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We've been running Google Ads for agents since COVID. Back then, leads were cheap, competition was low, and most brokerages hadn’t touched paid traffic.
Now?
The market’s more competitive than ever but our system still works.
This is the same framework we’ve used to drive consistent seller and buyer leads for as little as $13.57 per lead even in high-cost markets.
And in 2025, it’s never been more important to stand out and convert cold searches into real conversations.
If you're an agent, broker, or marketing team wondering what actually works in today’s market this guide will show you how to build a real estate Google Ads system that scales.
We use the CANS Framework.
Each phase serves a role in the funnel. If you're missing one, you're wasting money.
Your search campaign. Targets intent-based buyers and sellers actively searching for homes.
Goal: Show up when people are already looking. Think "homes for sale in [city]" or "top listing agents near me."
Your retargeting engine. Reminds, reinforces, and re-engages.
Goal: Build trust, reposition the offer, and re-capture clicks from people who didn’t convert on the first touch.
Your backend email and SMS sequences. Turn cold leads into hot conversations.
Goal: Follow up automatically and personally. Speed matters here. Leads that aren’t followed up in 5 minutes might as well not exist.
Your actual experience. Not ad-related, but still critical.
Goal: Deliver what you promise in your copy. Great marketing kills a bad client experience faster.
Start with Google Keyword Planner. If you have access to Ahrefs or SEMrush, even better. You're looking for:
These are your Catch campaign keywords. They signal buying or selling intent.
For Amplify campaigns, focus on pain points:
Pair those with retargeting audiences to go deep.
Target your actual farm. Zip codes. Cities. Radius around listings.
Make sure your ad copy reflects the location this increases click-through rate and Quality Score.
“View All Homes for Sale in Charlotte Under $400K Updated Hourly”
Layer Presence with Interest.
This means targeting users in the location AND interested in the location great for relocation campaigns.
You’ll find this under Location Options → Presence or Interest.
Use Interest-based targeting for high-end listings, out-of-state buyers, or second-home investors.
Running ads without tracking is like flying blind. You need visibility into what’s actually working not just clicks, but conversations, appointments, and closings.
Here’s how we recommend setting it up:
Pro Tip: If you use tools like Follow Up Boss, Sierra, or KVCore, pipe the lead data into a shared sheet so you can attribute deals back to campaigns over time.
Tracking doesn’t just prove ROI it helps you double down on the campaigns that actually move the needle.
Focus on specificity and intent.
Example structure:
Headline 1: Homes for Sale in [City]
Headline 2: Updated Every 15 Minutes
Headline 3: Find Your Dream Home Now
Description:
Search Every Listing in [City] No Sign-Up Required.
Get Property Alerts, Market Insights, and More.
Use keywords in headlines and descriptions. Google bolds them in search boosts trust and CTR.
Run a Performance Max campaign with your retargeting list uploaded. Add creatives that address objections or reframe the offer.
Example Amplify Ads:
Make sure your landing page matches the ad theme. Consistency = conversions.
Best for targeting high-intent users actively searching for what you offer. Your Catch Campaigns live here.
Great for broad visibility and conversions. Uses AI to place your ads across Google properties.
Pro Tip: Exclude non-converting placements early.
Still newer. These show on YouTube, Gmail, Discovery more like Facebook-style push ads.
Use for broad awareness, especially on retargeting.
Pro Tip: If you’re running short-form video for Instagram or TikTok reuse that here.
The days of throwing up an ad and getting 100 leads for $5 are long gone.
But the opportunity is still massive if you build a system that mirrors how real buyers and sellers move through the process.
Google Ads is not about volume. It’s about precision, positioning, and persistence.
If you’d like us to help implement this system for your market we’re happy to show what it looks like under the hood.
