Resources
Jan 25, 2025
Meta Ads vs Google Ads for Realtors: Where Your First Budget Should Go
Both work. But for an agent just starting out, one almost always comes first. Here's how to choose without learning the expensive way.
When you're ready to put real money behind your marketing, the first question is: Meta (Facebook and Instagram) or Google? Both can fill your pipeline, but they do different jobs, and starting with the wrong one wastes budget you can't afford to waste.
Google Ads is about catching demand. Someone searching flat for sale in your area is already looking. Google puts you in front of them at the exact moment of intent. High intent, but competitive and often pricier per click.
Meta Ads is about creating demand. Most people aren't actively searching, but plenty are open to the right home or the right agent. Meta lets you target by location, life stage, and interests, and show beautiful listings to people as they scroll. Lower intent, but far cheaper to reach the right people, and unbeatable for building your brand and re-showing listings to people who already engaged.
Where most agents should start: Meta. It's more forgiving on a small budget, it builds your brand while it generates leads, and the visual format suits property perfectly. Layer in Google later, once you want to capture the ready-to-buy searchers too.
The mistake to avoid: splitting a small budget across both from day one. You'll learn nothing from either. Pick one, give it enough to actually work, learn, then expand.
The right call depends on your market, your goals, and your budget. That's exactly the kind of thing we map out before a single ad goes live.
Not sure where your first ad budget should go? Request access and we'll point you straight.