Why and How to Use a Wide Variety of Craigslist Ad Titles to Attract New Residents

There are many strategies for posting apartments on craigslist and I think your best tactic is to always be using more than one angle. It’s not rocket science to grasp that different demographics will be drawn to different content in a title. And although we all want to rent to employed, responsible humans – that still results in a wide range of demographics.

In order to engage with as wide a range as possible, try posting for the same vacant unit with three entirely different titles. (Although I’m focusing on the title, remember that in order to avoid ‘ghosting,’ the content of the post cannot be exactly the same in all three.)

One way to approach this is to give each title a specific focus. For example:

1. One title could focus on the interior of the specific unit.
2. One or two titles could focus on the location and/or community amenities.
3. Another title can be almost random, intended to draw in anyone on craigslist tired of searching and looking at boring titles.
4. If you are offering any concessions, that can be an additional title or combine with one of the tactics above.

More specifically, the above suggestions might look like this:

West Facing Balcony, Lots of Natural Light, Garage, D/W, A/C – PETS WELCOME

• This will appeal to the person who is scanning Craigslist almost exclusively interested in the interior details of a specific apartment home. They are less interested in the pool and fitness center because they are at first attracted to information about the actual apartment they may live in.

2BR/2BA in Smith School District – Affordable & Available Now

• Mentioning the school district is an entirely under-utilized angle. Do not miss out on the segment of apartment searchers who are looking to move into a particular district. They can be great, long-term residents.

1 BR Easy Tollway Access AND Near the Smith Golf Course

• This is an example of location-focus. Obviously, location is an easy one, but remember to not focus exclusively on location. For many renters, price and interiors are more important and you don’t want to miss out on attracting those people too.

1 BR Easy Access to Downtown, Sign a Lease Today & Get 2 Weeks Free

• This appeals to the busy person who commutes, just wants to get the apartment search over with and wouldn’t mind saving a few bucks.

Love the local farmer’s market? We do to.

• This is the type of title that might simply make a prospective resident curious. It will catch their eye, stand out. The unit you’re advertising may not be right for them, but they may click through to your website and see that you also have just what they were looking for!

Gangnam Style in Downtown

• This is almost in the silly category. In case you’re unaware, this title refers to a recent extremely popular hip-hop song. Using a well-placed lyric or pop culture reference can be extremely effective if your apartment community targets college students or tends to draw the single professional crowd.

In summary, it’s important to remember that what would make you want to click on a link and read the post is not the same thing that would draw in someone else. When you mix up what feature you are promoting it can really increase your leads and give you more prospective renters interested in your community.

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