How real estate clients research and decide
In Australian real estate, most margin comes from listings won and managed properties—not from buyer or tenant enquiries. Vendors and landlords compare shortlists of local agents, scan reviews and recent results, and look for proof you can maximise price and reduce stress. That reality should drive your channel mix, messaging and measurement.
- Vendors want social proof, suburb expertise and recent, relevant results.
- Landlords prioritise stability, fees, vacancy rates and switch‑over simplicity.
- Buyers and tenants respond to listings distribution and reminders, but rarely choose your agency.
Channel priorities that usually win in real estate
1) SEO for high‑intent suburb searches
- Target terms like real estate agents [suburb], sell my house [suburb], property management [suburb], best real estate agency [suburb].
- Create suburb pages for sales and property management with results, testimonials and local knowledge.
- Build agent profile pages with embedded reviews and recent listings/sales.
2) Google Ads for immediate appraisal and landlord demand
- Bid on exact and phrase match high‑intent searches; use strong negatives to cut buyer/tenant noise.
- Route traffic to dedicated appraisal or landlord pages, not your homepage.
- Track calls, forms and calendar bookings; optimise to cost per appraisal and listings won.
3) Google Business Profile (GBP) for local proof
- Systemise reviews from vendors and landlords; respond to all feedback.
- Post sold/leased results and market updates; add UTM tracking to your profile links.
- Ensure NAP consistency across directories for local ranking strength.
4) Paid social for remarketing and brand lift
- Remarket to website visitors with vendor/landlord proof assets and suburb results.
- Promote market updates, suburb reports and switch guides to build authority.
- Use lead ads sparingly and qualify with form questions to protect lead quality.
5) Email and automation for timely follow‑up
- Send appraisal confirmations, pre‑listing education and post‑appraisal nurture sequences.
- Automate landlord switch checklists and vacancy alerts with clear next steps.
- Report on pipeline by source to see which channels create listings and managed doors.
Website and landing page must‑haves
- Clear paths for two core actions: book a sales appraisal and request a rental appraisal.
- Suburb pages with recent sold/leased results, testimonials and agent introductions.
- Agent profile pages with headshots, credentials, reviews and links to booked appraisals.
- Lead forms that qualify intent (sale timeline, property type, suburb) and route to the right team.
- Fast mobile UX, click‑to‑call, and calendar booking for appraisals.
- Robust tracking on calls, forms and bookings; server‑side where appropriate.
Budgets and timelines in Australia
Indicative ranges for small to mid‑sized offices. Your exact mix depends on competition, number of suburbs, creative needs and measurement maturity.
- SEO: $1.5k–$4k+ per month for local authority across priority suburbs.
- Google Ads: $800–$2.5k per month management plus $2k–$10k+ media, focused on appraisal and landlord intent.
- Paid social: $600–$2k per month management plus media for remarketing and authority content.
- Landing pages: $1.5k–$6k per page for conversion‑ready appraisal/landlord pages.
- CRM and automation: $1k–$5k for setup and journey build; ongoing optimisation thereafter.
Timelines: Ads and GBP changes can lift enquiries within weeks. Local SEO is typically a 3–6 month play to lock in suburb rankings and sustainable lead flow.
Measurement and lead quality
- Track calls, forms, calendar bookings and appraisals as distinct conversions.
- Score leads in your CRM and attribute listings won back to channels and campaigns.
- Use negative keywords and audience exclusions to reduce buyer/tenant noise in lead gen.
- Report by cost per appraisal, listings won, and lifetime value of managed properties.
Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)
- Generic messaging that speaks to buyers, not vendors or landlords. Fix with segment‑specific pages and proof.
- Sending high‑intent traffic to the homepage. Fix with appraisal and landlord landing pages.
- No review engine for GBP. Fix with systemised post‑settlement and post‑lease workflows.
- Measuring leads, not listings. Fix with CRM integration and opportunity tracking.
- Spreading budget too thin across too many suburbs. Fix with a staged roll‑out plan.
Ways to engage
- Diagnostic review: audit your channels, suburb coverage, tracking and conversion flow.
- Build and launch: appraisal/landlord pages, GBP overhaul, ads setup, measurement baseline.
- Ongoing growth: suburb SEO expansion, creative/testing roadmap, monthly reporting to listings.
Real estate marketing FAQs
What’s the fastest way to generate appraisals? High‑intent Google Ads to a strong appraisal page, backed by GBP optimisation and review capture.
How many suburb pages do we need? Start with your top 3–6 core suburbs and expand as rankings and results compound.
Should we run Performance Max? It can work with the right conversion signals, but ensure search campaigns cover high‑intent terms first.
What proof assets convert best? Recent sold/leased results with addresses, video testimonials, and agent profiles with embedded reviews.
How do we reduce time‑wasting enquiries? Tighten targeting and negatives, qualify on forms, and tailor content to vendors/landlords.