Online Ads for Apartments in Colorado

Image by Cincy Project via Flickr

Long gone are the days when future tenants would scour the newspaper or scout around town for a vacant apartment. Your potential tenants are only using one method of research to find their apartment: the Internet. If you're not online, you have no chance of being found.

In principle, online ads serve the same purpose as traditional print ads: to help tenants find and rent your apartments. However, the two mediums couldn't be more different. Here are the top six tips you need to know before posting an online apartment ad in Colorado.

Six Tips for Posting Online Apartment Ads in Colorado

1. Sprinkle your location keyword throughout the ad.
   The primary way of finding local apartments is through Google search — and many of them will be typing in phrases like "Denver apartments" or "Colorado Springs apartments." Capture those markets by sprinkling those keywords naturally throughout your ad. Do not stuff in related keywords in hopes of doing better in your Google rankings, however. Both search engines and readers view keyword stuffing as spam.

2. Use creative buzz words. Look for creative ways to describe your apartments' amenities. Remember, you're painting a picture of your apartment with your description. Readers love phrases like sun-soaked, vintage, sleek and modern, or old-world charm.

3. Develop a social media presence. Include a "Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook" in every ad. This gives your customers an informal way to contact you with questions about your apartments. You can also share links to your apartment ads directly on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

4. Use your location as a selling point. Don't be vague; location is one of the most important components to consider when choosing housing. Let's say you're offering apartments in Colorado Springs. Are you conveniently located besides any highways? Within easy distance of the Garden of the Gods park? Near the Butts Army Air Field? Let potential tenants know the local benefits of living in your apartments.

5. Don't forget the obvious. You may think a dishwasher or air conditioning may be too ordinary to include as a selling point, but it's always better to include them and reassure would-be tenants that your apartment contains these "basic necessities."

6. Pictures, pictures, pictures. Pictures are the most important part of your entire ad. Shoot the apartment in natural light and find the most flattering angles (the one that makes the apartment look the most spacious). Include as many pictures as possible.

Got Any Apartment Marketing Tips to Share?

We want to hear from you! Share what you include in your apartment ads (or what you look for when you go apartment-hunting) in the comments.