The Best Questions to Ask an Agency or Marketer if You're Looking to Outsource Your Facebook Ads
In A Nutshell:
Seasoned real estate agencies must prove their vertical expertise through specific lead metrics, demonstrate adequate staff resources for campaign management, and showcase their ability to optimize beyond basic cost-per-lead toward actual closing rates before earning your Facebook ad dollars.
You might be wondering how to find the right people to handle your Facebook ads.
Here's the thing - success depends on asking specific, targeted questions during your search for an agency.
Recently, I sat down with Juefeng Ge, Ylopo's CMO/CPO and co-founder, to dig into what really counts when evaluating marketing partners.
The conversation went way deeper than surface-level metrics.
Understanding Real Estate Marketing Expertise
Running Facebook ads for real estate requires specialized knowledge.
Ge explained it perfectly:
"Every vertical has a lot of nuance."
He's right - advertising real estate on Facebook demands completely different strategies than marketing consumer products or services.
Want to find out if an agency actually understands real estate?
You'll need direct questions about their performance.
Take Ge's advice and ask them about "how many leads in the real estate space you generate on a monthly basis" and "how much media are you managing?"
These specific numbers reveal their actual experience level with real estate advertising.
Three Essential Indicators of Real Estate Marketing Excellence (And Questions to Ask Your Agency)
1. Lead Generation Track Record
Start with their lead generation history - though numbers alone won't tell the whole story.
Ask your potential partner to demonstrate:
Specific results from previous real estate campaigns
Distribution patterns across property categories
Market adaptability strategies
Response tactics for shifting market dynamics
Some experience and scale questions to ask:
How much experience do you have in the real estate space specifically?
How many leads in the real estate space do you generate monthly?
How much media spending are you managing?
How many clients do you have in this space?
2. Ad Budget Management Experience
Next, examine their total real estate advertising investment management.
This reveals their capability to handle your campaign scale.
Request information about:
Total real estate sector advertising expenditure
Cross-platform campaign management abilities
Ad spend returns across market conditions
Adaptation strategies for market fluctuations
Ask the following:
How many people on your team will be working on my project?
How much time (weekly/monthly) will they allocate to running my campaigns?
3. Client Portfolio Analysis
A deep dive into their client relationships provides critical insights.
Search for partners who:
Maintain strong client retention rates
Show versatility across market segments
Present relevant success stories
Demonstrate results matching your goals
Important questions to gauge this:
How much data beyond the lead are you able to receive to optimize my campaign?
What other metrics will you track in the conversion process?
How will you feed conversion data back into marketing campaign optimization?
Real Estate Marketing Expertise Matters
Agencies with deep real estate experience understand:
Sales cycle impacts on advertising performance
Market-specific buyer behavior
Advertising compliance requirements
Conversion psychology in real estate
Staff Resources - An Often Overlooked Factor
Most people miss this crucial detail when selecting an agency.
Ge puts it clearly:
"If you're working with an agency that has a hundred clients... and they got two people running these campaigns, you're not going to get a lot of time and focus on these campaigns."
Ensuring Adequate Agency Support
Here's what you need to know about agency capacity:
1. Team Structure Assessment
Dig deeper than basic team numbers by asking about:
Campaign management assignments
Communication hierarchies
Team organization strategies
2. Resource Dedication
Request specific details about:
Weekly campaign management hours
Issue resolution timeframes
Campaign optimization frequency
These details indicate whether an agency can provide sufficient attention to your campaigns while scaling alongside your growth.
Staff Distribution and Campaign Management
The right staffing model makes a huge difference in campaign performance.
You need a clear understanding of how many people actually work on your campaigns and what they do each day.
This formula helps evaluate staff adequacy:
Campaign Support Score = (Weekly Staff Hours × Dedicated Team Members) ÷ (Active Client Count × Campaign Difficulty Rating)
Smart Targeting Strategies
Your success depends on:
Finding actual buyer signals
Checking financial readiness
Understanding purchase timelines
Tracking long-term conversion rates
Quality-Focused Metrics
Stop counting leads and start measuring:
Average sale values
Client lifetime value calculations
Referral generation stats
Actual closing rates
Data Systems and Optimization
Strong campaigns need excellent data management.
Modern real estate Facebook advertising requires:
Real-Time Campaign Adjustments
Your agency should have:
CRM connection capabilities
Smart event tracking
Machine learning systems
Dynamic audience updates
Quality Assessment Systems
Ask about their approach to:
Lead scoring methods
Behavior tracking systems
Property matching accuracy
Cost analysis methods
Quality Rating = (Engagement Level × Financial Status × Timeline Match) ÷ Cost to Acquire
Making It Work: A Practical Approach
Phase 1: Agency Review Process
Initial Review List
Market expertise proof
Resource planning details
Data system capabilities
Performance tracking tools
Required Documentation
Market-specific results
Team organization plans
Technology capabilities
Success measurement reports
Phase 2: Performance Tracking System
Essential Metrics
Lead quality measurements
Sales funnel analytics
Investment returns
Client happiness scores
Campaign Adjustment Points
Performance alerts
Budget changes
Campaign updates
Problem-solving steps
Understanding Facebook Ad Types for Real Estate
Different ad formats serve different purposes in real estate marketing:
Property Image Ads
Professional photo standards
Digital staging techniques
Area highlight methods
Price display strategies
Property Video Ads
Virtual walkthrough standards
Aerial footage options
Community highlight reels
Agent brand integration
Multiple Property Displays
Portfolio presentation methods
Feature comparison options
Neighborhood displays
Price range organizations
Practical Application Meets Strategy
Finding the right Facebook advertising partner requires understanding both big-picture concepts and practical details.
As Ge shows us, success comes from balancing specialized knowledge, proper staffing, and advanced tracking systems.
Your goal isn't just finding someone who can run Facebook ads - you need a partner who understands real estate and focuses on actual sales results.
The questions you ask during your search set up everything that follows.
Essential Implementation Steps
Verify real estate experience with actual numbers
Set clear expectations for team support
Create comprehensive tracking methods
Build strong data feedback systems
Focus on closing rates over lead counts
Following these guidelines while prioritizing actual sales over basic lead metrics helps real estate professionals build marketing partnerships that create real business growth.
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Advanced Considerations in Facebook Ad Outsourcing for Real Estate
This guide expands on previous discussions about vetting Facebook advertising partners, focusing on operational aspects of outsourcing real estate digital marketing efforts.
Understanding Facebook advertising outsourcing can improve your decision-making process.
Why Consider Outsourcing Your Facebook Advertising?
Several compelling reasons exist for real estate agents to outsource their Facebook advertising efforts.
From a technical standpoint, you gain access to proprietary bidding algorithms, custom audience segmentation capabilities, and advanced pixel implementation.
The multi-property campaign architecture allows for sophisticated management of multiple listings simultaneously.
The creative optimization brings significant value through property showcase expertise and market-specific messaging.
Partners skilled in compliance-aware ad creation and dynamic listing integration ensure your campaigns remain effective while meeting industry standards.
Resource allocation improves through scalable campaign management that responds to market fluctuations and adapts to seasonal changes.
Additionally, professional partners provide crisis management capabilities to address unexpected market shifts or challenges.
Budgeting for Outsourced Facebook Ads in Real Estate
The cost of outsourcing Facebook advertising varies significantly based on market size:
Small markets typically require a monthly investment of $1,500 for agency retainer fees, $2,000 for ad spend, $500 for creative assets, and $200 for tracking tools.
Medium markets see increased costs at approximately $3,000 for agency retainers, $5,000 for ad spend, $1,000 for creative assets, and $400 for tracking tools.
Large markets demand the most substantial investment, starting at $5,000 for agency retainers, $10,000 for ad spend, $2,500 for creative assets, and $800 for tracking tools.
Note: These figures represent industry averages for real estate-specific campaigns.
Strategies for Successful Outsourcing in Real Estate
Market-specific objectives form the foundation of successful outsourcing.
This includes optimizing listing inventory, managing buyer-seller ratios, planning geographic expansion, and adapting to seasonal market changes.
Your chosen partner should demonstrate real estate compliance knowledge, seamless multiple listing service integration, and proven market analysis capabilities.
The creative brief process requires clear property positioning guidelines, detailed target demographic profiles, and thorough competition analysis.
A well-documented brand voice ensures consistency across all advertising efforts.
Evaluating Potential Partners for Real Estate Facebook Ads
Effective evaluation of potential partners requires examining several critical areas:
Technical Documentation: Assess platform integration capabilities through MLS connectivity and CRM integration reviews
System Demonstrations: Examine property data handling, focusing on dynamic listing updates and price automation
Campaign History: Analyze geographic targeting expertise and past performance metrics
Compliance Records: Verify adherence to RESPA and fair housing requirements
Performance validation includes analyzing historical transaction volumes, property type specialization, market segment performance, and lead-to-closing timelines.
These metrics provide insight into a partner's ability to deliver results in your specific market context.
Maximizing Your Social Media Presence Beyond Facebook Ads
A comprehensive social media strategy strengthens real estate businesses through increased awareness and engagement.
Here are effective approaches to enhance your social presence:
Repurpose Your Best Content Across Platforms
High-performing Facebook ad content can serve multiple purposes.
Transform compelling property images and videos into Instagram posts and stories, LinkedIn updates, and TikTok clips.
This multi-platform approach helps reach additional audiences while maintaining consistent messaging.
Use Social Media Management Tools
Managing multiple social accounts requires significant time investment.
Several free tools, including Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social, allow centralized profile management.
These platforms enable advance post scheduling, performance tracking, and streamlined follower engagement.
Create Stories and Reels
Instagram Stories and Reels offer opportunities to display your brand personality and establish authentic audience connections.
These formats work well for sharing business operations previews, quick property tours, or short documentary-style videos that showcase your authentic approach.
Partner with Local Influencers and Businesses
Collaboration with established local accounts can introduce your brand to targeted audiences interested in your services.
Select influencers and businesses that share your brand values and maintain strong local followings.
Consider joint content creation, giveaway events, or sponsored posts to engage with their established audiences.
Implement Social Listening
Social media platforms provide valuable audience insights.
Facebook Insights and Instagram Analytics reveal important information about audience preferences, behaviors, and challenges.
This data helps refine content and advertising strategies to address specific audience needs.
These tactics, integrated into your social media marketing strategy, amplify Facebook advertising results and establish a credible online presence.
Social media thrives on consistent interaction—engage with followers, address questions, and continuously improve your approach based on performance data.
Building Trust Through Social Proof
Establishing trust with potential clients remains essential in real estate.
Most people research extensively before selecting an agent, examining numerous profiles and testimonials.
Here are effective methods for using social proof on social media to demonstrate credibility:
Share Customer Success Stories
Authentic client experiences demonstrate expertise effectively.
Feature testimonials that illustrate your service quality and results.
Include property transformation photos alongside these testimonials to provide visual evidence of your work.
Add Video Testimonials
Written reviews provide value, but video testimonials create stronger connections.
Short clips of clients describing their positive experiences offer compelling social proof.
These personal accounts help future clients envision similar successful outcomes.
Document Notable Closings
Share significant achievements through closing documentation.
Feature sold properties, successful closing meetings, and important statistics such as market duration or price performance.
This information demonstrates your experience while positioning you as a reliable agent in your area.
Display Industry Recognition
Feature your real estate certifications, awards, and accomplishments on social media profiles.
These credentials establish your expertise and distinguish your services from other agents.
Respond to Reviews and Comments
Active engagement with client feedback strengthens relationships.
Respond thoughtfully to positive reviews and comments on social media posts.
This attention shows appreciation for client input and helps build lasting connections.
These social proof strategies create an authoritative online presence that builds confidence and attracts clients.
Your digital reputation often creates initial impressions—strengthen it through strategic use of social proof.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing Facebook Ads in Real Estate
Outsourcing offers significant advantages through access to property-specific targeting algorithms and professional listing presentation optimization.
Partners provide market-responsive bidding strategies, compliance risk management, and automated listing sync capabilities.
However, potential drawbacks include the loss of market-specific nuance and integration challenges with existing systems.
The higher upfront investment requirements and platform-specific knowledge transfer needs should also factor into your decision-making process.
Essential Metrics to Monitor in Real Estate Facebook Advertising
Lead quality assessment should focus on property inquiry depth, price point alignment, geographic preference matching, and timeline-to-transaction velocity.
Engagement tracking encompasses virtual tour completion rates, property image interactions, listing saves, and share-to-inquiry conversions.
These essential performance indicators deserve regular monitoring:
Lead Generation: Property inquiry quality, price alignment, and geographic match rates
Engagement: Virtual tour completions, listing interactions, and sharing metrics
Financial Performance: Cost per showing, ROAS by price point, and seasonal adjustments
Final Thoughts on Outsourcing Real Estate Facebook Ads
Successful outsourcing in real estate advertising demands understanding both technical capabilities and industry-specific requirements.
Your advertising partner should excel at campaign execution while maintaining deep knowledge of real estate transactions.
Integration capabilities should encompass property database synchronization, lead routing, and transaction tracking.
Market intelligence requires consistent monitoring of pricing trends, seasonal patterns, competitor activity, and demographic shifts.
Performance optimization focuses on managing the listing lifecycle, tracking the buyer journey, and customizing approaches for different market segments.
This combination of evaluation frameworks and real estate-specific considerations creates an effective outsourcing strategy that produces meaningful results.
Finding partners with expertise in both Facebook advertising techniques and real estate transactions ensures outsourced advertising efforts contribute to revenue while maintaining compliance and professional standards.
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GE:
"Great question.
So number one, I would ask them how much experience you have in this particular space.
Every vertical has a lot of nuance.
And so I would ask them, you know, how many leads in the real estate space do you generate on a monthly basis?
How much media are you managing?
How many clients do you have in this space?
You know, all of that, so that's the first question I would ask.
Right.
The second question I would ask is how many people on your team are going to be working on my project and how much time on a, you know, weekly or a monthly basis are they going to allocate to running my campaigns?
Right.
Because if you're working with an agency that has a hundred clients, you know, and they got two people running these campaigns, you know, you're not going to get a lot of time and focus on these campaigns.
Right.
And so you want to make sure that they have, you know, proper staffing and allocation to look at that.
Right.
The third thing I would ask them is how much data beyond the lead are you able to receive in order to optimize my campaign?
It's very easy to optimize on a metric like cost per lead.
I could be targeting keywords that are very low value getting you a ton of leads, but leads should not be the metric that you're looking for.
The metric you should look for is closings, right?
If they're buying a ton of traffic on rent to own homes in Los Angeles, that could be at a really cost, a great cost per lead, a metric that they tell all day long.
But when you look at your conversion numbers in six months, you're not going to have converted any of them asking them.
What are the other metrics that they're going to track in the conversion process?
Right.
How are they going to feed that back data back into how they're performing on your marketing campaign is extremely important."
Juefeng Ge
Co-Founder , CMO/CPO
Juefeng Ge is a pioneering figure in real estate technology who currently serves as Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Ylopo, a next-generation SaaS and performance marketing company.
At Ylopo, he has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge AI solutions for the real estate industry, including the groundbreaking Ylopo AI assistant for lead engagement and conversion.