How to Get Your Property to the Top of Rightmove (Without Losing Your Mind)

Introduction

Rightmove is like the Glastonbury of property listings. Everyone’s desperate to be on the main stage or at the front of the crowd for Elton John or Stormzy.

But with over 900,000 properties listed at any one time, how do you make sure yours doesn’t end up in a digital ditch somewhere on page 7?

Good news: you don’t need luck. 

Bad news: you need a strategy. And possibly a tripod.

Either way, let’s break it down because it’s easier than you think.

First Things First: How Rightmove Actually Works

Rightmove doesn’t rank listings alphabetically (sorry, Aardvark Avenue). If you’ve ever tried to rank on the first page of Google, many of the same things apply.

 It uses a mix of:

• Date listed or refreshed
• Listing performance (clicks, engagement)
• Featured/boosted placement (yep, ads)

The algorithm is a bit of a black box, but what we do know is this: listings that get more clicks, faster, tend to stay higher up.

So, your job? Make people stop scrolling. Easy, right?

Step 1: Nail the First Photo

This is your property’s dating profile picture. If it’s dull, dark, or badly framed, it’s getting swiped left faster than you can say “new carpets throughout.”

According to Rightmove’s own data, listings with high-quality images get 93% more enquiries than those without.

Want to go one better? Video. But we’ll come back to that. Very soon.

Top tip: Use a wide-angle lens to capture whole rooms, and don’t photograph your bathroom mirror unless you fancy starring in your own listing.

Step 2: Add a Video (Seriously)

Here’s where most people get lazy, which is great news for you because standing out just got easier.

Research from Property Industry Eye shows that listings with video tours attract 403% more enquiries. 

Yet, the vast majority of listings still rely on photos alone.

This is your secret weapon. 

A good video showcases the flow of the space, how light moves through the rooms, and, crucially, makes people picture themselves living there.

At Jolley Productions, we shoot cinematic walkthroughs that feel more Welcome Home than Crimewatch. Your future buyer might just fall in love before they even book a viewing.

To learn more about this, check out our article on how home videos can help you sell your property.

It’s also worth exploring Floor Plan videos as well, since these can help you get 52% more clicks, and 31% of buyers say they’re the most valuable online feature. 

Step 3: Work the Description

Yes, people read it. No, it shouldn’t be a copy-paste from your estate agent’s last listing.

Rightmove’s data shows that listings with well-written, keyword-friendly descriptions tend to rank higher in location-specific searches.

Try to include:

• What makes the property unique
• Local hotspots (think schools, parks, and that bakery with the good sausage rolls)
• Room-by-room breakdowns that actually describe the feel, not just the function
• Avoid phrases like “well-presented” and “deceptively spacious.” They’ve lost all meaning.

If you’ve ever used Hinge, which I haven’t, but I think I understand it well enough to make this comment, while the pictures make you stop, it’s often the words that help someone stand out from the crowd. 

A picture can speak a thousand words, but a few good words can seal the deal.

Step 4: Make It Shine (Literally)

You know the sort of whole-house deep clean your mum would do the minute she’s expecting guests? Yeah, that’s the “make it shine” you must aspire to.

You don’t need to gut-renovate, but you do need to:

• Clear the clutter
• Let in natural light
• Use neutral tones to help buyers imagine their own furniture

Or better yet? Let us shoot it after a light stage. We’ll bring the tripod and the charm.

Step 5: Refresh the Listing

Rightmove prioritises new and recently refreshed listings. If yours has been sitting for a while, ask your agent to:

• Re-upload it
• Change the lead image
• Tweak the title or description

Even small edits can bump your listing higher in search results, catching the eye of people who’ve already skimmed past it once.

It’s even possible to A/B test images, titles and descriptions to find winning combinations for your property listing.

Step 6: Feature or Boost (If It’s Worth It)

Rightmove offers “Featured” and “Premium” listings for a fee. These get top-of-page placement for 7–14 days and receive twice as many views as non-featured listings.

We always recommend doing this after you’ve optimised your listing. There is no point in paying to promote bad photos or a boring description.

And to be honest, if you do everything else really well, you probably won’t need to use featured or premium listings at all.

Step 7: Take the Aerial Route

If your home has a garden, views, or kerb appeal, drone footage, while not being for everyone, is a game-changer.

Aerial shots give buyers the bigger picture. They show off the setting, scale, and surroundings in a way standard photos can’t. 

In fact, Estate Agent Today reports that listings with drone footage can get up to 68% more engagement.

It builds trust, too. Buyers can see the roof, the plot, the neighbourhood, all before stepping through the door.

If your house deserves a wide shot, let’s take it to the skies.

Check out our property drone services.

Bonus: Use Social to Drive Traffic

Most estate agents stop at listing sites. But if you want to go all in, ask them to run a short targeted ad campaign on Facebook or Instagram. Or we can do it for you.

We’ll cut your walkthrough video into a 30-second vertical teaser, run it as a local ad, and send warm leads straight to your Rightmove page.

It’s like giving your listing rocket fuel.

Final Thoughts

Getting to the top of Rightmove isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about turning heads with great visuals, clean copy, and clever timing.

If you want to stand out, truly stand out, then professional, high-quality images and property videos are a must-have. They’re your golden ticket to better offers, faster sales, and a listing your buyer won’t forget.

Need help? You know where to find us. We’ll bring the camera.

Check out our property video, photography and drone services, or contact us today.