How to Get More Listings: 12 Proven Digital Marketing Strategies

Listings are the lifeblood of any estate agency. Without a consistent pipeline of new instructions, your business stalls. Yet most agents rely on the same two or three methods to win business — portal leads, door knocking, and word of mouth. These channels work, but they're limited, unpredictable, and increasingly competitive.

Digital marketing, done properly, creates a systematic pipeline of seller leads that grows over time. Here are twelve strategies that agents across the UK, US, Canada, and Australia are using to consistently win more instructions.

1. Build a High-Converting Website

Your personal website is the foundation of every digital marketing strategy on this list. Without it, you have nowhere to send traffic, nowhere to capture leads, and no platform to demonstrate expertise. A high-converting agent website includes clear calls to action, instant valuation tools, neighbourhood pages, and social proof.

2. Dominate Local SEO

When a homeowner searches “estate agent near me” or “best realtor in [your area],” you need to appear. Local SEO puts you in front of high-intent sellers at the exact moment they're looking for an agent. Invest in neighbourhood pages, local citations, and Google Business Profile optimisation.

3. Run Targeted Google Ads

While SEO builds over time, Google Ads deliver immediate visibility. Target high-intent keywords like “sell my house in [area]” or “best estate agent [location].” The cost per lead from well-managed Google Ads campaigns typically ranges from £20–60 ($30–80), which represents excellent value for a potential listing instruction.

4. Create Free Valuation Landing Pages

Dedicated landing pages offering a free, no-obligation property valuation convert at significantly higher rates than generic contact pages. The value exchange is clear: the homeowner gets an expert valuation, you get their contact details and the opportunity for a listing appointment. Drive traffic to these pages through Google Ads, social media, and local SEO.

5. Leverage Facebook Lead Ads

Facebook's lead ad format allows homeowners to submit their details without leaving the platform. Target homeowners in your service area by age, property ownership status, and interest-based signals. Offer a free market appraisal or a downloadable area report in exchange for their information. Follow up within five minutes — speed of response is the single biggest factor in converting social media leads.

6. Publish Neighbourhood Guides

Comprehensive neighbourhood pages are the highest-converting content type for agent websites. They demonstrate deep local knowledge, rank for valuable location-based search terms, and position you as the go-to expert for a specific area. Include market data, school information, transport links, local amenities, and your personal insights about the area.

7. Build a Review Engine

Online reviews are one of the most powerful trust signals available. Agents with strong review profiles convert more valuations into instructions because the homeowner has already been pre-sold by the experiences of previous clients. Build a systematic review collection process through your CRM and aim for 50+ Google reviews with a 4.5+ star rating.

8. Use Email Nurture Sequences

Not every lead is ready to sell immediately. Many homeowners are six to twelve months away from listing. A solid seller lead generation strategy combined with email nurture sequences keeps you top of mind throughout their decision process. Send monthly market updates, property tips, and local news. When they're ready to move, you're the first agent they call.

9. Optimise for AI Search

AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity are increasingly how people find and choose estate agents. When someone asks “who is the best agent in my area,” the AI recommends agents with strong online authority. Build citable content, collect reviews, and implement schema markup to ensure AI search engines recommend you.

10. Create Video Content

Video builds trust faster than any other content format. Record market update videos, property walkthroughs, and neighbourhood tours. Post them on YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. Agents who consistently create video content report higher recognition at listing appointments because the homeowner has already “met” them online.

11. Retarget Website Visitors

Most website visitors leave without making contact. Retargeting ads follow these visitors across Facebook, Instagram, and the Google Display Network, keeping your brand visible as they continue their research. Retargeting ads are inexpensive — typically £0.10–0.30 per click — and they dramatically increase the percentage of visitors who return and convert.

12. Track and Measure Everything

The difference between agents who generate consistent digital leads and those who don't is measurement. Use analytics and reporting to understand which channels generate the most leads, what your cost per acquisition is, and where your highest-quality instructions originate. Then double down on what works.

Building Your Pipeline

No single strategy on this list will transform your business overnight. The power is in combining them into an integrated system — explore our full range of marketing services for estate agents to see how they fit together. Your website captures traffic from SEO, Google Ads, and social media. Your CRM nurtures leads who aren't ready to act immediately. Your review profile builds trust. Your content demonstrates expertise.

Together, these strategies create a compounding pipeline of seller leads that grows more effective over time. Start with the foundations — website and local SEO — then layer in additional channels as each one matures.

Ready to build a digital lead generation system for your agency? Book a free strategy call and we'll show you which of these twelve strategies will deliver the best return for your market.