Generate Consistent Leads with Sierra's Google Ads Management

Why This Feature Matters

For busy real estate agents, mastering Google Ads is a significant challenge. It requires constant monitoring, optimization, and a deep understanding of digital marketing, which takes valuable time away from clients and closings.

Sierra's Google Ads management service solves this problem by connecting you with our in-house team of experts. We handle the entire process, from campaign setup and keyword research to ongoing optimization and reporting. This allows you to save time, avoid costly mistakes, and focus on converting the high-quality leads we send your way.

Table of Contents

1. Step-by-Step Instructions

2. Best Practices for Success

3. Troubleshooting Common Issues

4. Frequently Asked Questions

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Complete the Google Ads Questionnaire

Your first step is to tell us about your business and your goals.

• Fill out the Google Ads Questionnaire. This gives our team the information they need to build effective campaigns for your target market.
• After you submit the questionnaire, our Ads team will contact you by email to confirm the next steps. No campaigns will start without your explicit approval.

 2. Provide Your Payment Information

You have two options for billing, depending on your needs.

• Direct Pay Account: Your credit card is added directly to your Google Ads account, and Google charges it automatically as you reach certain spending thresholds (e.g., $350, then $500).
• Split Billing Account: Your PPC budget is added as a recurring prepaid charge to your Sierra account, aligning with your subscription date. Take full advantage of this option by partnering with a lender to contribute towards your Google Ad spend.

3. Campaign Setup and Launch

Once we receive your confirmation and payment information, our team gets to work.

• We'll build your campaigns, targeting the communities you identified. If your website is still in development, we can begin the preliminary setup, but the site must be live before we can activate the ads.
• You will receive a detailed confirmation via email as soon as your campaigns are live.

4. Plan Your Budget

A smart budget is key to consistent performance.

• We recommend a starting budget of $2 per month for each active listing in your target areas. For example, if there are 500 active listings in your target communities, a monthly PPC budget of $1,000 is a great starting point.

5. Target the Right Communities

Focus is essential for effective ad spend.

• Limit your target list to 20 or fewer cities, communities/neighborhoods/sub-divisions, or ZIP codes.
• To ensure your ads have enough inventory to perform well, each campaign area that you target should have at least 10 active listings.

6. Monitor Your Leads and Performance

Your new leads will be clearly identified in your CRM.

• Leads generated from your Sierra-managed Google Ads are automatically tagged with “Sierra PPC”.

Keep in mind that it can take two to four months for new campaigns to exit the initial learning phase*. 

7. Access Your Performance Reports

You can track your campaign performance with our dynamic reports.

• Approximately six weeks after your campaigns launch, you will receive a link to  your Dynamic Ad Report, powered by Looker Studio.
  • You can then access this report anytime by navigating to the Gear Icon > PPC Reporting in your Sierra account. We recommend bookmarking this link for easy access. 

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Best Practices for Success

• Be Strategic with Targeting: When selecting campaign options, think about the homeowner journey, and what drives the local market. Is your area popular for relocation? Is it common to buy a starter home in one area and trade up into another? 
• Consistent Budget Deployment: Maintain a consistent monthly budget based on your needs and resources. 
• Be Patient with Performance: Allow at least 60 to 90 days to gather meaningful performance data. PPC is a long-term strategy, not an overnight solution.
• Communicate with Our Team: Stay in touch with our Digital Marketing team via email. Clear communication helps us optimize your campaigns effectively.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Issue: I submitted the form but haven't received a confirmation email.
  • Fix: Please email us at DigitalMarketing@SierraInteractive.com to confirm you're ready to start, and we'll follow up with you right away.
• Issue: My PPC results seem slow at the beginning.
  • Fix: This is normal. It typically takes two to four months for new campaigns to gather enough data for Google's algorithm to optimize performance.

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FAQ's

• Q: What is included in Sierra’s PPC service?
  • A: The service includes the setup and ongoing management of Google Search Ads for both buyer and seller leads. 
• Q: Do I need to create my own landing pages?
  • A: No, Sierra's builds the landing pages for you! For seller campaigns, we use a purpose-built Sierra Seller Lead Site hosted on a different domain within your Sierra account.
    • Sierra's Seller Lead Sites support partial seller lead capture.
• Q: How are leads tagged in the CRM?
  • A: All leads from these campaigns are tagged with “Sierra PPC” and have their source set as "Google PPC".

• Q: Can I track ad conversions in Google Analytics?
  • A: Yes, you can measure conversion events by setting up our Google Analytics integration and configuring conversion measurement. Our team also provides detailed PPC Reporting that is accessible from the CAA.
• Q: Can I use a non-Sierra website for this service?
  • A: No, our PPC management service is exclusively for websites hosted by Sierra Interactive.
• Q: Can I access the Google Ads account directly?
  • A: For data integrity and licensing reasons, we do not provide direct access to the Google Ads account. However, we can grant billing-only visibility upon request for direct pay clients
• Q: How do I request seller-focused campaigns?
  • A: Simply email DigitalMarketing@SierraInteractive.com with your target areas and proposed budget to get started.

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