Rental Advice - Spanish Homeowners

Writing Your Advert

Holidaymakers are viewing your advert with one thing in mind - they are searching for a holiday home for themselves and their family to go on holiday.

If you keep this in mind when writing your advert you will realise that you need to consider your words carefully and think like a holidaymaker instead of an owner. What will the viewer be looking to see? How could you entice them into using your holiday home?

Remember also that the internet is a global communication tool and unlike an ad in your local newspaper, your advert will be viewed by people from different countries and cultures so you should consider this wide variety of human tastes.

When you write the text for your advert, remember; the first few lines that someone reads are the most critical. These are the ones on which people decide whether to continue reading, or click the 'next' button so make sure you say something good about the location AND the property in the very 1st paragraph. Holiday makers, when searching, tend to look for locations first and accommodation second.

Think about what makes your property different and use these features in your advert. Consider what your competitors (other homeowners) are doing and try to make your property sound better than theirs. You want your holiday home to stay at the forefront of people's minds as they search around.

Facilities such as swimming pools, saunas, tennis courts help to put your property into the luxury class, so emphasize them. Describe common areas so that holidaymakers can visualize themselves there and remember: first impressions are the last impressions.

Here are a few more tips to help you write your advert:

• Think differently when writing adverts which will display on the internet. Keywords are king so don't write 'Villa in Spain with off-road parking' when 'Stunning 3 bedroom Spanish holiday villa with views of the Med' will do.

• Write in short, factual paragraphs with just one theme per paragraph - these are much easier to read on a computer screen.

• We provide space for up to 7 photos so use them all. These are the best way to show off your property and will probably be the first thing people look at - even before reading your descriptions. Make sure they are good quality photos and depict how your property can be perfect for a Spanish holiday. Remember; 'a picture paints a 1000 words'. The first photo in your gallery will be the one shown in the search pages so it needs to be the best of the best - get holidaymakers to click it.

• Appeal to people's appetite or families in your text: e.g. 'The patio is perfect for evening barbeques' or 'kids will love splashing around in the pool'.

• Holidaymakers use the Rentaccomspain.com website to search for holiday ideas so make sure you tick all the relevant tick boxes to be sure yours is included in any applicable searches.

• Your pricing structure should be easy for people to understand so don't make it complicated by having too many pricing periods. Make special ones such as Easter, Christmas, etc. by exception.

• People love lists so use them: they are easier to read & comprehend. You got this far didn't you!

• The words 'you' and 'your' are very important when writing descriptions for your advert. Let people know how they will benefit from using YOUR property: e.g. 'Your holiday home is only a short stroll to the wide, sandy beach' or 'You can enjoy sangria by the pool while watching the sun go down'.

• All of the above being said, there is still a distrust of the 'faceless' internet for important transactions - so let people know you really do exist. Give your advert a human voice by using words such as 'I', 'We', etc.

• Using humour in your advert can help too as it is one way to get people to trust you and respond positively. Don't overdo it though, as too much will make your advert look tacky!

• If you have a guest book on your personal website - use complimentary comments from it. Word of mouth advertising is the best kind so if people can see other holidaymakers have enjoyed your holiday home they will look at it more favourably.

• Keep your advert up-to-date. If it's winter time, adjust your text to reflect how holidaymakers can enjoy 'warm lazy days' whilst its cold and raining at home or put more emphasis on 'beach parties and private swimming pools' in summer.

• When you've finished writing your advert - read back through it and delete superfluous words whose absence does not alter the meaning. Choose your words carefully, keep your property in people's minds and remember, with writing - less is more.

Contact us here if you would like more advice on writing your advert.