Real Estate: Facebook Ads Strategies

Facebook Ads allow real estate agents to get in front of the right people at the right time. Whether you’re promoting a luxury property or generating leads for first-time homebuyers, Facebook’s advanced targeting options make it easier than ever to reach users who are most likely to engage with your ads.

It is important to understand the different elements of a Facebook Ad. But at the same time: if you don't have time or don't want to make time to do this all yourself, that is very understandable. That is why we created Roya, everything from targeting to writing the copy will be done for you. And it will continiously optimize your ads, so you don't miss out on any potential buyers. Curious how it works? Click here to see a demo.

Back to Facebook Ads. Potential homebuyers are online now more than ever. According to recent studies, over 90% of homebuyers start their search online. With Facebook’s massive user base and precise targeting tools, it’s one of the most powerful platforms for connecting with buyers and sellers.

Not to mention, Facebook’s average conversion rate of 9.21% for ads is higher than most other platforms. Whether you’re aiming to book more showings or sell properties faster, Facebook Ads should be a cornerstone of your real estate marketing strategy.

Step 1: Set Up Your Facebook Business Page for Ads

Before you run any ads, you need a strong foundation—your Facebook Business Page. Think of this page as your website, but then on Facebook. It’s where potential clients will go to learn more about your real estate services, explore your listings, and contact you directly.

To set up your Facebook Business Page for success:

• High-Quality Photos: Use professional images of your properties, preferably high-resolution shots of interiors and exteriors. This builds trust.

• Complete Contact Info: Make sure your phone number, email, and website are easy to find.

• Call-to-Action Button (CTA): Include a clear CTA like “Schedule a Viewing” or “See Available Listings.”

• Post Regular Updates: Share new listings, open house events, and recent property sales to keep your page active and engaging.

A lot of real estate agents see this as a 'formality', but it plays a critical role in how well your ads perform. Facebook uses the information on your page to enhance your ad targeting and engagement.

Step 2: Selecting the Right Facebook Ad Format for Real Estate

Facebook offers several ad formats, but not all of them will work for your real estate campaigns. These formats will be the most effective for your campaigns:

• Carousel Ads: Use these to showcase multiple listings or different views of the same property. Each image can link to a specific page or listing, allowing users to explore multiple properties in one ad.

• Video Ads: Video is a probably the best format for real estate. Use video ads to offer virtual tours or show drone footage of properties. Facebook prioritizes video content, which can lead to better engagement and reach.

• Lead Ads: Make it easy for people to inquire about a property by filling out a form directly in the ad. With lead ads, users can submit their contact details without ever leaving Facebook, so it very user friendly.

Example: If you’re promoting a luxury property, use video ads to offer a guided virtual tour of the home. Highlight key features like a stunning backyard, modern kitchen, or the views to grab attention.

Step 3: Targeting the Right Audience with Facebook’s Tools

One of the biggest benefits of Facebook Ads is the targeting options. In real estate, this is important because you want your ads seen by people who are actively looking to buy or sell. With Facebook’s targeting tools, you can make sure it only reaches the people who are potential homebuyers. There are different tactic you can use:

• Location Targeting: Target specific neighborhoods, zip codes, or even a radius around a listing’s location. For example, if you’re selling in a specific area, you can focus your ads on potential buyers living nearby or in areas where people are known to relocate from.

• Demographic Targeting: You can narrow your audience by factors such as age, income, homeownership status, and even family size. This ensures your ads are seen by people who fit the profile of your ideal buyer or seller.

Tip: If you’re targeting first-time homebuyers, focus on younger audiences in the age range of 25-35 who show interest in real estate or home loans.

• Interest and Behavior Targeting: Go beyond demographics by targeting people based on their interests or behaviors. For example, you can reach users who have recently moved, are researching mortgages, or are likely to be in the market for a new home based on their online activity.

Step 4: Creating Engaging Ad Copy and Eye-Catching Visuals

Your visuals and copy are the first things potential clients see, so they need to be compelling. For real estate, this means high-quality photos or videos (as discussed in 'step 2)' paired with a clear, concise message that drives action.

Here’s how to write good ad copy:

• Be Specific: Don’t just say “Beautiful Home for Sale.” Instead, highlight a key feature like, “Spacious 4-bedroom home with a pool in [Your City].”

• Create Urgency: Words like “limited,” “exclusive,” or “book now” can encourage people to act faster.

• Use a Strong CTA: Your ad should always include a clear call-to-action, like “Schedule a Tour Today” or “Request a Free Home Valuation.”
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Don't want to write the ad cpy yourself? AI can help you, you can read all about it in this blog.

Step 5: Retargeting: Bringing Buyers Back

Once you launched your very first ads, it is important to keep in mind that not every potential buyer or seller is ready to buy immediately. We all know the 'rule of 7', this is a marketing principle that says someone needs to see your brand 7 times before they buy. A house is a big investment, so buyers want to feel confident about their decision.

So, most of the time, they need to see your listings a few more times before deciding to reach out. That’s why retargeting is so important. Facebook’s retargeting tools allow you to show ads to people who have already interacted with your website or Facebook page, reminding them of your listings and encouraging them to take the next step.

For example, if someone viewed a property on your website but didn’t schedule a tour or submit a contact form, retargeting ads can follow up with them, showing the same property they were interested in or even new listings. You can also retarget those who’ve engaged with your content but haven’t taken any concrete action yet.

Step 6: Budgeting and Testing: Maximize Your ROI

Setting the right budget for your Facebook Ads is key to success, but you don’t need a huge budget to get started. You can start small and scale up as you see what works. Start with a daily budget of around $10 to $20 and monitor the performance of your ads. As you see what’s working, you can increase your budget to focus on the top-performing ads.

Testing different versions of your ads (also known as A/B testing) is important to see what is working and what is not. Here’s what to test:

• Headlines: Try out different headlines to see which grabs more attention. For instance, test “Explore Luxury Homes in [City]” versus “Find Your Dream Home in [City].”

• Images vs. Videos: See if static images or video tours perform better with your audience.

• Call-to-Action: Test different CTAs, like “Book a Viewing” or “Get a Free Home Valuation,” to see which generates the most leads.

A/B testing is one of the most important things after launching, however it also takes a lot of time and knowledge. With Roya, A/B testing is simplified. Roya uses AI to automatically test different variations of your ads, optimizing them in real time. You don’t have to manually track and compare data across multiple campaigns. Roya analyzes the results for you and adjusts your ads to focus on the highest-performing combinations, so you ge the best return on your ad spend.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Facebook Ads are a powerful tool for real estate agents to reach the right buyers and sellers at the right time. By setting up a strong business page, selecting the right ad formats, targeting effectively, and using engaging visuals and copy, you can drive high-quality leads. Don’t forget to retarget interested prospects and continuously optimize your ads. If you’re short on time, Roya can handle everything from ad creation to A/B testing, ensuring your campaigns deliver maximum results with minimal effort.