Retargeting Ads for Real Estate Agents: How to Bring Buyers and Sellers Back

Retargeting ads help you reach people who have already shown interest. They might have visited your website, looked at a listing, watched a video, or clicked on a social post. Retargeting brings them back so they take the next step. This could be booking an appraisal, attending an open home, or asking for a contract.

This guide explains what to do, where to run ads, how to set up simple audiences, what to say in your ads, and how to measure success. It uses plain language and clear steps you can follow today.

What Retargeting Is and Why It Works

Retargeting shows ads to people who have already engaged with you. Because they know your name or have seen your properties, they are more likely to act. Retargeting keeps you in sight while they are still deciding.

Key reasons it works
• It reminds people at the right time
• It builds trust through repeat contact
• It lowers your cost per enquiry
• It helps you turn website traffic into appraisals and buyer inspections

Where To Run Retargeting Ads

Use the places your audience already visits. You do not need to use them all. Start with one, then grow.

• Meta platforms which include Facebook and Instagram
• Google Display and YouTube
• TikTok for short videos
• LinkedIn if you focus on prestige, commercial, or investor audiences

Tip
• Keep each platform in its own campaign so you can see what works

The Building Blocks: Pixels, Tags, and Consent

To retarget, you need simple tracking on your site. Your web person can do this in minutes.

• Add the Meta pixel and the Google tag to your website
• Use Google Tag Manager to place and manage both tags in one place
• Set up a clear cookie and privacy notice so visitors understand and can opt out
• Make sure your privacy policy states how you use data for advertising

Simple rule
• If your site collects data, be clear and respectful, and give people control

High Value Audiences To Create

Think about what each visitor did, then show ads that match their interest. Start with these easy groups.

• All website visitors in the last 30 days
• Property page viewers in the last 14 days
• Open home page viewers in the last 7 days
• Appraisal page viewers in the last 30 days
• Downloaders of a suburb guide in the last 60 days
• People who watched 15 seconds or more of your video
• Your email list uploaded as a custom audience
• Lookalike audiences built from any of the above

Right size
• Aim for at least 100 people in each audience. If small, combine two similar groups.

Seller Retargeting Creative That Works

People who visited your appraisal page or read your selling tips are close to action. Use calm, helpful messages that remove risk.

Ideas for copy
• Thinking of selling in your suburb. Get a price update and a plan for your timeline.
• Three ways to add value before you list. Book a free walk through with our agent.
• What your neighbours sold for this month. Ask for your report today.
• We sell homes like yours. See our recent results and marketing plan.

Images and video
• Use a clean headshot with your name and mobile
• Show a before and after of a styled room
• Show a short clip of you walking a seller through a plan
• Include social proof like Sold in ten days or Five star reviews if true

Call to action
• Book an appraisal
• Download a seller guide
• See our recent sales

Buyer Retargeting Creative That Works

People who viewed listings are warm. Use urgency and service.

Ideas for copy
• Still thinking about 12 Creek Street. See the floor plan and book a private tour.
• New homes this week in your price range. View now.
• Missed the open home. Get the video tour and disclosure pack.
• Price guide updated. Check if this home fits your budget.

Images and video
• Use the hero photo of the property they viewed
• Include a quick walk through clip
• Add a map image that shows the home near schools or transport

Call to action
• Book a viewing
• Get the contract
• Ask for the price guide

Smart Frequency, Budgets, and Timing

You want to stay visible without being annoying.

• Frequency
• Aim for two to four impressions per person per week
• Use frequency capping where the platform allows it

• Budgets
• Start with 20 to 40 dollars per day across your retargeting
• Put more into seller audiences than buyer audiences if listing growth is your goal

• Timing
• Keep campaigns always on
• Increase spend for the seven days before and after a big listing launch or a major local event

Bidding and Objectives Made Simple

Pick the goal that matches your next step. Then let the platform optimise.

• For leads
• Use Lead objective on Meta or Conversions on Google
• Connect to your Lead or Thank you pages as the conversion

• For traffic
• Use Traffic objective to push people back to listings or appraisal pages

• For video
• Use Video Views for awareness and to build more retargeting audiences

Start easy
• Begin with the platform’s automated bidding such as maximise results
• Only change to cost targets once you have at least 30 conversions in a month

A Simple 30 Day Funnel Plan

Week 1
• Warm up audiences with short videos and carousel images
• Show brand ads to all website visitors and video viewers

Week 2
• Show property specific ads to listing viewers
• Show appraisal offer ads to appraisal page viewers

Week 3
• Add social proof ads with sold results and reviews
• Invite to a seller webinar or a free suburb price update

Week 4
• Run urgency ads such as Final inspections this weekend and Last chance to book an appraisal bonus

Keep repeating
• Refresh images and copy every 30 days

Step By Step Setup For Meta

• Create your audiences
• All site visitors 30 days
• Appraisal page viewers 30 days
• Listing viewers 14 days
• Video viewers 25 percent watched 30 days

• Create campaigns
• Campaign 1 is Sellers with Conversions
• Campaign 2 is Buyers with Conversions or Traffic
• Campaign 3 is Video Views for awareness

• Make your ad sets
• Select one retargeting audience per ad set
• Choose placements as Advantage Plus or test Feed and Stories

• Build your ads
• One image ad
• One video ad
• One carousel ad

• Track and improve
• Turn off any ad with a low click rate after 500 impressions
• Put budget into the best two ads

Step By Step Setup For Google Display and YouTube

• In Google Ads link Google Analytics if used
• Create audiences
• All users 30 days
• Viewed listing page 14 days
• Viewed appraisal page 30 days
• Watched YouTube 15 seconds 30 days

• Build campaigns
• Display campaign for Buyers and for Sellers
• YouTube campaign for short videos

• Targeting
• Choose your remarketing audiences only
• Exclude converters so you do not waste spend

• Creative
• For Display use square and rectangle sizes
• For YouTube use 15 to 30 second videos with clear captions

What To Measure Each Week

• Reach which shows how many warm people saw you again
• Frequency which shows how often the same person saw your ads
• Click through rate which shows ad quality
• Cost per click which shows efficiency
• Leads which include form fills, appraisal bookings, downloads
• Cost per lead which shows business impact
• Assisted conversions which shows if retargeting helped other channels

Targets to aim for
• Click through rate above 1 percent on Display and above 2 percent on Meta
• Cost per click under 2 dollars on Meta and under 1 dollar on YouTube
• Cost per seller lead that fits your area and price point

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Using only one big audience for everyone
• Showing the same creative for months
• Sending buyers to your homepage instead of the property page
• Pushing for an appraisal before trust is built
• Forgetting to exclude people who already converted
• Not checking frequency which can cause ad fatigue

Advanced Ideas When You Are Ready

• Dynamic retargeting
• Show the exact property someone viewed with a live price guide or updated photo set

• Sequenced storytelling
• Day 1 is brand
• Day 3 is property
• Day 5 is social proof
• Day 7 is offer to act

• CRM audience sync
• Sync your contacts to keep recent enquirers in a warm audience

• Event retargeting
• Build an audience from open home check ins and show them follow up ads with contracts and reminders

Privacy and Trust

Strong trust means more leads at a lower cost. Keep it simple and respectful.

• Add a clear privacy page on your site
• Say that you use cookies for personalising ads
• Give an easy way to opt out
• Keep your brand tone helpful and never pushy

Seven Ready To Use Seller Ad Templates

Use these as a base. Replace suburb and details.

• Template 1
Heading
What is your home worth in Suburb
Text
Get a free price update and a simple plan to sell well this spring. Book a quick walk through today.
Button
Book an appraisal

• Template 2
Heading
Three quick fixes that lift your sale price
Text
We will show you what to do and what to skip. Ask for a free five point plan for your home in Suburb.
Button
Get my plan

• Template 3
Heading
Your neighbours just sold
Text
See local results and what buyers are paying right now in Suburb. Get your report in minutes.
Button
Get my report

• Template 4
Heading
Ready in 30 days
Text
Need to sell soon. We manage everything from styling to marketing. See the timeline and costs.
Button
See the plan

• Template 5
Heading
Upgrade without stress
Text
Sell and buy with one team and one plan. Book a strategy call and avoid a double move.
Button
Book a call

• Template 6
Heading
Off market options
Text
We have buyers waiting in Suburb. Quiet campaign. Real results. Ask what your home could sell for.
Button
Ask now

• Template 7
Heading
Five star sale experience
Text
See real reviews from local sellers and our recent results. Then decide if we are right for you.
Button
See reviews

Seven Ready To Use Buyer Ad Templates

• Template 1
Heading
Missed the open home
Text
Get the video tour, floor plan, and price guide for 12 Creek Street. Book a private viewing now.
Button
Book a viewing

• Template 2
Heading
New this week in Suburb
Text
See homes that match your budget and location. Alerts delivered to your inbox.
Button
See new listings

• Template 3
Heading
Price guide updated
Text
Check if your target home still fits your budget. Ask for the buyer pack now.
Button
Get buyer pack

• Template 4
Heading
Be first to view
Text
Join our early access list for pre market homes in Suburb. No pressure. Real chances.
Button
Join the list

• Template 5
Heading
Finance ready
Text
Need help with pre approval. Get a simple finance checklist before you offer.
Button
Get checklist

• Template 6
Heading
School zone search
Text
See homes inside your chosen school zone. Map and alerts included.
Button
See homes

• Template 7
Heading
Weekend opens
Text
Plan your Saturday with our open home list and map. Save time and avoid clashes.
Button
View times

Open Home Retargeting Sprint

Use a three day sprint around each open home.

• Two days before
• Show ads with inspection times and a quick video
• Same day
• Show a reminder ad with a map
• Day after
• Show a follow up ad with the contract and a booking link for a private tour

Property Management Retargeting

Bring investors and landlords back with service focused offers.

• Audiences
• Visitors to landlord pages
• Downloaders of rental yield guides
• Investors who watched your video

• Messages
• Free rent review in Suburb
• How to reduce vacancy days
• What your property should rent for this month

A Simple Seven Day Quick Start Plan

Day 1
• Add Meta pixel and Google tag
• Create All visitors and Appraisal page audiences

Day 2
• Build one Seller campaign and one Buyer campaign on Meta

Day 3
• Make three ads per campaign using the templates above

Day 4
• Launch with 30 dollars per day split across both campaigns

Day 5
• Add a YouTube retargeting campaign with your best 20 second video

Day 6
• Check results and turn off any ad with very low clicks

Day 7
• Increase budget by 20 percent to the best ad set

Remember

• Match the message to the action the person took
• Keep creative fresh and human
• Make your landing pages clear with one simple next step
• Review your numbers every week
• Nurture with value so people feel ready to contact you

Retargeting turns quiet interest into real action. With the steps above, you can set up a simple plan, stay in front of the right people, and bring both buyers and sellers back when it matters most.

Author – Ken Hobson