Property copywriting

After running several workshops on copywriting for property firms, Suzie’s put together some useful tips…

Research

Back up your claims with facts and information, find out and share something interesting that the reader may not know.

Inject personality

Copy can feel dry and like a series of boring statistics if the reader can’t feel the warmth of your organisation’s personality behind the words. Humour might not be appropriate for your business, but write as if you’re speaking directly to a specific customer.

Headlines

You only have a split second to attract the attention of your potential buyer, so make sure your headline has impact. What’s the most attractive thing about the property? Put it in the headline.

Boring: Three-bedroom family home with pool

More interesting: “Splash into summer “ or “Cool down in the pool” or “Your kids will love the pool

Make the copy visually appealing

Think about the way the words look on the page or website. Large chunks of text will always put people off.

Guide the reader through with sub headings and images.

Buzzwords

Words like “gorgeous”, “luxury” and “charming” might hurt conversions. While there are definitely properties that warrant such descriptors, they are often misused by agents and inexperienced writers.

This can lead to inflated expectations and carryover from one ad to another, rendering your ad easily forgettable.

To set your copy apart, substitute excessively used buzzwords with synonyms or descriptive one-liners.

Target audience

Keep your target audience in mind when crafting your ad copy and listing description.

If you’re marketing a one or two-bedroom property, you might want to appeal to downsizers, professionals or young couples by highlighting nearby cafes, space for entertaining and local community services and attractions.

However, if you’re marketing a three or four-bedroom property, you might want to appeal to families by highlighting the local parks, playgrounds and school catchments.

Features and benefits

Features are factual yet boring, while it’s the benefits which attract buyers.

• A feature is: A covered outdoor area.
• A benefit is: Relax and dine in the comfort of your alfresco entertaining area.
• Don’t just list the property’s features, highlight the benefits of living there.

Keep it concise

When it comes to property copywriting, short and simple is always best.

While you need to be specific and descriptive. You want to entice readers into action, not bore them into submission.

To keep your listing copy short and simple, be sure to include:

1. A headline/title that emotionally appeals to the target audience.
2. A listing description that highlights the property’s best features and amenities.
3. Consider bullet points for key details.