Landlords, is your letting agent correctly marketing your property?
The modern consumer carefully researches each online purchase prior to parting with their cash. A pattern of online research being followed by informed purchase take place across a wide range of sectors, from small decisions such as buying clothes, through to life-changing ones like buying a house.
Surprisingly, despite this being common knowledge, many letting agents seem to put little effort into marketing their properties online.
If, as a landlord, you are currently looking for a lettings agent to help find you suitable tenants, you might want to check to see if they’re following best practice by using these property marketing techniques.
1. Don’t rely on real estate portals
Of course, Rightmove and Zoopla increase the number of people that view an estate agent’s property, but that doesn’t mean your lettings agency should rely solely on this method.
Even if they only showcase a few properties, a lettings agency can really boost their appeal by having the following:
- An attractive, up-to-date website that showcases properties effectively
- An engaging, helpful and vibrant voice on their social media channels
- Exciting digital content, such as blogs and guides that highlight their local knowledge and property expertise.
2. Have an impressive online presence
A top-notch lettings agent will ensure they successfully build their brand in order to best promote your properties.
Are they doing the following online?
- Showcasing each of their properties to its full potential with beautiful imagery
- Giving helpful information to potential renters through blogs, guides, infographics, and links to useful articles
- Tracking how visitors use their blog or website using analytics software, such as Google Analytics.
3. Demonstrate superb local knowledge
Look for a letting agent that creates engaging localised content that answers questions such as:
“What are the best parks in X?”
“Where are the trendiest bars in X?”
“What are the schools like in X?”
A lettings agent that is regarded as a local aficionado will not only be considered more trustworthy, but will also rank highly on search engines – this will result in more people looking at their properties and, with that, more enquiries.
4. Use video marketing
Did you know that, behind Google, YouTube is the second most popular online search engine? That is why it’s so bizarre that so few property professionals are using the platform to market their properties.
A recent study by Postling highlights this – it found that 45 per cent of people looking for property have done a ‘walkthrough’ of the home they settle on; however, only 12 per cent of estate agents actually have a YouTube account.
With such a captive audience of househunters, lettings agents should look to pull them in with interesting, informative and attractive video content – nothing tells a story better!
Pick a lettings agent that understands integrated marketing
It seems the trend for properties being researched through digital ‘shop windows’ will only ever increase. That’s why it makes perfect sense to use a lettings agent that is making the most of online.
If you would like to read in more detail just what a lettings agent should be doing to help market your properties, read our free guide here.
