Guide · Channels
Facebook or Google leads: which are better for a real estate developer?
The «Facebook or Google» debate is almost always settled on cost per lead. Facebook gives lots of cheap leads, Google few and expensive ones, and the conclusion seems obvious. But you need to start with a more basic question: what state is the person in when they see your ad? In the Instagram feed they're relaxing; on Google they're getting something done. That's where different intent, different leads and a different cost per sale come from. The right question isn't «which is better» but «what does a meeting and a sale cost in each, and how do they help each other». Here's how to answer it with your own numbers.
Start with the basics: what state the person is in when they see your ad
Before comparing numbers, it's worth understanding the simplest thing: what the person is doing at the moment they see your ad. Everything else depends on it: which ad works, what kind of lead comes in, and what to do with that lead next.
In the Instagram and Facebook feed, people are relaxing
They scroll in traffic, in line, on the couch in the evening. They want images, videos, entertainment. They don't want to take in anything serious right now. Even if they've been thinking about buying a condo for a while, at that minute it isn't their priority: they're just relaxing, and your ad shows up between friends' photos and reels.
On Google, people are getting a task done
Nobody opens a search engine to relax. People open Google to reach a specific goal: find, compare, check a price, choose. If someone types «departamentos en preventa en Mérida», buying property is exactly what they're focused on right now.
That's intent: how determined the person is to act right now. Facebook and Instagram leads have lower intent on average: the ad caught their attention, but they weren't looking for anything. Google leads have much higher intent: they came with their own search.
What this changes in your ads
| Facebook and Instagram feed | Google Search | |
|---|---|---|
| The ad's job | Stop attention in a second: an image, a video, one simple idea | Answer the search precisely: area, unit type, price, timelines |
| What sells | Emotion and lifestyle | Specifics and easy comparison |
| Inquiry | A short form with 1–2 filter questions | A website or landing page with full information |
| First response | Remind them where they submitted and warm them up gently | Offer a viewing or a meeting right away |
| What to expect | Many are still choosing; some will need follow-up for weeks | More people ready to talk, but fewer of them |
Low intent doesn't mean a bad lead. It means a feed lead has to be guided to a decision: reply fast, ask questions, warm them up. High intent isn't a guarantee either: a Google lead is comparing you with competitors, and if you reply an hour later, they've already talked to another developer.
Channel differences at a glance
| Facebook and Instagram | Google Search | |
|---|---|---|
| Demand | Latent: the person wasn't looking for a home, the ad caught their attention | Active: the person is searching for a home or for your project |
| Decision stage | Earlier, lots of warm and cold leads | Later, more hot leads |
| Volume | Large, easy to scale | Limited to the searches that exist in your area |
| Cost per lead | Usually lower | Usually higher |
| Main risk | Lots of accidental inquiries without fast response and filtering | Low volume and budget wasted on irrelevant searches |
That's why comparing them on cost per lead makes no sense. A cheap Facebook lead often isn't ready for a meeting yet, while an expensive Google lead may arrive already asking «when can I see it?». More on decision stages in cold, warm and hot leads.
When each channel wins
| Situation | Stronger | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A new project nobody knows yet | Facebook and Instagram | Nobody searches for it by name yet; you need reach and visuals |
| Land lots, entry-level and mid-market | Facebook and Instagram | Broad audience; the decision starts with an image and a price |
| A well-known developer or project | People search the name, and you need to capture that demand | |
| A specific area or format | Searches like «departamentos en preventa en [area]» bring people who've already chosen | |
| Premium | Both, with different jobs | Facebook for awareness and image, Google for people searching for something specific |
| Final units | Google and retargeting | You need people already searching, not a new audience |
The setup that usually works: Facebook and Instagram create demand and deliver volume, Google Search captures people already looking, and retargeting brings back people who viewed the project but didn't submit their details.
Combinations: how one channel strengthens the other
Facebook and Google don't have to compete for budget. Data from one channel can be used in the other, so each works better than it would alone. These are the combinations we use.
- Google leads get retargeted on Facebook and Instagram. A high-intent person submitted their details but hasn't made it to a meeting: they're comparing options. We upload those leads to Meta as a custom audience and show them what helps them decide: construction progress, a project video, testimonials, payment plan terms. While they choose, your project stays in front of them.
- Site visitors from search get retargeted too. Many people come from Google, look at the site and leave without submitting. With the Meta pixel on your site, you can show them ads in the feed and bring them back.
- Qualified Facebook leads become an audience for Google. We upload the list through Customer Match and build a lookalike segment in Demand Gen campaigns: ads show on YouTube, Discover and Gmail to people similar to the ones who passed your qualification.
- And the other way around: Meta finds people like your best Google leads. A lookalike audience in Meta built from qualified search leads gives the feed a more precise hint about who to look for.
How to compare the channels honestly
- One qualified-lead definition for both channels. Budget, timeline, area and payment method confirmed in a conversation. See qualified lead.
- The same response. If Google leads get an instant reply and Facebook leads get one the next day, you're comparing sales performance, not channels.
- A funnel per channel through meetings and reservations. CPQL, cost per meeting, meeting-to-reservation rate, CAC. Formulas are in the real estate sales funnel guide.
- Enough time. At least a month, ideally two: developer sales take time, and month one goes to ad learning.
- First and last source. The person saw an Instagram ad, searched the project by name on Google a week later, and submitted there. On last click it's a Google lead, even though Facebook brought them in. See attribution model.
| Facebook and Instagram | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spend | MX$200,000 | MX$100,000 |
| Leads | 1,600 (CPL MX$125) | 400 (CPL MX$250) |
| Qualified | 96 (6%) | 60 (15%) |
| CPQL | MX$2,083 | MX$1,667 |
| Meetings | 29 | 21 |
| Cost per meeting | MX$6,897 | MX$4,762 |
The numbers are illustrative. In this example Google is cheaper per meeting, but you can't double its budget: the area only has so many searches. Facebook delivers more meetings in absolute terms and also feeds brand search. That's why the decision usually isn't «one instead of the other» but how to split the budget.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a channel by cost per lead.
- Turning off Facebook because last-click sales get credited to Google and brokers.
- Judging Google on its first week and its low volume.
- Sending both channels to the same landing page with the same offer: someone from Instagram needs a visual; someone from search needs an answer to what they searched.
- Not sending qualified-lead data back to the ads. Both channels learn from what you give them. See Meta Conversions API.
- Buying broad Google searches like «houses» or «condos» with no area: expensive and low intent.
Setup for each channel is covered in detail in Meta ads for real estate developers and Google Ads for real estate developers. How to filter out low-intent inquiries in both channels is covered in junk leads.
Frequently asked questions
What is intent, and why is it higher on Google?
Intent is how determined a person is to act right now. In the Instagram and Facebook feed people are relaxing, and the ad catches them off guard. On Google they're searching for property themselves: it's their goal at that moment. That's why search leads have higher intent and social leads have lower intent.
Which leads are better for a developer: Facebook or Google?
Neither is better on its own. Facebook and Instagram deliver volume and create demand; Google captures people already searching. Compare them by cost per qualified lead, per meeting and per sale, using the same qualification definition and the same response speed.
Why are Facebook leads cheaper but worse?
Because they're latent demand: the person wasn't looking for a home, the ad caught their attention. Many are at an early stage. With fast response, filtering in the ad and follow-up, some of them become buyers.
Can you sell using Google alone?
Usually not: searches for a specific area and project are limited, so the budget doesn't scale. Plus, some search demand is created by social ads: people search for the project they saw on Instagram.
Can you combine Facebook and Google campaigns?
Yes. Google leads and site visitors can be retargeted on Facebook and Instagram, and qualified Facebook leads can be used to build a lookalike segment in Google through Customer Match and Demand Gen campaigns. It works the other way too. Upload only qualified leads.
How should you split budget between Facebook and Google?
Start with both, calculate cost per meeting and per sale in each over 1–2 months, and shift budget toward the cheaper meeting as long as the channel has volume. Account for the lead's first source, not just the last click.