An independent 3-branch estate agent was wasting 104% of ad budget on buyer searches with 3% conversion. We separated vendor and buyer campaigns, built hyper-local strategies by branch, and created vendor-specific landing pages. In 3 months: 88 valuations, 30 instructions, £150K commission revenue.
Vendor Valuations (117 days)
Cost Per Valuation
Instructions Won
Commission Revenue
The Challenge
The agent's strategy was fundamentally backwards - bidding on buyer keywords ('houses for sale in Winchester') when revenue comes from vendor instructions (1-2% commission on sale price). 80% of budget chased buyers with 2% conversion. Vendor intent searches were underfunded.
All three branches pooled into one campaign with no distinction. No campaign separation between buyer and vendor keywords. Generic landing pages for all traffic. Cost per valuation inflated at £140. Flat budget year-round despite spring/summer being peak vendor season.
Our Strategy
Built dedicated vendor campaigns targeting 'sell my house in [area]', 'estate agent valuations [area]', 'house valuation [postcode]'. Allocated 70% budget to vendor, 20% buyer (brand maintenance), 10% territory expansion.
Dedicated pages per branch with instant property valuation calculator, local market data, vendor testimonials, and branch team photos. Ungate valuation tool - instant estimate builds confidence before form submission. Form rate increased 45%.
Three separate campaigns for Winchester, Basingstoke, and Guildford branches. Each targeted only postcodes within 3-5 miles. Eliminated cross-branch bidding waste and ensured local relevance.
Linked each branch's GBP to its campaign showing address, phone, and 4.8-star rating. Review extensions displayed vendor testimonials. CTR 3.2x higher with review extensions.
Local call tracking numbers per branch attributed calls to specific campaigns. Branch managers could see which keywords and geographies drove real enquiries, creating accountability.
The Results
117 days: 88 vendor valuations (+607% from 16 baseline). CPA reduced 91% (£182→£55). 30 instructions won (44% conversion rate). £150K commission revenue (avg sale £325K × 2% commission). Vendor-to-buyer campaign ROI ratio 10:1. Each branch generating 8-9 vendor valuations per week. Google Ads became top lead source by ROI.
Vendor Valuations (117 days)
Cost Per Valuation
Instructions Won
Commission Revenue
Key Takeaways
Estate agents make money from vendors, not buyers. Separating campaigns revealed 80% of budget chased 2% conversion (buyers) instead of 34% conversion (vendors).
Branch-level campaigns with geotargeting eliminated cross-branch waste. Each branch saw lead volume for their territory, creating accountability.
The property valuation calculator let homeowners get estimates without friction. Form submission rate increased 45% because prospects validated the tool's value first.
Review extensions increased CTR 3.2x. Branch address and team photos increased trust - homeowners want a local business, not a chain.
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