Google Ads for estate agents: a practical starter guide

How estate agencies can use Google Search ads to reach buyers and sellers in their area, set sensible budgets and track enquiries.

Google Ads puts your agency in front of people at the moment they search, for example for homes in a suburb or for an agent to value their property. Done well, it brings in enquiries from people who are already looking. Done badly, it spends money on clicks that never turn into anything. This guide covers the basics.

Start with Search campaigns

Google offers several campaign types, but Search campaigns are the best place to start. Your ads appear above or below the normal results when someone searches for words you choose. You pay when someone clicks, and you control the daily budget.

Choose keywords that show intent

Group your keywords by what the person wants to do:

• Buyers: houses for sale in a specific suburb, or apartments to rent in an area
• Sellers: property valuation in an area, or sell my house in a suburb
• Agency searches: estate agents in an area, or your agency's own name

Add negative keywords to stop ads showing for searches that won't turn into clients, for example searches for jobs, courses or free listings.

Target the areas you actually serve

Set location targeting to the suburbs and towns you work in, so you're not paying for clicks from people far outside your area. Schedule ads for the hours your team can respond, or make sure enquiries outside those hours still get a quick reply.

Send people to the right page

An ad for houses for sale in a suburb should open search results for that suburb, not your home page. A valuation ad should open a short valuation form. The closer the page matches the search, the more likely someone is to enquire.

Track enquiries, not just clicks

Clicks tell you people are interested. Enquiries tell you the ads are working. Set up conversion tracking for form submissions, phone calls and WhatsApp clicks, so you can see which keywords and ads produce enquiries and move budget towards them.

Setting a budget

Start with a daily budget you're comfortable with for a month, focused on a few areas and keywords. Review the search terms people actually used, remove the ones that waste money and add the ones that work. Ad spend is paid directly to Google.

A starter checklist

1. 1Pick one or two goals, for example seller valuations in three suburbs.
2. 2Build tight keyword groups and add negative keywords.
3. 3Point each ad at a matching page with a clear enquiry option.
4. 4Set up conversion tracking for forms, calls and WhatsApp.
5. 5Review search terms and results every week for the first month.

If you'd rather have it planned and managed for you, our digital marketing service covers planning, ad design, management and plain-language reporting. We start with a free discovery call.