Most real estate agents are aware that in order to be successful, they have to adapt to new technology and lead generation methods. The ability to generate leads through effective digital marketing campaigns is probably the most critical skill to have the competitive real estate industry. How can you sell a house if you have no one to sell it to?
In days gone by, real estate agents relied heavily on networking, post cards, and even going door-to-door. Today this strategy doesn’t quite cut it. Half the people at the networking event are glued to their phones, and the other half is lounging by the fireplace waiting for their Uber Eats delivery to arrive.
So, how do you capture new leads in today’s increasingly digital society? Facebook, of course! According to a recent study by Statista, the average person spends 33 minutes per day on Facebook giving you, the realtor, a great opportunity to get in front of the people that matter most to your business.
Real Estate Facebook Ads
Facebook advertising is the most cost effective way to generate real estate leads today. In fact, most of our clients get a 7x return-on-investment. But what is the strategy behind it? How can you maximize your budget so that you don’t waste your money on failed campaigns?
Here are five effective tips to ensure you get more leads from your facebook ads.
1) Include Social Proof in Your Facebook Ads
Social proof can dramatically increase your Facebook Ads’ conversion rate. Use snippets of positive reviews or include short reviews in your ad copy.
If you have testimonial videos available, consider using those as ad creatives. Seeing actual customers and hearing about their experiences will do wonders for your conversion rate.
Pro Tip: Make sure you are sharing post ID’s when possible. This will allow you to aggregate the social proof you’ve paid for.
2) Use Short Copy and Eye-Catching Visuals
When writing your ad copy, try to keep it fairly short. Most of the time, you should be able to say everything you need within a few sentences.
If your ad copy is a wall of text, most people won’t bother reading it.
Use simple language and avoid technical terms and jargon. The Hemingway Editor (hemingwayapp.com) is a great tool to edit your writing and make it more readable. Aim for a Grade 7 readability score in the Hemingway Editor.
Finally, proofread your copy to ensure that it’s completely error-free. You can use Grammarly (grammarly.com) to check for any mistakes.
When planning your creatives, keep in mind that Facebook users look at photos and videos all day long. If you want to catch their attention, you need to use visuals that stand out from the rest of the FB newsfeed. Try to avoid using colours that are similar to Facebook branding and platform UI eg. Blue and White.
Also, limit the amount of text you put in your images and videos – you don’t want to get penalized by Facebooks 20% text rule.
When in doubt, use Facebook’s Image Text Check tool to check if you’re using too much text in your creatives. You can find the tool here: https://www.facebook.com/ads/tools/text_overlay
3) Use a Lead Magnet In Your Real Estate Facebook Ads
A lead magnet is a valuable piece of content that you give someone in exchange for their contact info. For example, you could compile a list of homes for sale in the $500k range in your area.
Everyone who downloads the list is likely looking to move, and they have given you their contact info. All you need to do is follow up with them.
You can also use the magnet to qualify your prospect, build trust, and show your expertise.
Here is my recent blog post showing 11 Great Lead Magnets for Real Estate Facebook Ads.
4) Optimize Your Landing Pages
Your landing pages will have a significant impact on the performance of your ads. To ensure the best ROI on your Facebook Ads, you should spend some time working on your landing pages.
Your landing page should be a continuation of your ads. Use the same branding and tone of voice on your ads and landing pages. If your ad has a fun tone, don’t make your landing page copy dead serious.
You also need to deliver on any promise that you made in the ad. Does your ad copy mention a free home valuation? If so, your landing page needs to restate the offer clearly.
For best results, include testimonials or reviews to convey trust and authority.
5) Rotate Your Ads
If users keep seeing the same ad over and over, eventually they’ll start ignoring it. This is what we call ad fatigue, and it can make costs spiral and conversions crumble.
If your CPM and CPA increase and your relevance scores go down, users are most likely getting tired of your ad.
To avoid ad fatigue, rotate or update your ads periodically. Change ad copy, creatives and headlines.
Creating real estate Facebook ads doesn’t need to be a draining or daunting task. Take these tips, create an ad, and watch the leads start rolling in!
Alternatively, book a free consultation, and we help you get started.