Google Ads: A Simple Guide
A plain-English breakdown of how Google Search and Display advertising works in property management.
The Basics
You only pay when someone clicks
"Like putting a sign at the front of the hardware store aisle right when someone walks in looking for exactly what you sell."
When someone Googles "apartments downtown Des Moines," your ad appears at the very top. They were already looking. You just showed up first.
Visual banners across the internet
"Like a billboard on a highway. Most people drive past without stopping, but the ones who do see it remember your name."
Your property photo shows up on news sites, YouTube, apps, and Gmail while someone is browsing. They were not searching for you, but now they have seen you.
How It Fits Together
Renters do not make decisions in one step. Each ad type plays a different role depending on where someone is in the process.
New job, lease ending, or relocation. Not searching yet, but a move is on their mind.
Neither ad type yetReading the news, watching YouTube. A display ad for your property plants a seed before they even start searching.
Display ads"2BR near downtown," "pet-friendly rentals [city]." This is the highest-intent moment of the whole journey.
Search adsThey looked at your floor plans but did not call. Retargeting display ads follow them around the web and bring them back.
Display retargetingBoth ad types contributed at different stages. Neither one alone tells the full story.
ConversionSide by Side
| Factor | Search Ads | Display Ads |
|---|---|---|
| What triggers it | Someone searching Google right now | Browsing news, YouTube, apps, email |
| Ad format | Text only: headline and description | Image banners and photos |
| Best for | Capturing leads who are ready now | Building awareness and retargeting visitors |
| You pay for | Each click (typically $4 to $15 in real estate) | Every 1,000 views (typically $1 to $8) |
| Click-through rate | ~3 to 5% (high: people came to search) | ~0.1 to 0.3% (low: people were just browsing) |
| Weakness | No visuals. Cannot show your property. | Most people scroll past without clicking. |
Use Search to capture renters who are already looking. Use Display to stay visible to renters who are not looking yet, and to bring back people who visited your site but did not reach out. Together they cover the full journey from "thinking about moving" to "signing a lease."
Terms You Will Hear
Impressions
How many times your ad was shown to someone, whether they clicked or not.
Matters most for DisplayCTR (Click-Through Rate)
Clicks divided by impressions. What percent of people who saw it actually clicked.
BothCPC (Cost Per Click)
How much you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Search ads are measured this way.
SearchCPM
Cost per 1,000 impressions. How much it costs to be seen 1,000 times. Display is measured this way.
DisplayRetargeting
Showing ads to people who already visited your website. One of the best uses of Display.
DisplayCost Per Lead
Total ad spend divided by total leads. The most important number to watch.
Both