The Do’s and Don’ts of Real Estate Social Media Advertising

Social media ads can put your listings and your name in front of the right people at the right time. Done well, they bring more buyers to your open homes, more enquiries from serious sellers, and more trust in your brand. Done poorly, they waste money and can even harm your reputation. This guide gives you clear rules that are easy to follow. It is written for real estate work in Australia, and it uses simple words so you can act today.

Why social media ads matter now

• People spend a lot of time on their phones every day

• Buyers search for homes online first, not in the paper

• Sellers judge agents by how well they market online

• Smart ads can reach a local area with strong accuracy

• Small, steady budgets can bring steady leads

Your goal is simple. Show the right message to the right person and give a clear next step.

The golden rule

Always match your ad to a single goal. One ad, one action. If the goal is to get open home RSVPs, do not also try to get appraisal bookings in the same ad. Keep it clean and focused.

The main do’s

Do set a clear goal for every campaign

• Pick one goal such as appraisals, open home RSVPs, listing views, or brand awareness

• Choose the right objective inside the ad platform to match your goal

• Decide the one action you want the person to take

Do start with the warmest audiences first

• Retarget people who viewed your listing or your website

• Retarget people who engaged with your page or your videos

• Upload past contacts if you have consent to use their data

Do use tight local targeting for cold audiences

• Set radius around the suburb or postcodes you serve

• Add interests linked to property and moving

• Exclude current clients and recent contacts if possible

Do use strong visuals that feel local

• Use bright, sharp photos with natural light

• Show the best angle first such as kitchen, living, or outdoor area

• Use short video clips of 6 to 15 seconds with clear movement

• Add local cues such as school zones, parks, beaches, or transport

Do write copy that is simple and human

• Lead with the value such as price guide, location, or key feature

• Keep sentences short

• Use a clear call to action such as Book an appraisal, Register for the open home, View full listing

Do send people to the right place

• Link to the exact listing page, not your homepage

• Make sure the page loads fast on mobile

• Repeat the same headline and key image from the ad so it feels smooth

Do test small changes

• Test two headlines and two images, not ten at once

• Keep one thing the same while you test the other

• Let each test run for a few days before you decide

Do set daily budgets you can keep up

• Start small while you learn

• Increase spend only on ads that are meeting the target cost per result

• Pause ads that fall short for three days in a row

Do measure what matters

• For open homes, track cost per RSVP and attendance rate

• For appraisals, track cost per lead and booked meetings

• For brand ads, track reach in your service area and video views

Do stay within the law and platform rules

• Use truthful price guides and property facts

• Get written consent for testimonials and client images

• Respect privacy rules when handling data and retargeting

The main don’ts

Do not boost every post

• Boosting without a plan wastes money

• Create proper campaigns with clear goals and tracking

Do not target the whole city

• Wide targeting brings low intent views

• Stay close to your core suburbs and quality improves

Do not promise what you cannot deliver

• Avoid words like guaranteed or sold in one day

• Be honest about timeframes, price, and features

Do not ignore mobile design

• Most people see your ad on a phone

• Use square or vertical visuals

• Keep key text in the centre so it does not get cut off

Do not use low quality creative

• Dark photos and shaky video lower trust

• Avoid tiny text on images as people cannot read it

Do not forget comments and messages

• Reply fast to questions

• Hide spam and report it

• Treat every comment as a chance to help

Do not run the same ad for weeks

• Ad fatigue raises your costs

• Refresh images or headlines every one to two weeks

Do not copy music or images you do not own

• Use your own assets or approved stock

• Always check licence terms

Do not collect data without consent

• Tell people what they will receive and how often

• Give a clear way to opt out

Creative that works for property and brand

High performing hooks for listings

• Street name plus key feature

• Price guide if allowed in your state

• Time based hooks such as Final week to view or Auction this Saturday

Example copy

• First home near Kippa Park. Three bed with a sunny deck. Walk to school and shops. Tap to see floor plan and book an inspection.

High performing hooks for appraisals

• Free suburb report with sales in the last 90 days

• What is your home worth in today’s market

• Get a pricing update before you renovate

Example copy

• Thinking of selling in spring. Get a free value update and a suburb sales report. No pressure. Book a quick visit here.

Image and video ideas

• Front elevation with clear sky and no cars

• Hero kitchen or living room with natural light

• Short walk through video with five quick scenes

• Map pin graphic that shows the suburb and key landmarks

• Agent on camera for ten seconds with a warm hello and a clear next step

Targeting playbook

Warm audiences

• Website visitors from the last 30 to 180 days

• People who watched your videos to at least 3 seconds

• People who engaged with your page or profile

• Past open home RSVPs and leads who agreed to hear from you

Cold audiences

• Postcodes or radius around your core suburbs

• Interests related to property, home improvement, and moving

• Lookalike of your warm audience if the platform allows it

Smart exclusions

• People who already converted on the same offer

• Current vendors and landlords in your pipeline

• Staff and friends who work at the office

Budget and pacing guide

• Start with a daily budget that you are happy to run for 30 days

• For listings, a small daily budget per property can support reach and inspection bookings

• For appraisals, use a slightly higher daily budget for a shorter time

• Shift budget toward the ad set with the best cost per result

• Keep a small always on brand ad in the background so your name stays visible

Simple targets to watch

• Cost per open home RSVP within what you are willing to pay

• Cost per appraisal lead that you can turn into booked meetings

• Frequency below three per week in small suburbs so people do not get annoyed

Measurement made simple

• Reach tells you how many people saw your ad

• Click through rate shows how many people were interested

• Cost per result shows what you paid for the action you want

• Conversion rate on your landing page shows how well the page worked

• Lead quality is the final test, log this in your CRM

Set a weekly review

• Check results for each ad and each audience

• Pause what is not working

• Duplicate the winners and test one new change

Compliance and good conduct in Australia

• Be clear and truthful with all claims about price, size, features, and timing

• Follow rules for price guides and underquoting in your state

• Use plain terms and conditions for any offers

• Respect privacy when using website pixels and contact lists

• Get written consent before using testimonials, names, and photos

• Avoid copy that could exclude groups of people

• If you are unsure, ask your broker or your legal adviser before you publish

Pre launch checklist

• Goal set for one action only

• Audience selected with location and any exclusions

• Image or video bright, sharp, and sized for mobile

• Headline short and clear

• Primary text explains benefit and next step

• Link points to the exact page

• Pixel and tracking turned on

• Budget set and schedule confirmed

• Comments and message alerts ready

• Legal review done and consent stored

First week optimisation routine

Day 1

• Launch two versions that change only one thing such as image

Day 3

• Check cost per result

• Keep the better one

• Swap the weaker image for a fresh option

Day 5

• Review comments and messages

• Add answers into the ad copy if the same questions keep coming up

Day 7

• Scale the best ad by a small amount

• Pause any ad that is far above your target cost

• Choose one new test for week two such as a new hook or a new audience

What to do when results are poor

• If you get clicks but no leads, fix the landing page and form

• If you get views but no clicks, try a stronger image and a clearer headline

• If the cost is rising, refresh creative and tighten the location

• If comments are negative, adjust the copy and respond with care

• If reach is tiny, increase budget a little or widen the radius

Simple templates you can copy

Listing ad

• Headline. Three bed family home near the river

• Text. Bright kitchen, big yard, walk to park and school. Open this Saturday at 11. Tap to view floor plan and book your spot

• Call to action. Register

Appraisal ad

• Headline. What is your home worth in Brookfield

• Text. Get a free value update and a suburb sales report. Takes five minutes. Choose a time that suits you

• Call to action. Book now

Brand ad

• Headline. Local results you can trust

• Text. See our latest sales and reviews in your suburb. If you plan to sell in the next six months, ask for a plan that fits your timeline

• Call to action. Learn more

Social media ads do not need to be complex. Keep one goal per ad. Use strong local visuals. Target people in the right suburbs. Measure simple numbers each week. Respect the rules and respect your audience. When you follow these do’s and avoid these don’ts, your marketing feels professional, your spend goes further, and more of the right people choose to work with you.

Author Ken Hobson
ken@agentslibrary.com.au