Social Media Ads: Put the Listing in Front of More Buyers.

It can help put the listing in front of:

• Local buyers
• People considering a move
• Investors
• Downsizers
• People following the suburb
• Friends and family of potential buyers

Social media should support the main campaign. It should not be treated as a replacement for the channels where active buyers are already searching.

Before running an ad, decide who you want to reach. Think about:

• Age group
• Location
• Property type
• Likely buyer
• Price range
• Lifestyle appeal
• Whether the buyer is local or from outside the area

A family home in a school zone may need a different audience from an investment apartment.

Do not simply copy the full portal listing into a social ad. Social ads need to grab attention quickly. Focus on one strong reason to look at the property. For example:

• Renovated family home
• Walk to the beach
• Large backyard
• Investment opportunity
• Low-maintenance townhouse
• Close to schools
• Separate home office
• First-home buyer opportunity

Keep the message short. The ad should give people a reason to click through.

The first image or video needs to work quickly. Good options may include:

• Front exterior
• Kitchen
• Living area
• Pool
• View
• Outdoor entertaining
• Renovated feature

Choose the image based on the likely buyer. Do not automatically use the same hero image as the portal campaign if another image works better on social media.

Short video is useful because social media is highly visual. Possible formats include:

• Quick property walk-through
• 15 to 30 second preview
• Agent introduction
• Feature highlights
• Lifestyle footage
• Before-and-after presentation
• Drone footage where relevant

Keep the video moving. The first few seconds should show something worth watching.

Every ad should have a clear action. This may be:

• View the property
• See inspection times
• Register your interest
• Contact the agent
• Watch the full video
• View the floorplan

The link should take the buyer directly to the property. Avoid making them search for it.

Property is local, so location targeting can be useful. Depending on the property, you may want to reach:

• Buyers in the same suburb
• Surrounding suburbs
• Nearby growth areas
• Buyers from another city
• Interstate buyers

Do not make the audience too narrow without a good reason. A buyer may live well outside the suburb they are trying to move into.

One of the main strengths of social media is that it can reach people who are not searching for property every day. Someone may see the listing and think:

• “That would suit my daughter.”
• “My friend has been trying to move here.”
• “That is exactly what my parents are looking for.”

This extra exposure can help the campaign reach people outside the normal search process.

A boosted post can be useful for simple extra reach. A dedicated ad campaign can offer more control over:

• Audience
• Budget
• Placement
• Creative
• Campaign objective
• Tracking

The right approach depends on the property and the amount being spent. Do not make the setup more complicated than the campaign needs.

Social media spend should fit the role it plays in the campaign. Ask:

• What are we trying to achieve?
• How long will the campaign run?
• How large is the audience?
• Is social media a core channel or a supporting one?
• What other marketing is already in place?

Do not spend simply because the platform allows a larger budget.

One image may perform better than another. Where practical, test different versions. For example:

• Ad 1: Front exterior with the main property headline.
• Ad 2: Kitchen or living area with a feature-focused headline.
• Ad 3: Short video with inspection details.

This can help show which message attracts the most attention.

Social media can be useful in the lead-up to inspections. Ads can promote:

• First open home
• Auction day
• Midweek inspections
• Final inspection before auction
• New price or campaign update

Make sure the information is current. Old inspection times should not continue appearing in paid ads.

Where the agency has the right systems and permissions in place, retargeting can help keep the property in front of people who have already shown interest. This may include people who have:

• Visited the listing page
• Watched the property video
• Engaged with the ad
• Viewed similar content

Retargeting should be used carefully and in line with privacy and advertising requirements.

Likes and comments can look good. They do not necessarily mean the advertising is generating buyers. Look at:

• Link clicks
• Property page visits
• Enquiries
• Inspection registrations
• Calls
• Messages
• Buyer feedback

The aim is to generate useful buyer activity, not social engagement for its own sake.

Social ads should match the current campaign. Check:

• Price
• Inspection times
• Auction date
• Property status
• Main features
• Contact details

Pause or update ads when details change.

Keep the explanation simple. For example:

“The property portals reach people who are actively searching. Social media helps us extend the campaign to more local and passive buyers who may not have found the property yet.”

That gives the vendor a clear reason for including it.

They can be useful when:

• The property has strong visual appeal
• The likely buyer is active on social media
• Local awareness matters
• The property has lifestyle features
• Video forms part of the campaign
• The agency has a strong social audience
• Extra reach is needed around inspections or auction day

Think twice when:

• The likely buyer is already easy to reach through other channels
• The audience is very small
• The property has weak visual material
• There is no clear campaign objective
• The spend would be better used elsewhere

Every channel should earn its place in the campaign.

Before launching a social media ad:

1. Define the buyer — Write down the main buyer group and the areas you want to reach.
2. Choose one clear message — Decide what should make someone stop and look.
3. Select the creative — Prepare a strong image, short video, clear headline and simple call to action.
4. Set the audience and budget — Choose a sensible location, audience and campaign spend.
5. Link directly to the property — Make it easy for the buyer to see full property details, floorplan, inspection times and agent contact information.
6. Check the campaign regularly — Review clicks, enquiries, inspection activity, buyer response and ad spend.
7. Update or pause when details change — Do not leave old prices, inspection times or auction information running.

Social media advertising can add useful reach to a property campaign when it has a clear audience, strong creative and a specific job to do.