google ads for real estate strategybeam

Navigating the bustling real estate market can often feel like embarking on an epic adventure of trials and triumphs. The good news is that you using Google Ads for small business is a great way to help you stand out in real estate marketing, and it can help you book more showings and open houses at the same time.

You can get in front of your ideal clients as they look for homes in your area with Google Ads. This powerful marketing channel equips you with powerful targeting capabilities. You draw qualified buyers right to your doorstep. This is the magic of Google Ads – a tool to bring the market to you rather than vice versa.

Google Ads is a great option to help you reach more people looking for real estate. Whether they are looking to buy a new home, buy land, or invest, you can use Google Ads to help you reach your ideal client in less time.

Let’s look at how you can use Google Ads for real estate today!

How do Google Ads work for real estate?

Google Ads is a powerful marketing tool for real estate agents, functioning as a digital advertising system by Google. This is because Google Ads gives you the tools to showcase your listings to a targeted audience based on what they look for online.

At its core, Google Ads allows real estate agents to create text ads that appear right on Google whenever someone searches for a keyword you bid on. If you are already running campaigns, then you should consider running a PPC audit to determine how your account is performing, and then you can apply the below tips to improve your investments.

These ads can appear in search results when users input keywords related to real estate – be it searching for a specific type of property, a particular location, or services from a real estate agent. It’s based on a pay-per-click model, meaning you only pay when users click on their ads, offering a cost-effective approach to online marketing.

Google Ads is a powerful part of your marketing strategy because it allows you to use precise controls to only show ads to people you think are looking for your services. You can use Google Ads on your own, or hire a PPC agency to help you reach individuals who are actively searching for properties in specific locations or who exhibit buyer behaviors.

google ads for real estate strategybeam

This targeted approach reduces wasted advertising spend and enhances the likelihood of reaching potential clients who are ready to engage. With its scalability and measurable results, Google Ads provides a compelling proposition for real estate marketing.

While it is a powerful marketing strategy, you should remember that you can only get results from Google Ads if you know how to set it up correctly and manage it properly. In addition, you will need to be aware of the restrictions Google places on Google Ads, so let’s dive into some of the restrictions you should consider as you set up your Google Ads campaigns.

Restrictions on Google Ads for real estate

In the ever-evolving digital world, Google Ads presents a powerful platform for real estate advertising.

However, it’s essential to understand that Google has specific restrictions in place for housing ads, including real estate, to promote fairness and prevent discrimination. If you plan to run your own Google Ads campaigns, then read up on the latest restrictions to prevent Google from disapproving your ads, which can lead to lots of headaches in the future.

As of the writing of the article, here are some of the main restrictions real estate agents need to think about when setting up a Google Ads campaign:

  • Geographic targeting: Google Ads no longer allows targeting based on zip codes. This shift is designed to prevent any discriminatory practices in housing. The good news is that you can still use radius, city, and state for targeting. It’s about ensuring the opportunity to find a home is not restricted by zip codes.
  • Demographic targeting: Using demographic details for targeting in real estate ads is not permitted, as this practice can lead to discrimination. This means you cannot target potential clients based on age, gender, or other personal characteristics. If such targeting is detected, Google will disapprove your ads, and you risk having your account banned if you violate this restriction too many times.
  • Marital & parental status: Targeting ads based on marital or parental status is strictly prohibited. This includes ensuring your language or images don’t implicitly suggest preference for a certain group. You can still target potential clients based on their location and the type of properties you sell, but you won’t be able to target people based on their marital status.

While these restrictions may seem limiting, they actually aim to create a level playing field for all users.

The right outsource PPC management agency can help you take advantage of options in Google Ads to optimize your marketing budget and generate lots of tours and bookings for your real estate business.

7 tips to make Google Ads work for your real estate business

There are several hundred options and settings to consider as you set up a Google Ads campaign, and with the restrictions in real estate, you need to understand how to target your ads without violating rules Google has placed on Google Ads for the real estate industry.

Follow general tips for Google Ads to ensure you make the most of your advertising budget. We know how difficult it can be for realtors to run their campaigns, so we put together this list of our top seven tips to help you run and optimize your real estate Google Ads campaigns.

1. Determine who your audience is

The first step to building a successful Google Ads campaign is to determine your ideal client. What type of properties do you offer, and what preferences do your clients have? What makes you stand out from your competitors, and what types of terms do your clients use when searching for properties in the area?

Are first-time buyers, retirees downsizing, or young families looking for a bigger home? Do they prefer urban apartments, suburban townhouses, or rural estates? These specifics play a crucial role in shaping your ad strategy.

Knowing your audience isn’t about making educated guesses but building a transparent, data-informed picture of your potential clients. You can use this information to guide each step in your Google Ads strategy to help you write better ads, target the right people, and increase showings at your properties.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you determine who your target audience is:

  • Research the local market: Dive deep into your local market to understand potential buyers’ and sellers’ demographics, trends, and preferences. This information can help you craft better ad copy and write specific messages to address your client’s needs.
  • Analyze your current clients: Analyze your existing customer data to identify patterns and characteristics of your most valuable clients. Look for commonalities in their demographics, preferences, and behaviors. You can use this information to help pinpoint what makes you unique from your competitors, and you can hone in on your ideal client by evaluating your current clients.
  • Monitor online interactions: Pay attention to online platforms where your target audience engages, such as social media groups, forums, or real estate websites. Observe their discussions, questions, and needs to better understand their desires and pain points. You can use this information in your ad copy to connect with your readers and drive more bookings.

Different audiences have different needs, interests, and behaviors. Understanding your audience allows you to create ads that resonate that speak directly to their unique property aspirations.

Before you set up your first campaign or research your first keyword, you should spend time researching and understanding who your ideal client is. This twofold advantage of audience understanding is key to turning Google Ads from a tool into a powerful ally in your real estate business.

2. Plan your campaigns and ad groups

You spend time planning before a client meeting, and you have your sales pitch down whenever you show a house. You should take this approach when setting up your Google Ads campaign with highly organized campaigns and ad groups.

This starts with a clear understanding of your audience – their needs, their preferences, and their search behaviors. Defining your audience goes beyond demographics; it’s about diving into their intent and their stage in the home-buying journey.

Once you have your audience defined, you can build unique ad groups and campaigns based on the various services and products you offer. For example, you can create a campaign for “single-family homes” and then make ad groups for the size of the family, square footage, and other distinguishing features between the various single-family homes you sell.

The same principles can be applied to any real estate you sell, and here are some tips to keep in mind as you build out your campaigns and ad groups to ensure you get the best results for your marketing investment:

  • Build campaigns & ad groups based on your ideal clients: As discussed in the previous section, you need to build your Google Ads account around the needs of your target audience. You should build campaigns and ad groups based on what you well and craft each campaign or ad group around the unique needs of each segment.
  • Segment your audience: Understand your target audience and segment them based on their preferences, location, and demographics. This will allow you to create tailored ad groups that resonate with specific buyer profiles, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of your ads. Use geographic targeting to your advantage to ensure your ads only show to people in a specific geographic area.
  • Keyword research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the search terms potential clients are using when looking for properties. This will help you build targeted keyword lists for each ad group, ensuring your ads show up in front of the right audience at the right time. Keywords are a vital part of Google Ads because Google uses keywords to show your ads to people based on what your clients search for in Google.

How well your Google Ads account performs is heavily dependent on how well you set up and optimize your campaigns and ad groups. Be sure to work with a professional Google Ads manager if you have questions about having your account set up correctly.

Image source: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/05/02/adwords-account-structure-guide

3. Target local keywords based on your geographic area

Location, location, location! This motto rings true for Google Ads in real estate as clients look for property in a specific area.

Buyers looking for a new home, condo, or land want to buy a property in a specific geographic area. Consider where your clients want to purchase and focus your marketing budget on keywords that include a specific city or region.

This means you can target people already living in your area or those in the geographic region. One of the best ways to maximize this opportunity is to bid on local keywords that have your city or town in them.

By honing in on local keywords related to your geographic area, you effectively amplify your presence to those searching for real estate in your locale on Google. Here are some tips to think about as you target local keywords in your geographic area:

  • Conduct thorough keyword research: Start by identifying local keywords relevant to your geographic area and real estate market. Consider terms related to specific neighborhoods, cities, landmarks, or local amenities. Think back to your ideal audience in the first section to generate lots of ideas and separate those ideas into different campaigns and ad groups as needed.
  • Incorporate location-specific modifiers: Add specific location modifiers to your keywords to narrow your targeting. For example, include the name of the city, state, or neighborhood in your keyword phrases. This part can be a bit tricky, but if you get it right, you can fine-tune your Google Ads campaign to ensure your ads show to clients are your ideal audience.
  • Utilize location targeting in Google Ads: Leverage Google Ads’ location targeting feature to focus your ads on specific geographic areas that align with your target market. This ensures your ads are seen by users who are more likely to be interested in properties in your area. You can target people who are in a specific geographic area, or you can target people who show interest in a specific area.

Google Ads is a great marketing strategy tool because it helps you reach your ideal client. However, the only way to make this strategy work in real estate is to target local keywords that get your ads found by people searching for property in your geographic area.

google ads for real estate location setting strategybeam

4. Write compelling ad copy

A crucial component of leveraging Google Ads for your real estate business lies in crafting compelling ad copy. It’s not just about the information you provide – the way you present it can be a powerful draw for potential clients.

Determine who your audience is and understand their needs and desires, which we discussed in the first section. Are they first-time homebuyers or seasoned property investors? This understanding helps shape the language and tone of your ads, making them more relatable and engaging.

Once you understand who your audience is and what they are looking for, you can write ads that get found in Google and encourage your clients to click on your ads and book with you. Writing great responsive Google Ads is difficult, but here are our top tips to help you write amazing ads that potential clients will click on:

  • Capture attention with a strong headline: Craft a compelling headline that grabs the attention of potential buyers. Highlight unique selling points, such as “Stunning Waterfront Homes” or “Luxury Condos with Spectacular Views.”
  • Highlight key features: Showcase the most appealing features of your properties in your ad copy. Whether it’s spacious interiors, modern amenities, or proximity to desirable locations, make sure to highlight what sets your listings apart.
  • Use persuasive language: Utilize persuasive language to create a sense of desire and urgency. Words like “exclusive,” “limited time,” or “don’t miss out” can instill a sense of urgency in potential buyers, encouraging them to take action.
  • Utilize social proof: Incorporate testimonials or positive reviews from satisfied clients to build trust and credibility. Include statements like “Highly recommended by our clients” or “Five-star rated service” to establish confidence in your real estate services.

Your Google Ads success depends on your ability to write compelling ads that capture the interest of your audience to encourage them to book a showing with you.

google ads for real estate write good ad copy strategybeam

5. Optimize negative keywords

In the world of Google Ads, it’s not just about knowing who your audience is but also who it isn’t. Enter the power of negative keywords. These are terms you specifically don’t want to trigger your ads. For instance, if you’re a luxury real estate agent, you might choose ‘cheap’ or ‘budget’ as negative keywords to prevent your ads from appearing for those seeking less expensive options.

Negative keywords are a more advanced strategy in Google Ads, but you can use negative keywords to prevent unqualified clients from clicking on your ads. Here are five tips to help you optimize your Google Ads account with negative keywords:

  • Research and refine: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify negative keywords that may be irrelevant or attract unwanted clicks. Refine your list over time as you gain insights into your audience’s search intent. You can look through your Google Ads auction insights report to learn more about how you rank in the market.
  • Think like your audience: Put yourself in the shoes of potential buyers or sellers. Consider what they might search for that is unrelated to your offerings. Use those terms as negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic.
  • Be specific: Tailor your negative keywords to target specific scenarios. For example, if you specialize in luxury homes, include negative keywords like “low-income housing” or “affordable properties” to avoid attracting the wrong audience.

By optimizing negative keywords, you effectively filter out irrelevant traffic, ensuring your ads are seen by those most likely to engage and convert.

6. Modify your ad schedule

You can control when Google shows your real estate ads by adjusting your ad scheduling in your account. This feature allows you to fine-tune when your ads appear, so you can invest in specific days and times throughout the week that tend to result in conversions and bookings for you.

Perhaps your ideal clients are more likely to search for properties during evenings or weekends. By adjusting your ad scheduling to these specific days and times, you’re maximizing the chances of your ads reaching your audience when they’re most receptive.

Here are three tips to help you find and implement the best ad scheduling to ensure you reach your target audience:

  • Analyze peak activity: Study your analytics and look through Google Ads reporting to determine when your target audience is most active online. Identify the days and hours they are more likely to search for properties or engage with real estate content.
  • Allocate budget strategicaAdjustdjust your ad schedule to allocate a higher b once you’ve identified peak activity periods budget. This ensures that your ads are prominently displayed when your potential clients are actively searching.
  • Consider time zones: If you operate in multiple locations or target audiences across different time zones, consider that when modifying your ad schedule. Adapting to the local time zone can ensure your ads are shown when the target audience is most likely active.

Knowing your audience is crucial as you try to drive the highest ROI for your Google Ads spend. Think about the habits and preferences of your audience, and then you can adjust your ad scheduling options in Google Ads to grow your real estate business!

7. Bid on your brand name

Your real estate business depends on your brand and the relationships you make. You can increase awareness about you and your real estate business by bidding on your name and business name.

Whenever someone searches for your name, you want to be the first result on Google to ensure people click through your ads and schedule an appointment.

Here are just a few reasons why you should bid on your name and business to help Google Ads support your real estate business:

  • Protect your brand: Bidding on your company name ensures that when potential clients search for your brand specifically, they find you right at the top of the search results, reinforcing your brand authority.
  • Defend against competitors: By bidding on your name, you prevent competitors from outranking you in search results when someone searches for your name. This helps maintain your visibility and keeps potential clients directed to your website.
  • Maximize click-through rates: Bidding on your name often results in higher click-through rates since users searching for you specifically are more likely to click on your ad. This drives more targeted traffic to your website and increases the chances of converting those visitors into clients.
  • Control your messaging: When you bid on your own name, you have control over the ad copy and messaging displayed. This allows you to craft a compelling message that highlights your unique selling points and draws attention to your services.
  • Cost-effective strategy: Bidding on your own name can be cost-effective since the competition for your specific brand terms may be lower compared to broader, generic keywords. This can result in a higher return on investment (ROI) and a lower cost per click (CPC) for your ads.

Be sure to bid on your own name and your business name to help drive qualified leads to your business. This is one of the most important parts of a Google Ads strategy for real estate agents, and many professionals overlook this aspect of their marketing strategy.

Use Google Ads in your real estate business today!

From tracking results to utilizing ad extensions and optimizing landing pages, there’s a world of possibilities to explore. Google Ads empowers you to amplify your marketing efforts, engage with potential buyers and sellers, and ultimately drive real business growth. So, embrace the opportunities it presents, refine your strategies, and let Google Ads become your trusted companion on the exciting journey of real estate success.

Ready to unlock the full potential of Google Ads for your real estate business? Don’t navigate the digital landscape alone! Contact us at StrategyBeam today and let our expert team guide you to success.

With our specialized knowledge and strategic approach, we’ll help you set up and manage your Google Ads campaigns, ensuring maximum impact and ROI.

Let’s collaborate to create a tailored Google Ads strategy that attracts qualified leads, drives conversions, and propels your real estate business to new heights.

Take the next step and reach out to us today. Your future success in the competitive world of real estate marketing awaits!

Google Ads for real estate FAQs

Google Ads can significantly boost your real estate business by targeting potential clients who are actively searching for properties online. These targeted ads can increase your visibility, drive website traffic, and ultimately enhance sales and conversions.

For a real estate business, the best types are search and display ads. Search ads can capture those actively looking for property while display ads can keep your brand in front of people who’ve visited your site but haven’t made a decision yet.

Your Google Ads budget depends on several factors, including your overall marketing budget, market competition, and business goals. However, a common approach is to start with a modest budget, monitor performance, and adjust based on the return on investment.

About the Author: Chris

Avatar
Chis is the Lead Strategist at StrategyBeam with over 19 years of marketing know-how up his sleeve. He loves transforming business marketing campaigns into success stories by boosting efficiencies across all campaigns. When not strategizing, he can be found laughing at the monkeys at the zoo.

6 Comments

  1. Avatar
    Fabio Zerbinati January 7, 2021 at 8:10 am - Reply

    Hi,
    my name is Fabio and i am an Italian real estate agent. I have a question for you, do you think would be more profitable to point campaigns to archives or to the single property?
    Best regards,
    Fabio

  2. Avatar
    Femi March 24, 2021 at 4:03 pm - Reply

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  3. Avatar
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      Ayasha Giarratana May 2, 2023 at 8:33 pm - Reply

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