The Estate Agent’s Shortcut to More Listings: How to Use Google Ads to Win Instructions Fast

If you’ve ever asked, “How can I get more property listings as an estate agent in the UK?” or “What’s the fastest way to get leads online?”, then you’re already halfway to understanding why Google Ads, also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC), could be one of the smartest marketing investments for your estate agency.

In the same way high street adverts used to pull footfall into branches, digital ads are now the fast-track route to the top of Google, where the majority of your potential vendors are searching. Think about it — when was the last time you wanted something quickly and didn’t go straight to Google? Whether it’s ‘Chinese takeaway near me’ or ‘best schools in my area’, search engines are the go-to for fast answers. And if your estate agency isn’t showing up for the most important searches in your patch, your competitors certainly are.

That’s where PPC steps in — a shortcut to visibility at the exact moment someone’s thinking about selling their home. Google Ads allows you to appear at the top of relevant searches like ‘estate agents near me’, ‘how much is my house worth?’, or ‘best estate agent in [your town]’. These are the very phrases that motivated sellers are typing in, and PPC allows your agency to be front and centre when they do.

But here’s the catch — PPC isn’t as easy as throwing money at Google and watching the leads roll in. As with every marketing channel, the devil is in the detail. You’re entering a bidding war for keywords, and the competition is fierce. Just like property prices in Mayfair are higher than in the Isle of Wight, so too are the advertising costs. In more affluent or competitive areas, you’ll need a bigger budget to win those top spots.

That brings us to the crucial question: “How much should I spend on Google Ads as an estate agent?” For most areas in the UK, a ballpark monthly budget of £300–£500 is where you’ll start to see meaningful results. Below £150 a month? It’s usually not worth it. You’ll simply be outbid on the search terms that matter, and your ads won’t get the visibility needed to drive real business.

A huge mistake many estate agents make is trying to manage this themselves. Google’s advertising platform is complex and ever-changing. Setting the right keywords, managing bidding strategies, writing compelling ad copy, and optimising landing pages isn’t something you want to leave to chance — not when your monthly budget is at stake. At The Estate Agent Consultancy, we’ve seen too many agents waste time and money experimenting, only to eventually bring in a specialist and wish they’d done it sooner.

Hiring a professional Google Ads manager isn’t just about saving time — it’s about ROI. A good PPC provider will tailor your campaigns to local search trends. For instance, an agency in Bournemouth might want to focus on terms like ‘how much is my sea view worth?’ while that wouldn’t be relevant at all in Birmingham. Your chosen expert should regularly review your campaign’s performance and adjust based on what’s driving the best results in your area. If they haven’t reviewed your campaign after the first few months, it’s time to give them a nudge.

So, how do you measure success? A properly managed PPC campaign should bring in consistent leads — not just website traffic, but contact form submissions, valuation requests, and phone calls. Over time, this leads to more instructions, a stronger pipeline, and more completed sales. It’s one of the fastest ways to grow your market share if you get it right.

Remember, PPC is just one piece of your wider digital strategy. It’s a powerful tool, especially when paired with strong branding, persuasive valuation copy, and an irresistible offer for sellers. But it works best when it’s integrated with your organic SEO, email marketing, and social media presence. At The Estate Agent Consultancy, we specialise in building cohesive marketing systems that help estate agents attract more vendors, increase fees, and stand out in their local market.

To wrap up, if you’re serious about growth and looking for estate agency marketing strategies for winning instructions, don’t ignore PPC. It’s not the silver bullet on its own, but it can fast-track your visibility and deliver qualified vendor leads right when they’re most ready to engage.

Want to know what kind of search terms vendors are Googling in your area? Or curious whether your current PPC strategy is working as well as it could be? We’ve got you covered. At The Estate Agent Consultancy, we help ambitious agents turn online interest into real-world instructions.

Explore more expert advice from Chris Webb and the team at The Estate Agent Consultancy — whether you’re looking for a free PPC performance check, access to our estate agency lead generation toolkit, or a no-obligation consultation to discuss how to sell more properties and increase your fees, we’re here to help you grow.

Let’s get you showing up first — not just online, but in your entire market.