Are Google Paid Ads Worth It?

As a Realtor®, you're probably inundated with phone calls, emails and direct mail that tries to excite you about “supercharging” your marketing efforts or getting to the top of Google's first page of search results. It's true that advertising is essential – especially in this business – but do you really need to spend a small fortune on it? Marketing costs money, especially if you're trying to compete with major websites. However, what about Google ads? Should you spend money on them, and if you should, how much? ### SHOULD REALTORS SPEND MONEY ON GOOGLE ADS? If you're going to spend money on Google ads – those that put you on top or in the sidebar of search results – you need to align your marketing budget with your sales goals. If you spend too much or too little, you'll end up with the wrong results. Some marketing experts will tell you that [Google ads are a waste of money](https://concept5.com/google-adwords-destroyer-of-small-business/), while others will tell you it's an [absolute “must-do.”](http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnrampton/2014/07/07/5-reasons-you-shouldnt-use-adwords/) So who's telling the truth? Both. If you're going to advertise on Google using their cost-per-click model (you only pay when someone clicks on one of your ads), you need to do a little homework first so you don't risk wasting your valuable marketing dollars. ### WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU ADVERTISE ON GOOGLE Before you even consider using Google ads, you need to know that it can become very expensive, very quickly. You'll pay each time a web surfer clicks an ad, whether or not he or she buys a home through you or lists with you. If you're willing to try it, here's what you need to know. 1 **YOU'LL NEED LONGTAIL KEY WORDS** Long-tail keywords are specific phrases that people use to find things online. Rather than one-word or two-word searches, such as “real estate” or “local listings,” long tail keywords can include: - Nashville Homes for Sale - New Construction in Nashville - Nashville 3 bedroom homes When you advertise on Google, you need to know that when you target longer, more specific phrases (like _new construction in Nashville_), you'll receive less traffic – but the traffic you do receive will be looking for exactly what you have to offer. 2 YOU'LL NEED TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE Keeping tabs on what's going on in your [Google Analytics](https://www.google.com/analytics/) account is essential if you're using Google ads. It's like any other advertising medium; if you don't know whether it's working, you could continue to waste money on it. 3 **YOU NEED A LANDING PAGE ON YOUR WEBSITE FOR TRAFFIC FROM YOUR ADS** A landing page, like the name implies, refers to a page where visitors can land to get more information about what was in your Google ad. It allows you to continue your original message so people who click get a consistent experience. For example, we could use [our Brentwood page](https://benchmarkrealtytn.com/communities/brentwood-tn-homes-for-sale/) as a landing page if the ad was aimed at people who wanted to learn more about the community and purchase a home there. It's packed with all the information they need and it has listings they can explore. ### SHOULD YOU BUY GOOGLE ADS? There's no one-size-fits-all answer to whether a Realtor should buy Google ads. It depends on how much time you want to invest evaluating your results, how much money you've allotted for marketing and whether you feel they're useful.