Whether you’re new to real estate ads or seasoned in real estate advertising, this guide will help you improve your ad strategy. Using ads in your overall lead gen strategy is a way to leverage your time and get in front of more qualified leads faster, versus marketing, which is more useful for building brand awareness.
The better your ads, the more people you will help and the more income you will earn. Keep reading to learn why it’s worth advertising, where to place ads, best practices, what to include in your ads, plus see some examples of creative real estate ads.
Why you should advertise
Unless you’re purchasing a retiring agent’s book of business and inheriting their database, you’ll need to find ways to meet potential clients. One common misconception I see newly licensed real estate agents have is the idea that once they get their license, clients will magically appear. If you’ve been in the business for a while, you know that’s simply not true. We have to advertise. Here’s why:
- Find qualified leads faster. The purpose of paid advertising versus marketing is to capture and convert leads, as opposed to building brand awareness. This is a more targeted approach and is meant to reach potential buyers and sellers who are ready and willing to move soon.
- Buy back your time. Real estate advertising allows you to leverage your time, finding leads faster in exchange for paying for ads. Many ad services allow you to “set it and forget it,” freeing up your time to service your existing clients and nurture your sphere, while the ads you’re running do the work to find new leads for you.
- Higher ROI. When executed strategically, the return on investment (ROI) can be massive, especially if you work in a market with a higher-than-average price point. If the average cost per lead on Google ads is $53, chances are that’s well worth it for the potential commission.
- Build your database. When you’re just starting out in the real estate industry or if you’ve recently moved to a new area, paid advertising can be a helpful tool in building your database of leads faster. These leads can turn into clients who can turn into referral partners, and before you know it, you have a solid database feeding you referrals.
- Never have to cold call. Running real estate ads means people are curious about what you’re offering, and they’re reaching out to you for more information. For most agents (including myself), inbound inquiries are much more pleasant to work with and easier to convert than outbound, i.e. cold calling.
For help creating and running ads, check out Lone Wolf. Their service, Boost, offers complete ad management for real estate agents, so you don’t have to figure it out on your own! Reach buyers and sellers with geo-targeting to generate leads and build your sphere of influence. You can also track your performance and tweak your ads to guarantee they’re capturing the right audience.
Where to advertise
There are lots of options in advertising channels, and the best places to advertise do change over time. Newspaper ads used to be all the rage, but advertising online has become the primary place to reach a new audience (for the most part). Here are our recommendations for where to place your real estate ads now:
- Google. As the largest search engine, using Google ads for real estate agents is a tried and true way to find clients who are searching online, either for a home to buy or for an agent to sell their house. A “find out what your home is worth” style call to action works well here. Direct people to your website with a lead capture tool, and if you don’t have a great website that can capture leads, check out Market Leader to get one set up.
- YouTube. Owned by Google, YouTube is another powerful search engine in and of itself. Place a targeted in-stream real estate ad using a compelling call to action, and reach a whole new audience.
- Facebook and Instagram. Social media advertising has been around for a while, yet it’s still one of the best places to find real estate clients. Using Instagram or Facebook ads for real estate enables you to increase your visibility to your existing audience while also attracting new potential clients. Use a service like RealGeeks to streamline your Facebook ad creation and see even better results.
- Tiktok. Did you know you can run ads on TikTok? This platform has built out an entire marketing and advertising arm, allowing you to focus on converting visitors to buyers and broadening your reach. Since it’s a newer platform than some other social media sites, it’s also less saturated by comparison.
- Your local chamber of commerce. If you’re already involved in your local chamber of commerce, consider going to the next level and spending some of your ad budget to advertise with them. Sponsor an event or pay to run an ad on the chamber’s website. This positions you as a leader in the organization and provides more exposure for your real estate business. However, I’d only recommend this if you’re already a member; if people don’t already know who you are, it may not be the best use of money.
- Radio and TV. Less popular in 2025 than in decades past, sure, yet these mediums for real estate advertising are still powerful when used correctly. It’s best for established agents looking to increase their local exposure, particularly in the senior housing markets. If you’ve ever seen agents doing TV commercials with celebrities like Barbara Corcoran, you can see how impactful and memorable these ads can be.
- Wherever you hang out. Yoga studios, coffee shops, your local library – all great spots to place your real estate ads. Some places may even allow you to post your ad for free if you’re a regular customer and send them plenty of business. Advertise your upcoming local events, such as a first-time buyer seminar, using a paper flyer, and ask the business owner to share it on their social media accounts, as well.
- Community festivals or farmers’ markets. Hosting a booth at a local festival or farmer’s market can provide amazing exposure for your real estate business. You not only have the opportunity to advertise your business with a large sign and table, but you also get to interact first-hand with members of your community.
Pro Tip
Give away a desirable prize (I’ve had success with Yeti coolers) and have people enter to win by filling out their contact info; you get their contact information and they get a chance to win the prize.
What to include in your real estate ads
Now that you know why you should advertise your real estate business and where to place your ads, you’re probably wondering what to say in your ads. Here’s what we recommend you include in your real estate advertisements.
A. Catchy title and image
Draw them in with a unique and catchy title and image. All ads are competing for viewers’ attention, so make sure yours stands out. Example: “Things I wish buyers knew before starting their home search” with an image of yourself. Using yourself in your ads (instead of stock images) builds intimacy and helps prospects feel like they know you. This type of ad does double duty as branding!
B. Advice and tips – info the public can’t get on their own
The internet may seem like the hub for all knowledge, but there’s some information buyers and sellers either can’t get on their own or won’t go to the trouble of finding on their own. That’s where you come in. Interpret hyper-local market data for them, such as how quickly homes are selling in a specific neighborhood.
Ads like “5 mistakes to avoid when buying your first home” or “3 home repairs to do before selling your home” are perfect for your social media real estate ads. They position you as the expert while subtly demonstrating to the viewer that there are indeed things they don’t know about the home buying and selling processes. This knowledge gap will encourage them to reach out to you for help.
C. Strong call to action
Your call to action (CTA) is the reason people are going to reach out to you. Be sure it’s as compelling as possible. Offer to provide a resource or information if they reach out to you. Example: “Text me at (number) for your free guide to preparing your home for sale” or “DM me to receive my exclusive list of off-market homes for sale.”
D. Your contact information
Do you want them to call, text, email or DM you? Regardless, be sure people know how to get in touch with you. Make it easy for them to reach out to you, and keep your messaging consistent across all your real estate ads.
Another great tool for creating ads is Real Geeks. Explore how their system creates and runs ads for you, funneling leads directly to your website.
Best practices for real estate advertising
You’ll be spending hard-earned money on your real estate ads, so it’s worth taking the time to make sure they’re the best they can be. Follow our best practices to improve the effectiveness of your ad strategy:
- Track your results. Pay attention to what’s working and what’s not. Track every lead that comes in, and revisit your ad strategy quarterly to determine which ads to continue and which ads to change or get rid of entirely.
- Get referrals before committing to an ad source. Ask around your office to find out what’s been working for other agents. Especially for more expensive advertising services, you will want to get a referral or testimonial from another agent to guarantee it’s worth it.
- Test your call to action. If you’re unsure if your call to action is strong enough, test it out on your friends, family and maybe even your existing social media audience. See what the response is and tweak your CTA if it’s not compelling enough.
- A/B test different versions of the same ad. A/B testing means running two similar versions of the same ad at the same time, with one main difference between them, then tracking the results to see which version performs better. Remember running science experiments in school, with only one variable changed? Same concept. This practice will help you hone in on the best language to use in your ads to improve your results.
Real estate ads examples
Check out some of our favorite examples of powerful and creative real estate ad ideas.
Example 1
Why this works: Margeaux’s ad includes a clear audience and a desirable giveaway, with instructions on how to obtain the list of “50 ways for sellers to sell faster and for more money.” It also includes a photo of her and her husband looking directly at the camera, which creates some intimacy with the viewer.
Example 2
Why this works: A giveaway is a great tool for encouraging viewers to engage with your content and to provide you with their contact information. This makes a fantastic real estate ad; who wouldn’t want to win three nights on the Cape?
Example 3
Why this works: This is a good ad example of letting the public peek behind the curtain and get insider info from the real estate expert. It draws the viewer in and makes them want to learn more.
Example 4
Why this works: Another example of offering a freebie that’s full of insider knowledge, plus it’s targeted to buyers specifically interested in new construction. For agents working in the new construction niche, this is a perfect idea for an ad. Be sure to include the CTA like Jamie did at the end.
Example 5
Why this works: In a saturated market, there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of real estate agents competing for these top spots on Google. You can jump to the top of the list by paying for a sponsored ad; in that case, you’ll show up at the top of a buyer or seller’s Google search, as seen above.
Example 6
Why this works: This title really draws the viewer in. Any homeowner thinking about selling their house would be intrigued by the prospect of selling as-is for cash. This is a sponsored ad on YouTube, which is why it’s at the very top of the search results when I searched “selling a house.” If you have the budget for it, use this strategy to be at the top of the list on YouTube.
The full picture
Real estate ads are an important component of many agents’ overall lead generation strategy. Become an expert in running ads to leverage your time, find more leads faster and grow your database in a new area. Remember to be consistent and try new things, while tracking your results to see what works best!
About Ashley Harwood
Ashley Harwood began her real estate career in 2013 and built a six-figure business as a solo agent before launching Move Over Extroverts in 2018. She developed training materials, classes, and coaching programs for her fellow introverts. Beginning in 2020, Ashley served as Director of Agent Growth for three Keller Williams offices in the Boston metro area. She’s now the Lead Listing agent for the Fleet Homes team in Massachusetts and a regular contributor to Vetted by HousingWire. She created The Quiet Success curriculum and has taught thousands of real estate agents nationwide. She has also been a guest speaker at top industry events and has been named a leading real estate coach by prominent industry publications.