Real Estate Agent Marketing: Google vs. Social Media

Whether you work for a real estate agency or recently hired an agent to help you sell, you need to understand the basics of real estate agent marketing. Google vs. social media: which platforms best serve your needs? Let’s examine when and how to use these marketing resources to sell a property.

What Tools Does Google Offer?

First, explore how real estate promotion on Google Ads works.

A potential buyer uses Google Search to find current results regarding properties that suit their needs. They may use search terms like “residential properties for sale near me” or “houses to buy near me” to find close matches.
Google Ads will place sponsored results first. Real estate agencies typically pay for their placement in these results. They craft landing pages with technical and creative aspects featuring the searcher’s key phrases.
The searcher will likely click these links to check out the properties the advertiser offers.

How Does Social Media Advertising Work?

By contrast, marketing properties on social media works a little differently:

An ad appears in a user’s feed. Typically, the social media platform’s algorithm has found patterns in the user’s searches and responses to various media.
When you create the ad, you target an audience that has previously expressed interest in purchasing properties within a specific area.
When the ad appears to the correct target, the user may click that ad to learn more about the properties offered.

Real Estate Agent Marketing: Google vs. Social Media Showdown

Google vs. social media for real estate advertising: which one attracts more offers from quality buyers? Each type of platform has advantages and disadvantages. You’ll find a few outlined below.

Pros and Cons of Google

Google’s primary benefit for users and advertisers includes its specificity. It can attract interested buyers based on locality, search queries, and the intent expressed in search phrasing. You can also access data to inform your next marketing move. However, its pitfalls include:

Higher costs to advertise: You’ll pay more for each click.
Increased competition: Numerous other real estate agencies want ad space in the same search territories.
Highly technical ad creation: Set aside enough time to create your account and develop an ad.

Pros and Cons of Social Media

On the other hand, social media ads build awareness with your audience. Each ad click typically costs less than it would on Google. You’ll also use less time and effort creating an account and publishing an ad.

Social media advertising might also slow your progress by:

Having highly specific location requirements
Targeting users who may not want immediate results
Offering limited data and metric access

Real Estate Advertising Comparison: Google vs. Social Media

When it comes to property marketing strategies, Google and social media each have their place. Real estate agent marketing doesn’t depend on a Google vs. social media competition. You should instead try a blend of both advertising tools to target customers based on their stage in the buyer’s journey.

Use Social Media To Grow Your Audience

Treat social media platforms as promotional tools rather than selling spaces. You’ll reach nearby residents who might not want to buy or sell now but will remember your agency later. Effective social media use involves:

Regularly posting valuable content: Give your followers some insider knowledge about how to hire agents, find fair property prices, and other pertinent topics.
Engaging with local real estate groups: Facebook features location-based groups, many of which focus on buying, selling, and renting properties.
Conversing with followers in comment sections: Your followers will remember that you took the time to engage with their questions or concerns.
Choosing platforms populated by your target audience: We recommend Instagram and Facebook for developing a following of current or potential homebuyers and sellers.

Think of social media as a brand-building tool for real estate agencies. While you can always publish an ad, you’ll likely find more success by engaging with your audience and building a trustworthy, memorable digital presence.

Use Google To Connect With Buyers

If you want a tool specifically for the online promotion of real estate, you will find no contest between Google and social media platforms. Google Ads targets searchers currently intending to buy since their search terms typically reflect this intent. Platforms like Facebook prove instrumental in retargeting them after engaging with a Google ad. For instance, if users are delving into the home-buying process, consider directing them to our dedicated page on the home-buying process. This not only offers valuable insights but also boosts their confidence in choosing us for their real estate needs.

The overall cost for your campaign depends on your location, the keywords you use, and the number of people you want to reach.