Are you prospecting hard enough? If you’ve ever felt that gnawing question—especially in the world of real estate—you’re not alone. Every time I’m on the road, agents come up and ask me about the secret sauce to stand out in a crowded digital marketplace. And I gotta say, the interesting thing is that many of them haven’t fully embraced a well-rounded digital advertising playbook. They might dabble in a Facebook ad here or there, or start a Google PPC campaign but pause it after a couple of months. But a patchwork approach won’t cut it if you really want to scale your business. So here’s the deal: If you’re ready to fill your pipeline with quality leads (buyers and sellers alike), you’ll need a more strategic, consistent approach to digital advertising. And I want to make sure you don’t miss this: digital ads aren’t just about throwing money at Facebook. We’re talking about a diversified strategy that includes search, social, retargeting, email funnels, and more—plus a few personal touches to make your brand pop. In this guide, you’ll learn 7 tried-and-true tactics (many of which I’ve tested—or seen agents I coach test) that can help you become a marketing rockstar in your local market. Let’s dive in.
What’s interesting is that while Facebook’s ad platform has gotten more restrictive with targeting options (especially for housing-related ads), it’s still a powerful tool. Why? Because people practically live on Facebook (and Instagram) several hours a day. If you place well-crafted ads in their newsfeed—ads that speak to real estate pain points—chances are you’ll catch their interest.
According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), 97% of homebuyers look online when searching for a home. If you’re not hitting them on Facebook (or other social platforms) with targeted ads, you’re missing a massive chunk of potential clients.
CTA: Don’t wait another year to master Facebook Ads. Sit down this week, open Ads Manager, and craft a compelling, hyper-local campaign.
Facebook might be where to run ads for less expensive leads, but Google PPC is where you catch high-intent leads—people literally searching “Realtor in [YourCity],” “Best real estate agent near me,” or “Sell my home fast in [Neighborhood].” You can’t get more bottom-of-the-funnel than that.
When I typed “real estate agent in [City]” into Google last month, the top two spots were dominated by big-name brokerages who spent big bucks. But guess what? You don’t need a monstrous budget if you’re strategic. You just need to choose your keywords wisely and maybe target a narrower geographic region.
Every time I’m speaking at events, I hear agents asking how to lower their PPC costs. One agent I know in a small Colorado town ran a “Sell My House in Durango” campaign. She targeted only a 10-mile radius. Her cost per lead was under $6 because she avoided the competitive metro areas. She consistently picked up 5–10 leads a month—easy enough for her to handle and a great flow for new listings.
Watch your budget daily. PPC can drain your funds if you’re not monitoring. Also, test different ad copy to see what resonates best.
Do you feel like you’ve tried hard enough to capture all those site visitors who slip away? Retargeting ads (on Facebook, Instagram, or the Google Display Network) let you “follow” people who’ve visited your website. Show them relevant ads again and again—like a friendly nudge saying, “Still thinking about moving?”
And I’ll give you an example of this: An agent friend had a “Home Valuation” landing page that got a decent amount of traffic. But visitors wouldn’t always submit their contact info. She set up a retargeting ad that showed them a quick 15-second video about how the valuation process works. Conversions went up by 30% because those hesitant visitors got a second or third reminder that they could quickly learn their home’s value—no pressure.
Retargeting works because brand familiarity builds trust. By the time a lead finally opts in, they’ve seen your face (or your branding) multiple times. In a sea of real estate agents, guess who they’ll remember?
CTA: If you haven’t installed retargeting pixels on your website, do it ASAP. Then create one or two simple retargeting ads—one for sellers, one for buyers—and watch your conversions climb.
Now what I love about YouTube is that it’s essentially a search engine for videos. People type queries like “Moving to [City]?” or “Best neighborhoods in [Town]?” If you create videos addressing these topics, you can show up in search results. And if you want a leg up, run some YouTube ads to reach more eyeballs. YouTube’s average cost per click is impressively fair—avergaing a couple of cents. For just a couple dollars per day, you can expect thousands of views each month.
I remember an agent in Florida who did a “10 Best Beachfront Neighborhoods” video. She was shy on camera but once she posted it, it got traction from folks planning to move there from out of state. She added a small budget to promote the video to people searching “moving to Florida” or “Florida real estate.” She started getting direct messages like, “Hey, saw your video. Could we chat about some neighborhoods?”
YouTube has over 2.5 billion monthly logged-in users. Even a tiny fraction of that could flood your funnel if you target locally and create compelling content.
CTA: Brainstorm 2–3 video topics you could film this month. Don’t overthink production quality—just start. Then consider a small ad budget to boost your local reach.
Digital ads can drive awareness, but you need a system to nurture those leads. Enter email marketing. If you capture someone’s email via a lead form, your follow-up game needs to be strong—like a short sequence of messages that introduce yourself, share valuable content, and invite them to take the next step.
People aren’t always ready to buy or sell the moment they click your ad. They might be 6 months to a year out. A well-structured email sequence keeps you on their radar until they’re prepared to act. And I want to make sure you don’t miss this: According to Campaign Monitor, the average ROI on email is $44 for every $1 spent. It’s one of the best channels you have to find your next closing, so don’t ignore it.
One of my favorite sequences is a 5-day “Get to Know Your Local Market” series. Day 1: “Your Market Overview.” Day 2: “5 Best Neighborhoods for Families.” Day 3: “Tips for Prepping Your Home to Sell.” And so on. By the end, they see you as a friendly expert who’s got the scoop on everything local.
CTA: If you don’t have an email sequence set up, draft a simple 3–5 email campaign. Focus on local insights, free resources, and a clear path to scheduling a call with you.
Yes, paid ads can bring instant leads, but what about organic traffic? That’s where Local SEO steps in. When someone searches “Real estate agent in [YourTown],” you want your website or Google Business Profile to pop up. Think of it as the gift that keeps on giving—no pay-per-click fees, just organic leads.
Most homebuyers or sellers do a quick Google search to find an agent. If your website is nowhere to be found, you’re missing out. Even optimizing your Google Business Profile with your correct address, phone number, and a handful of reviews can boost your local ranking.
CTA: Pick one day a week to work on your local SEO—maybe add a new blog post, gather a review, or tweak your keywords. Over time, you’ll see the compound effect.
You’ve put money into Facebook Ads, tried Google PPC, set up retargeting, launched a few YouTube videos, refined your email funnels, and worked on local SEO. Great—but do you know which one’s actually converting leads into appointments?
Without proper data, you’re guessing which channel yields the best ROI. That might be okay for your first month, but eventually, you want to pour more budget into what’s working—and cut what’s not.
I recall an agent who tried both Facebook Ads and Google PPC. She swore Facebook was better because it was cheaper. But once she tracked actual closings (not just lead volume), she realized her Google leads were more “ready to go,” leading to a higher close rate whereas her closings from Facebook took 18 months on average to transact. Even though those leads cost more per click, they netted more deals. She pivoted her budget accordingly, dropping Facebook to 30% of her spend and increasing Google to 70%.
CTA: Spend a few hours each month reviewing your analytics. If something’s killing your budget without delivering results, adjust or drop it. Double down on the winners.
You’ve just absorbed a 7-step digital advertising playbook. These strategies aren’t rocket science, but they require consistent execution:
Don’t treat these strategies as one-offs. They work best when they complement each other. Imagine a lead sees your Facebook ad, visits your website, gets pixeled for retargeting, and signs up for your email series—then receives your monthly local market update. By the time they’re ready to sell, you’re the top name on their mind.
Why reinvent the wheel when you can see the top-performing real estate ads in action? Our Best Ads Library gives you exclusive access to real, high-converting digital ad campaigns that are driving results for agents right now.
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