As a real estate professional, your focus should always be on one thing: driving more leads and closing more deals. But in today’s digital-first world, that often means more than just relying on traditional methods like referrals or signage. Enter Search Engine Marketing (SEM), one of the most effective ways to connect with potential clients in the moments they’re actively searching for real estate solutions. But here’s the thing: while SEM can transform your business, it’s easy to waste money if you don’t avoid some common PPC pitfalls.
Let’s dive into the most common mistakes real estate agents make with SEM, specifically Pay-Per-Click (PPC), and how to steer clear of them to maximize your ad spend and bring in high-quality leads.
Pitfall 1: Ignoring Alternative Search Engines
When it comes to PPC, most agents think of Google first – and for good reason. Google is the biggest player in the game, but here’s what most people don’t realize: focusing solely on Google means missing out on a huge segment of potential leads. Did you know that roughly 30% of people still use Yahoo and Bing for searches? That’s a significant slice of the pie you’re leaving untouched if your ads are only showing up on Google.
How to Avoid It: Diversify your PPC campaigns. Don’t just pour all your budget into Google Ads. Platforms like Bing and Yahoo have lower competition and, often, cheaper cost-per-click (CPC). This could allow you to stretch your budget further and capture leads your competitors are ignoring.
Pitfall 2: Poorly Defined Targeting
One of the biggest advantages of PPC is the ability to get laser-focused with your targeting. But if you’re not using those filters correctly, you’re wasting your ad spend on clicks that don’t convert. Too many agents rely on broad keywords or skip crucial demographic targeting, meaning their ads are showing up to the wrong audience.
How to Avoid It: Use all the demographic filters available to you. Platforms like Google Ads allow you to target by location, age, income level, and even homeowner status. Want to target only those looking to sell in a high-end neighborhood? PPC makes that possible. Invest the time in understanding your ideal client and use those insights to set hyper-focused targeting.
Pitfall 3: Setting and Forgetting Your Campaign
PPC isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. Your campaigns need constant monitoring to ensure you’re not wasting money on underperforming keywords or targeting options. Too often, agents launch a campaign and let it run without making optimizations, leading to skyrocketing CPCs and poor lead quality.
How to Avoid It: Regularly review your campaigns. Set a schedule to check on your ad performance, run A/B tests, and optimize your keywords and targeting. Tools like Google’s Smart Bidding can help, but nothing beats hands-on management. You need to continuously refine your campaigns to ensure you’re getting the best results for your budget.
Pitfall 4: Overlooking Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are one of the most underutilized tools in PPC campaigns. These are words or phrases you add to your campaign to prevent your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches. Without them, you might be paying for clicks from people searching for rentals when you only want buyers, or from browsers looking for real estate advice in a different city.
How to Avoid It: Build a robust list of negative keywords. Think about the types of leads you don’t want and add those keywords to your campaign. If you’re focusing on luxury listings, for example, consider adding words like “cheap,” “affordable,” or “rentals” to your negative keyword list.
Pitfall 5: Not Expanding Your Target Market
Many agents make the mistake of limiting their ad reach too narrowly. While hyper-local targeting can work, narrowing your audience too much can drive up your cost-per-lead and limit the number of people who see your ads. Expanding your reach slightly can lead to lower competition and more affordable leads.
How to Avoid It: Broaden your targeting to include neighboring areas or cities where you can still add value. If your niche is selling homes in a high-demand neighborhood, consider expanding your campaign to target potential buyers in nearby towns. You’ll open up new opportunities without competing for the same leads as every other agent in your area.
Pitfall 6: Not Tracking Conversions
Clicks are great, but what you really want are conversions – leads who take action after clicking on your ad. Many agents fail to set up conversion tracking, which means they don’t know which ads are actually driving leads. Without that data, you can’t effectively optimize your campaigns.
How to Avoid It: Set up conversion tracking in Google Ads or your chosen PPC platform. This will give you data on which ads, keywords, and landing pages are bringing in leads, allowing you to double down on what’s working and cut what isn’t. Whether it’s filling out a form, booking a consultation, or making a call, you need to track every step of the customer journey to maximize your ROI.
Pitfall 7: Not Setting a Realistic Budget
PPC can get expensive, especially in competitive real estate markets where CPCs can range from $150 to $300. Many agents either set their budgets too low—limiting the impact of their campaigns – or go overboard and blow through their budget too quickly without seeing results.
How to Avoid It: Set a budget that reflects your goals and market conditions. If you’re in a highly competitive market, it’s better to start with a smaller, test campaign before ramping up. Track your results and adjust your budget as you go. And remember, PPC is an investment—those high-cost clicks should result in high-quality leads, but you need to be prepared to optimize your spend.
Pitfall 8: DIY PPC Without the Expertise
PPC campaigns can be tricky. It’s tempting to save money by managing your own campaign, but without the necessary expertise, you’ll likely end up spending more in the long run. From keyword research to competitor analysis and split testing, PPC management requires specialized skills.
How to Avoid It: Consider outsourcing to a PPC professional. A good manager will track your competition, refine your campaigns, and ensure your budget is going toward the right leads. Many PPC managers charge a management fee on top of the ad spend, but their expertise can more than pay for itself by maximizing your ROI.
Pitfall 9: Relying on Short-Term Results
PPC can deliver fast results, but don’t expect overnight success in every campaign. Some agents pull the plug too early because they aren’t seeing instant returns, missing out on the long-term benefits of a well-optimized campaign.
How to Avoid It: Patience is key. Give your campaign time to gather data, refine targeting, and optimize. PPC success often comes after fine-tuning your keywords and creative, so don’t abandon ship if you don’t see immediate results. Stick with it, make adjustments, and evaluate over a reasonable timeframe.
Pitfall 10: Forgetting to Optimize for Mobile
Real estate is increasingly searched on mobile devices, and if your ads aren’t optimized for mobile users, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Mobile clicks can be cheaper than desktop clicks, but if your landing pages don’t convert well on mobile, you’re throwing money away.
How to Avoid It: Ensure that your ads, landing pages, and calls-to-action are fully optimized for mobile. Test them yourself on various devices and make adjustments as necessary. Mobile PPC campaigns can be a goldmine for real estate agents if executed properly.
The Bottom Line
SEM, and specifically PPC, is a must-have tool in any real estate professional’s marketing toolbox—but only if you’re avoiding the common pitfalls. By knowing where other agents go wrong, you can set your campaigns up for success from the start. Whether you’re managing your own campaigns or outsourcing to an expert, the key to winning with PPC is constant refinement, strategic targeting, and careful budget management.
Take action now. If you’re ready to avoid these pitfalls and grow your real estate business, SEM could be the missing piece of your marketing puzzle. Don’t leave leads – and money – on the table.
