Struggling to get quality leads from your real estate ads? Real estate PPC can feel like a money pit if you’re not running optimized campaigns. 💸
Click costs are rising, competition is fierce, and generic ad strategies just don’t cut it anymore. But in 2025, paid search remains one of the most powerful ways to attract serious buyers and sellers—if you know how to use it right.
This guide will break down everything you need to know about real estate PPC, from crafting high-converting ad copy to targeting the right audience and using modern PPC tools.
What is PPC in Real Estate?
Real estate pay-per-click advertising is all about paying for ads that show up when people search for properties or real estate services online. So, when someone types “homes for sale in [your city]” into Google, your ad can appear at the top of their search results.
The idea is simple: you only pay when someone clicks your ad, making it a great way to target potential buyers or sellers who are already interested in what you offer.
It’s like stepping up and making sure people know you’re there to assist, rather than waiting for them to find you on their own.
Why Realtors Need Google PPC
PPC for real estate offers some seriously valuable benefits, especially if you’re looking to stand out in a crowded market.
First off, it gives you instant visibility 👀.
As soon as you launch your ads, you’re showing up at the top of search results. This means potential clients can find you immediately, without having to wait for organic rankings to kick in. It’s perfect for when you’re looking to generate leads fast.
Next, targeting is a huge win. 🎯
With PPC, you can choose exactly who sees your ads, whether it’s people searching for homes in your area or those looking for specific types of properties. This precision makes your ad spend more effective because you’re reaching the right people at the right time.
Another perk is cost control. 💸
You decide your budget, and since you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, it’s an efficient way to spend your marketing dollars. No wasted spend here!
Lastly, you get measurable results.📊
PPC lets you track how many clicks, calls, or form submissions you’re getting, so you can tweak and improve your strategy as you go. It gives you a clear picture of what’s working and what isn’t.
Why Many Realtors Hesitate to Use Google Ads
Many realtors don’t use Google Ads as much as they should, and it often comes down to a few main concerns:
- Cost: The fear that Google Ads will be too expensive, especially with competitive keywords, can hold realtors back.
- Lack of Knowledge: PPC can seem overwhelming if you’re not familiar with how it works, from setting up campaigns to tracking results.
- Uncertain Results: Without proper tracking, it’s hard to see if Google Ads is truly bringing in valuable leads.
- Competition: Larger agencies with bigger budgets often dominate ad space, making it tough for smaller realtors to stand out. But it’s possible to increase your agency’s profitability.
- Time: Managing ads takes effort, and busy realtors may feel it’s easier to rely on traditional methods like word-of-mouth.
While these concerns are valid, Google Ads can still be a huge ally to your business, and there are AI tools now that let you solve all of these concerns.
How Does Google Ads Work?
Google Ads is an online advertising platform where you can create ads that appear on Google search results and across websites that partner with Google.
Here’s how it works:
- You set up an ad campaign: You create ads that are relevant to your business and decide what you want people to do when they click (like calling you or visiting your website).
- Choose your keywords: These are the words or phrases people are likely to type into Google when looking for services like yours. For example, “homes for sale in [your city]”.
- Set a budget: Decide how much you’re willing to pay per click on your ad. Google will show your ad based on how much you’re willing to bid for those keywords.
- Ads appear on Google: When someone searches for your keywords, your ad could show up at the top of the search results. The more relevant and specific your ad is, the better chance it has to show.
- You only pay when someone clicks: It’s a pay-per-click (PPC) system. You’re not paying for views or impressions, just for actual clicks on your ad.
- Track and tweak: Google Ads shows you how well your ads are doing – how many people clicked, what they did on your site, etc. You can adjust your ads or budget to make them work better.
Basically, you target the right people, set your budget, and Google shows your ad to the folks who are looking for what you offer.
How to Set Up a Real Estate PPC Campaign
Let’s set you up for success with 10 actionable tips and tools that anyone, even beginners, can use to start driving more leads and growing your real estate business.
1. Set Goals to Drive Success
Setting goals for your PPC campaign is where everything starts. It’s crucial because without clear objectives, you won’t know if your efforts are paying off.
- Define Your Primary Goal: What’s the most important outcome you want? Do you want more leads, more website traffic, or more phone calls? Be specific. For example, “Generate 50 new leads this month” or “Increase website visits by 30% in 2 weeks.”
- Break It Down: Once you have a big goal, break it down into smaller, measurable pieces (you’ll need some data for this, like your conversion rate). If your goal is to get 50 leads, figure out how many clicks you need, and how much you’re willing to pay per click.
- Set a Timeline: Make sure your goal has a clear deadline. Whether it’s weekly or monthly, a timeline will help keep you accountable and allow you to measure your progress.
- Align Goals with Your Budget: Your goal should align with your budget. If you want 50 leads, and your cost-per-click is $5, then plan to spend around $250. Make sure your goals are realistic for your budget.
- Track and Adjust: Once you’ve set your goal, make sure to track your performance using Google Ads’ tracking tools. If you’re not hitting your targets, adjust your keywords, bids, or ad copy.
2. Create Google Ads Account to Get Started
To get started with Google Ads, simply create an account on the Google Ads website. You’ll need to provide some basic info, like your business name, website, and payment details.
After you set up your account, you can start creating campaigns and ads right away. Now this is where it can get confusing, as you have a lot of different campaign types and objectives to choose from.
But there’s a much faster way to do all of this.
Connect your Google Ads account to OTTO Google Ads by Search Atlas and automate the whole process, while retaining maximum control, This helps you maximize your results with less effort!
3. Define Target Audience to Increase Relevance
Defining your target audience is key to making your PPC campaign work. You need to know exactly who you’re trying to reach—whether it’s first-time homebuyers, people looking to sell, or renters.
Once you know that, you can tailor your ads to speak directly to them. Use demographics, location, interests, and behaviors to narrow your audience.
The more specific you get, the more relevant your ads will be. This ensures your budget isn’t wasted on clicks that aren’t likely to convert.
4. Conduct Keyword Research to Find Opportunities
Keyword research is super important for your PPC campaigns. It makes sure your ads show up when people are actually looking for what you offer. The right keywords mean you get good leads and don’t waste money.
Here’s how Search Atlas can help you find those golden keywords:
Search Atlas Keyword Research Tool
Think of this keyword research tool as your keyword detective. 🕵️
Keyword Researcher digs up the best keywords by checking how often people search for them, how many other businesses are using them, and how closely they relate to your services.
You can search for specific real estate terms (like “condos downtown”) or broader ideas to find related keywords that might work well. Start by typing in what you do (like “homes for sale in [city]”) and see what it suggests.
You can then narrow down the list by search popularity and how competitive they are.
OTTO Google Ads by Search Atlas
OTTO GA is like having a keyword expert working for you 24/7. What makes it different is that it automatically finds and tweaks keywords specifically for Google Ads. It saves you a ton of time by:
- Creating a list of keywords that are the best for your campaign.
- Applying them with one click.
- Tracking how those keywords are actually doing.
- Suggesting changes in real-time, based on your ad results.
OTTO’s smart tech adjusts to your campaign, so you’re always targeting the best keywords without having to constantly fiddle with things. It’s not just about finding keywords; it’s about improving your strategy as you go, making your ads more effective.
5. Build Campaign to Reach Your Audience
Building a campaign that directly targets your audience is a game changer for your real estate business, and OTTO Google Ads makes it super easy.
It leverages advanced AI to analyze your website and understand your goals, then automatically creates a customized Google Ads campaign in just a few clicks.
With OTTO, you don’t have to stress about organizing ad groups or selecting keywords—it does all that work for you, ensuring that your ads hit the right people and have the best chance of converting.
6. Write Ads to Attract Potential Clients
Writing ads that attract potential clients is crucial for your PPC campaign, and OTTO Google Ads makes it easy.
The AI generates compelling ad copy tailored to your real estate business, focusing on key selling points and unique value propositions. It creates multiple ad variations, ensuring your ads resonate with your audience and align with what they’re searching for.
OTTO optimizes each ad for relevance and performance, including catchy headlines and clear calls-to-action. It’s been created by a platform which has already built AI copywriting tools.
Once you review the ads in your dashboard, you can approve them and let OTTO launch them across your campaigns.
7. Set Budget to Manage Spend
Managing your PPC budget can be tricky without the right tools. You need to manually adjust bids, track performance, and optimize your budget based on what’s working and what isn’t.
It involves constant monitoring and a lot of guesswork, which can lead to overspending or missing opportunities.
While Google offers some automation options, OTTO Google Ads helps you do this effortlessly. Once your campaign is set up, OTTO automatically adjusts bids and optimizes your budget allocation for maximum ROI. 💰
It analyzes the performance of your ads and reallocates the budget to the most successful campaigns, ensuring your money is being spent wisely.
With OTTO, you can easily set a daily or monthly budget, and the AI will manage your spending by prioritizing high-performing keywords and ad groups.
8. Develop Landing Pages to Convert Visitors
Developing landing pages that convert visitors is a key step in making your PPC campaigns effective.
Even if your ads are on point, if your landing page doesn’t align with the ad’s promise, you’ll lose potential clients. A great landing page should be clear, focused, and guide visitors towards taking action—whether it’s filling out a form, making a call, or scheduling a consultation.
With Search Atlas’ AI Landing Page Builder, creating high-converting pages is simple.
The tool uses AI to automatically generate layouts, headlines, and content that match your goals and audience. You can customize the design to fit your brand while ensuring everything is optimized for conversion.
The builder helps you create landing pages that work. It focuses on things that matter: strong calls to action, elements that build trust, and words that convince people to do what you want (like what they clicked on in your ad). This makes sure your landing page connects with visitors and gets them to take the next step.
9. Track Conversions to Measure Effectiveness
Tracking PPC data is crucial because it helps you understand if your campaigns are working and where to make improvements.
Without tracking PPC data, you won’t know if you’re getting the best return on your investment or which areas need adjustments. By using Adwords reporting tools and measuring key metrics like conversions, click-through rates, and cost per conversion, you can make data-driven decisions.
OTTO GA’s Report Builder simplifies this process. It allows you to track key metrics, like conversion rates and clicks, and data such as demographics, calls, and more.
As a part of a wider digital marketing platform, It can also integrate other marketing data, such as SEO metrics, Facebook Ads, and Google Business Profile information.
The tool also generates AI-powered summaries for easy sharing and even lets you schedule reports to be sent automatically, saving you time while keeping everyone updated.
10. Optimize Campaigns to Improve Performance
Optimizing your campaigns is key to improving performance and getting the best return on your investment. Without optimization, you risk wasting your budget on underperforming ads and miss opportunities to target the right audience.
OTTO Google Ads makes optimization effortless. Its AI analyzes your campaigns and automatically suggests improvements, whether it’s adjusting bids, refining ad copy, or selecting better-performing keywords.
By continuously learning from campaign data, OTTO ensures your ads are always aligned with your goals, improving click-through rates and reducing costs per conversion. This lets you focus on strategy while OTTO handles the optimization for better results.
Do It Faster and More Efficiently With AI: OTTO Google Ads
Say goodbye to manual setup! With OTTO GA, all you need to do is connect your account, and the rest is automated.
In fact, there’s no need for manual work of any kind.
It automates everything, saving you time and effort.
Plus, OTTO GA is part of an all-in-one platform that brings together SEO, PPC, content, and digital PR. That means you can keep tabs on all your marketing data in one place—finally, some peace of mind.
And there’s more.
OTTO Google Ads tracks your campaigns in real time, making automatic adjustments to improve click-through and conversion rates. From creating campaigns and finding the right keywords to writing ad copy, setting bids, and tracking performance, it handles it all for you.
It’s the first AI tool with full automation for Google Ads. So, you can relax while OTTO takes care of your PPC. 🚀
Real Estate PPC is Now Easy With OTTO Google Ads
In real estate, every lead counts—and PPC is one of the fastest ways to connect with motivated buyers and sellers. But managing campaigns manually? That can drain your time and budget. That’s where OTTO Google Ads steps in.
Powered by AI and built into the Search Atlas platform, OTTO handles the heavy lifting, optimizing bids, targeting, and ad performance in real-time. You stay in control while automation works behind the scenes to maximize your ROI.
Why waste time on guesswork when AI can do the hard part for you? Try OTTO Google Ads with a free trial and see how effortless real estate PPC can be!
