, you don't need to write a fiction novel. Get straight to the point in the first few lines. Keep the important information on top. Then go on to describe the amenities (if any), location and benefits of living there.

7. Write a Longer vs. Shorter Description

When writing the listing features and description, make it a couple of paragraphs long. Show your audience that you care. Especially in a sellers' market, if you want to get the highest price or above market value for your client, write a detailed description which includes the primary features (the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, inside square footage, lot size, extras such as pool, garden, dog park, beach, etc.), recent renovations, unique characteristics such as the material used to construct the home, energy efficient features, views, nearby amenities and of course location. Write about all the positives of the property.

8. Proofread Your Writing

Before pressing the post button, make sure you have proofread every word of the listing. It is so easy to overlook an error, especially when spending so much time looking at your screen. To assist you also, consider using an app on your computer that will automatically suggest grammar changes. There are free ones available. Remember that these are not 100% accurate. Sometimes it's best to take a break and go back to it and review it a few minutes later or print it and read it out loud word-by-word.

9. Share Your Listing on Social Media Platforms, Website and Email

Every time you get a listing or sell a property, it is a great time to promote it on at least three platforms. It's an opportunity to not only market the property, but also market yourself. Use those platforms that you feel most comfortable with using. Create a list of all your clients and people in your database with whom you would like to share the information and share it with them. This is another great way to become known in your market area and have people reach out to you to learn more about services you provide.

10. Measure Your Open Rates

Currently, do you track the open rates of your listings on the various real estate websites, including your own? If you are also sending out the listings via email and social media, it is important to track which sites are getting you the most results. The idea is not to waste time or money on places that do not get you the best results.

Janice Zaltman is a Realtor, LEED AP, marketing coach and writer with more than 20 years of experience in the sales, marketing and media fields.

To view the original article, visit the Form Simplicity blog.