Letting & Estate Agent Podcast Will social media replace the portals? Ep. 2355
Oct 13, 2025
This episode features Richard Hayes, COO of Zoopla, an expert in property portals and digital advertising. He explores whether social media can truly replace property portals for estate agents. Discover how social platforms offer lower entry barriers but higher costs and why brand visibility is crucial alongside inquiries. Richard discusses campaign strategies that can improve click-through rates and emphasizes the importance of brand impressions over mere lead counts in assessing portal value. Tune in for insights on making social media a powerful tool in real estate!
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Rising Social Media Costs
- Social platforms lowered ad entry barriers but raised costs and competition aggressively.
- Richard Hayes warns social media inflation makes cheap viral boosts rare and less sustainable.
Use Social For Top‑Of‑Funnel Reach
- Use social media for top-of-funnel reach while relying on other channels for conversion.
- Richard Hayes recommends combining reach with targeted nurture to turn exposure into revenue.
Overlay Portal Data On Social Ads
- Enrich social targeting with portal audience overlays to improve ROI and click-through rates.
- Work with partners like Zoopla to apply look-alike and intent data rather than generic demographic targeting.