How to Run Retargeting Ads for Warm Buyer Leads

Retargeting helps you stay in front of people who have already shown interest. These are warm buyers. They have seen your listing, watched your video, clicked your post, or visited your website. Retargeting brings them back so they book an inspection, ask a question, or make an offer.

This guide shows you a simple, clear way to set up retargeting on Meta and on Google. It uses plain steps, ready for a busy property professional.

What retargeting is and why it works

Retargeting means showing ads to people who have already interacted with you. The ads remind them to take the next step.

Why it works for property

• Buyers take time to decide. Retargeting keeps your listings top of mind.

• Repetition builds trust. Seeing your brand several times makes buyers more likely to act.

• Warm audiences cost less to convert than cold audiences.

• You can match the message to the action they took. For example property page viewers see inspection times.

What you need before you start

• A website you control with your listings or at least a landing page for each key property.

• Meta Pixel installed on your website or landing page.

• Google tag installed for Google Ads and YouTube retargeting.

• A clean CSV list from your CRM with open home attendees and recent buyer enquiries. Make sure you have consent to market.

• Clear goals such as book inspection, request price guide, download suburb report, join buyer alert list.

• Three to five strong images or a short video for each property or offer.

Tip
Ask your web person to install both the Meta Pixel and the Google tag on every page. Test by visiting your site and checking the events in the ad platforms.

Build your warm audience pools

Create separate groups. This lets you match the message to the buyer journey.

Website visitors

• All website visitors in the last 30 days

• Property detail page viewers in the last 14 days

• Visitors who spent more than 60 seconds on site

• Visitors who viewed inspection times or booked a viewing page

Social engagement

• People who watched at least 25 percent of your videos on Facebook or Instagram in the last 30 days

• People who engaged with your Instagram account or Facebook Page in the last 90 days

• People who opened a lead form but did not submit

First party lists

• Open home attendees from the past four weeks

• Enquiries from the past four weeks

• Past buyers who asked to receive updates

Make separate audiences for 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days. Short windows are high intent. Longer windows are useful for brand reminders.

Simple campaign structure on Meta

Follow these steps inside Meta Ads Manager.

1. Create Custom Audiences

   • Website visitors

   • Property page viewers

   • Video viewers

   • Page engagers

   • Customer list uploads from your CRM

2. Create your campaign

   • Objective Lead or Sales if you use on site lead capture

   • Name it Retargeting Warm Buyers

3. Create two ad sets

   • Ad Set 1 High intent last 14 days property page viewers and lead form opens

   • Ad Set 2 Broad warm last 30 to 90 days website visitors and engagers

   • Exclude recent converters if you track them to avoid waste

4. Placements

   • Advantage placements can work well

   • Remove Audience Network if your images look poor in that environment

5. Budget

   • Start with ten to twenty percent of your total monthly ad spend

   • Or start with a small daily amount and scale up when results appear

6. Frequency

   • Aim for a weekly frequency of two to four for high intent audiences

   • If frequency rises and results drop, refresh creative

7. Ads

   • Use a square image or short video

   • Add clear call to action such as Book an inspection or Get price guide

   • Use simple copy that speaks to the suburb, price band, and buyer need

8. Reporting

   • Track cost per lead, click through rate, and messages received

   • Watch frequency and unique reach to avoid ad fatigue

Simple campaign structure on Google and YouTube

Use Google Ads to follow your warm buyers across the web and on YouTube.

1. Build your segments

   • In Google Ads, create audience segments from your website tag

   • All visitors 30 days

   • Property detail pages 14 days

   • Viewed inspection times 7 days

2. Add customer match

   • Upload CSV lists of open home attendees and enquiries

   • Use email or mobile number fields if you have consent

3. Create Display remarketing

   • Campaign goal Leads or Website traffic

   • Target your warm segments only

   • Use responsive display ads with three to five images and two short headlines

4. Create YouTube retargeting

   • Use the same segments

   • Run skippable in stream ads with a 15 to 30 second video

   • Call to action Watch full tour or Book inspection

5. Budget and frequency

   • Keep budgets small at first

   • Use frequency capping at three impressions per day if needed

6. Measure

   • View through conversions can be strong on YouTube

   • Watch assisted conversions in the attribution reports

Creative that converts warm buyers

Match your message to their last action.

For property page viewers

• Headline Ready to see inside

• Body Book an inspection time for 23 Park Street. Short mid week and Saturday options.

• Button Book now

For video viewers

• Headline Loved the tour

• Body See floor plan, price guide, and location highlights.

• Button View details

For open home attendees

• Headline Next steps for 23 Park Street

• Body Missed a question during the inspection. Get the full information pack now.

• Button Get pack

For site visitors who did not enquire

• Headline Still looking in Newmarket

• Body Join the priority buyer list and hear about new homes before they hit the portals.

• Button Join list

Use strong images

• Hero front photo with clear angle

• Kitchen or outdoor area

• Floor plan preview

• Map crop showing proximity to key places

Keep copy under three short lines. Use suburb name, beds, baths, and one key feature such as pool, large block, or school zone.

Offers that move buyers forward

• Inspection booking link

• Price guide request

• Full information pack with floor plan and recent sales

• Suburb report or school zone guide

• Early access alerts for new listings

• Private viewing request form

Make each offer a simple one click action. Fewer fields gives more leads.

Budget, timing, and frequency

• Start at ten to twenty percent of your total monthly spend for retargeting

• Keep high intent groups funded first

• Run seven day windows for hot activity like launch week or price change

• Run 30 to 90 day windows for brand and future stock

• Watch frequency. If people see your ad more than six times a week and do not act, change the creative or pause that audience

Measure results and improve

Key metrics to watch

• Cost per lead and cost per booked inspection

• Click through rate on Meta and Google

• Frequency and unique reach

• Leads by audience segment for example property viewers vs general visitors

• View through conversions on YouTube

Weekly actions

• Swap in a new image for any ad with falling click through rate

• Refresh the call to action if frequency is above four and results slow

• Move more budget to the best performing audience

• Exclude people who have converted to avoid waste

Use retargeting for common real world goals

New listing launch

• Day 1 to 3 Retarget website visitors and social engagers with the hero image

• Day 4 to 7 Retarget property page viewers with inspection times and price guide

Price reduction

• Retarget everyone who viewed the listing in the last 30 days

• Use copy that invites a second look and highlights the new price guide

Private sale or off market stock

• Retarget warm website visitors and video viewers with a soft offer

• Invite them to join the priority list for early access

Open home follow up

• Upload attendee list from the weekend

• Show an ad with answers to common questions

• Provide a button to request a contract or make an offer

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Small audience size

• Combine similar audiences such as all site visitors and all page engagers

• Extend the window from 14 days to 30 days

High frequency with poor results

• Rotate new images weekly

• Change the offer from price guide to inspection booking or to suburb report

No tracking

• Add a simple thank you page after each form

• Use that page as a conversion event so you can see true results

Wrong message

• Match creative to behaviour

• If they watched a video, show the floor plan and a short tour

• If they viewed inspection times, show an easy booking link

Seven day launch plan

Day 1
Install Meta Pixel and Google tag on all pages. Create audiences for website visitors, property page viewers, video viewers, and engagers.

Day 2
Upload your open home and enquiry lists. Create Customer Match and Custom Audiences.

Day 3
Write three short ad copies and choose five images or one video for each property. Prepare a suburb report or information pack.

Day 4
Launch Meta campaign with two ad sets. High intent 14 days and Broad warm 30 to 90 days.

Day 5
Launch Google Display remarketing with your warm segments. Add YouTube if you have a short video.

Day 6
Check delivery, frequency, and click through rates. Swap any weak images.

Day 7
Review leads and bookings. Move budget to the best performing ad set. Add a fresh creative for week two.

Copy and prompt swipe file

Use or adapt these lines in your ads.

Short headlines

• Book an inspection this week

• Price guide and floor plan inside

• See it before the weekend

• Missed the open. Watch the tour

• Looking in Paddington. Start here

Body copy

• You looked at 23 Park Street. Here are inspection times and the full pack.

• Still searching in Newmarket. Join the priority list for new homes.

• Loved the kitchen. See the floor plan and price guide now.

• Ready for a second look. Book a private viewing with our team.

Call to action

• Book inspection

• Get price guide

• View floor plan

• Join buyer alerts

• Request contract

Creative prompts for your designer or AI tool

• Create a square property showcase with the hero front image, beds, baths, car, and suburb name

• Create a short ten second video that shows three features kitchen, outdoor area, floor plan preview

• Create a simple map tile that highlights distance to the station and schools

• Create a branded inspection reminder tile with day and time and a Book now button

Privacy and good practice

• Only upload lists where you have clear permission to market

• Include a visible privacy link on landing pages

• Offer an easy opt out on forms and emails

• Keep images and copy respectful and factual

Final tip

Retargeting shines when it is specific. Speak to what the buyer just did and offer the next easy step. Keep your audiences clean, your messages short, and your offers helpful. When you do this each ad dollar goes further, more buyers return, and more inspections turn into offers.

Author Ken Hobson
ken@agentslibrary.com.au