The fundamental difference
Google Ads shows your listing to someone actively searching for it. They typed "3 bedroom flat for rent Lekki" — your ad appears. The intent is explicit.
Facebook/Instagram Ads interrupt someone while they're scrolling. They weren't looking for property. Your ad appears between posts and stories. You're creating intent, not capturing it.
Neither is better. They serve different goals.
When to use Google Ads
Google Ads works best when:
- You have a specific property or development to sell
- Your target buyer is actively searching for what you have
- Your budget is ₦50,000/month or more (below this, the data is too thin to optimise)
- You have landing pages matched to specific searches
Best campaign types for real estate:
- Search campaigns targeting neighbourhood + property type keywords
- Performance Max for listing visibility across Google's network
Typical results in Lagos:
- Cost per click: ₦200–800 depending on competitiveness
- Cost per lead (form submission): ₦2,000–8,000
- Conversion rate to viewing: 15–30% for well-matched campaigns
When to use Facebook/Instagram Ads
Meta platforms work best when:
- You're launching a new development and building awareness
- Your target buyer has a specific profile (income level, age, location) that Meta can target
- You have strong visual assets — video walkthroughs, renders, or photography
- You're retargeting website visitors
Best campaign types for real estate:
- Lead generation ads (forms that open inside Facebook — lower friction)
- Video view campaigns for development launches
- Retargeting website visitors with specific property CTAs
Typical results in Lagos:
- Cost per lead (Meta form): ₦800–3,000 (cheaper than Google, but lower intent)
- Conversion rate to viewing: 5–15% (lower because intent is lower)
- Best ROI: video content for off-plan developments
The combined approach
The highest-performing agents use both — but sequenced:
- Facebook for awareness — reach your target demographic with development content
- Retargeting — hit website visitors with specific property ads on both platforms
- Google for closing — capture buyers at the moment of search intent
This approach typically reduces cost per transaction by 30–40% compared to running one platform alone.
The honest answer on budget
Under ₦50,000/month: Don't run paid ads yet. Invest in SEO, a better website, and WhatsApp automation. Paid ads need volume to generate learnable data.
₦50,000–150,000/month: Choose one platform. Facebook for off-plan/new developments. Google for rental and ready properties.
₦150,000+/month: Run both with a clear funnel. Hire someone to manage them or use an agency.
A note on quality over quantity
The goal of real estate advertising isn't leads. It's qualified leads. A campaign that delivers 50 leads at ₦1,500 each with 2% converting to transactions is worse than a campaign that delivers 15 leads at ₦5,000 each with 20% converting.
Always measure cost per transaction, not cost per lead.
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