Google vs. Programmatic ads
Google Ads vs. Programmatic Ads for Real Estate in Pakistan
By Siraj Dawar, Digital Marketing Manager
Client Background:
A Lahore-based real estate developer aimed to promote mixed-use properties (affordable housing to luxury apartments) targeting middle-class families, overseas Pakistani investors, and local entrepreneurs. The goal was to drive property inquiries and bookings while maintaining a cost-per-lead (CPL) below $50.
Campaign Objectives
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Generate 500+ qualified leads in 3 months.
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Achieve a 7%+ conversion rate from inquiries to site visits.
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Optimize ROAS to 5:1.
CAMPAIGN SETUP
1. Google Ads
Ad Formats:
Search Ads: Keywords like “affordable housing Lahore,” “invest in Islamabad real estate,” “best plots Karachi.”
Display Retargeting: Dynamic ads for users who visited property pages.
YouTube Ads: Video tours of housing societies and developer testimonials.
Targeting:
Location: Pakistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia (targeting overseas Pakistanis).
In-market audiences: Real estate investors, home buyers.
Custom Intent: Users searching for property loans or construction materials.
Budget: $8,000/month.
2. Programmatic Ads (via DV360)
Ad Formats:
Display Banners: On Pakistani news portals (Dawn, Jang), property portals (Zameen.com), and finance blogs.
Native Ads: Sponsored articles about “Top 5 Investment Opportunities in Lahore.”
Geofencing: Ads near competitor property exhibitions in Karachi/Islamabad.
Targeting:
Contextual: Real estate, finance, and expat-related websites.
Behavioral: Users researching “property ROI in Pakistan” or “Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme.”
Demographic: Males aged 30–55 with mid-to-high income.
Third-party Data: Overseas Pakistanis with recent remittance activity.
Budget: $8,000/month.
ANALYSIS & PLATFORM COMPARISON
Google Ads Strengths:
Cost Efficiency: Achieved a $38 CPL, ideal for budget-conscious campaigns.
High Intent Traffic: Search Ads captured users actively seeking properties (e.g., “installment plans Lahore”).
YouTube Impact: Video ads drove a 20% increase in inquiries from overseas Pakistanis.
Weaknesses:
Lower lead quality (50%) due to broad search terms attracting speculative buyers.
Limited reach to older demographics (45+).
Programmatic Ads Strengths:
Premium Lead Quality: 65% of leads were serious buyers, driven by contextual targeting on Zameen.com and Dawn.
Brand Authority: Native ads on reputable sites boosted developer credibility.
Geofencing Success: 15% of conversions came from users near competitor events.
Audience Intent vs. Scale:
Google Ads dominated in capturing high-intent, lower-budget buyers.
Programmatic Ads reached niche audiences (overseas investors) but at higher costs.
Creative Localization:
Urdu-language CTAs in Display Ads improved CTR by 25% among local audiences.
Video testimonials from existing buyers boosted trust in YouTube Ads.
Retargeting Synergy:
Users who clicked on Programmatic Ads but didn’t convert were retargeted via Google Search Ads, reducing CPL by 18%.
Budget Split:
60% to Google Ads (for volume and cost efficiency).
40% to Programmatic Ads (for high-value leads).
A/B Testing:
Tested “rent-to-own” vs. “luxury apartment” messaging; the former resonated with 65% of local leads.
CRM Integration:
Used HubSpot to tag leads by source, prioritizing follow-ups for Programmatic-generated leads.
Results:
Google Ads contributed 380 leads (55% of total), with 6.8% converting to bookings.
Programmatic Ads delivered 220 leads but accounted for 45% of closed deals due to higher lead quality. Combined ROAS reached 5:1, exceeding the target by 20%.
KEY LEARNINGS
STRATEGIC OPTIMIZATION
Tools Used:
Google Ads, Display & Video 360, Google Analytics GA4, SEM Rush, HubSpot CRM.
Skills Applied:
Intent-Based Targeting, Geofencing, Multilingual Campaigns, Retargeting.
Conclusion:
For Pakistan’s price-sensitive real estate market, Google Ads outperformed Programmatic in volume and cost efficiency, making it ideal for mass awareness and mid-funnel engagement. However, Programmatic Ads secured premium buyers and overseas investors, justifying its higher CPL. The synergy of both platforms, enhanced by localized creatives and CRM-driven lead nurturing, resulted in a 22% increase in sales within 90 days.