Visibility and exposure are essential goals for any marketing plan. As you list and advertise your home for rent, it’s important to think about who will be seeing the listing and what they’re likely to do as they scroll through your photos and description. Will they immediately contact you to schedule a showing? Will they bookmark your property or save it as a favorite and go back to it later? Or, will they continue on to the next property they see?
To be effective with your rental property marketing plan, you need to elevate your visibility and think beyond a single listing that you throw across several rental platforms.
You have to be more strategic.
A good marketing plan will reduce your vacancy loss and result in more qualified residents. Here’s what we recommend when you’re ready to unleash the marketing potential that exists in today’s market.
Visuals: Invest in Good Photography and Video
No one is looking at listings that don’t include photos. It’s simply impossible to get an idea of what the home looks like. Most prospective residents are checking rental platforms and social media sites from their phones. It’s easier for them to click on photos and watch videos than it is to scroll through several paragraphs of descriptive text.
You want to invest in good photography. Hiring a professional photographer is a great idea. You’ll have a set of high-quality photos that you can use every time you list the home, and you’ll really stand out in a crowded marketplace of listings that include low-quality pictures taken in a hurry from someone’s camera phone.
If a professional photographer is not in your budget, make sure you take great photos on your own. Use natural light when you can, and don’t be afraid to employ the flash on your camera in order to brighten up your shots of the space. Pay attention to angles. You want to make the rooms look spacious and open. Keep personal items and clutter out of the shots and make sure you take a lot of photos. Upload as many as you can with your listing.
Video is helpful in driving up exposure and visibility, too. When a potential resident can watch a video, they can get an easy idea of how the rooms in your property flow, and whether the space would work for them and their furniture. Either they’ll schedule a showing quickly or they’ll realize that the space is not for them, saving you some time.
Social Media for Rental Property Marketing
When people pick up their phones, they’re almost always checking one social media site or another. This is where things are happening; Facebook and Twitter (X?) and Instagram and TikTok. It’s taking up a lot of time and attention, and it’s a great way to reach residents.
Social media can be more powerful than popular online rental sites because there’s opportunity for sharing and engagement. When you post a rental property listing on Instagram or Facebook, people can comment on how great the yard look or ask about the appliances in the kitchen. You can respond and provide additional information. Interested visitors can ask questions about square footage and whether you allow pets. Friends and contacts can like the post, share it, tag friends of theirs who may be looking for a new rental home.
You need to establish your own presence on the major social media platforms, and you need to be mindful of your purpose for being there. If you already do a lot of personal posting, maybe set up a separate business page for your rental property listings.
Make sure you know the best way to use each platform, too. On Facebook Marketplace, for example, there’s a specific way to post rental listings. You can use Instagram to go live and walk through the property with prospective residents watching. On TikTok, you’ll want to make a clever video.
Incentivize Referrals to Your Rental Property
Do you know people who know people?
Word of mouth isn’t as trendy and innovative when it comes to marketing strategies, but it still works. Spread the word among your own network that you have a home for rent. And, offer incentives to anyone who brings you a resident.
As property managers, we can offer referral programs that encourage previous and current residents to refer their friends, family, and coworkers to the properties we have available. Offering incentives such as a discount on the next rent payment, a gift card, or other rewards can incentivize residents who refer others to move in.
You can offer similar incentives. This will motivate people to push your property for you, reducing the amount of marketing you actually have to do.
Leverage Local Relationships and Networks
Invest in local relationships, especially with businesses and relocation companies.
Get in touch with local estate agents who may have clients who want to rent a home. Work with relocation companies and local businesses who bring in talent and team members from across the country for jobs in the local area. These companies are tasked with finding homes for their employees and clients who may be moving into the area. This is a marketing strategy that only works when you’re a local expert with deep community connections, so establish those relationships.
Posting your listing on all the popular rental platforms is a great first step when it comes to marketing your property. A yard sign can be good, too, for the people who drive or walk through your neighborhood.
Don’t stop there.
You need potential residents to be able to find your property in order for you to attract interest and ultimately place someone who is well-qualified. Creating a successful rental property marketing plan has to be a priority, and then you need to dedicate time and resources towards increasing exposure for your available home for rent.
If you have any questions about marketing or anything pertaining to San Diego property management, we’d love to talk with you. Please contact us at PURE Property Management.
