Real estate marketing means making people who want to buy, sell or rent find your agency before the competition, and not only through the listing portals. Portals bring volume, but the lead is shared with everyone advertising the same property. What gives an agency its own clients is showing up on Google for local searches, having a website with its listings and an Instagram that shows the neighborhood and real properties. All of it within the CRECI rules (Brazil’s real estate regulator), which require the registration number in every ad.
The rules that apply to every ad
COFECI Resolution 1,065/2007 defines how brokers and agencies identify themselves. It applies to signs, storefronts, business cards, websites, flyers and social media pages:
- Independent broker: CRECI followed by the number and the letter F, with the words “corretor de imóveis” (real estate broker).
- Agency: CRECI followed by the number and the letter J, with the registered legal name or trade name.
- Size: the CRECI number can’t be smaller than 25% of the size of the name’s lettering.
In addition, Law 6,530/1978, which regulates the profession in Brazil, prohibits advertising a transaction without written authorization. Before you list a property, get the owner’s signed authorization.
Each regional CRECI publishes its own guidelines. If in doubt, check with the one in your state.
Portal, Google and social media: the role of each
| Channel | What it brings | The weak point |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate portals | A large volume of people looking for property | The same property appears with several agencies |
| Google Maps | People looking for an agency in the area | Requires a complete profile and reviews |
| Google Ads | People searching right now, with a neighborhood and property type | Needs a website with listings to convert |
| Your own website | The lead is only yours | Takes work to keep updated |
| Trust and recall | Rarely where people make the decision |
The portal stays in the strategy. The goal is not to depend only on it.
Google Maps: “real estate agency near me”
Many people who want to sell or rent out their own property look for an agency on the map. Google Business Profile is free and is where these people compare their options:
- The right category, such as “Real estate agency” or “Property management company”.
- Listed services: sales, rentals, rental management, property appraisal.
- Real photos of the team, the storefront and properties the agency manages.
- Reviews from people who bought, sold or rented, all answered.
The step-by-step is in how to optimize your Google Business Profile.
Google Ads: searches with neighborhood and property type
“2-bedroom apartment for sale in Batel” is someone ready to visit. Google Ads lets your agency show up for that search, only in the area where you operate, and send the person straight to the list of properties in that neighborhood.
Two precautions that make a difference:
- The ad leads to the page with the properties from the search, not to the homepage.
- Forms and WhatsApp messages need quick replies. Real estate leads go cold within hours, because the person is talking to several agencies at the same time.
To understand how much to set aside, see how much to invest in Google Ads.
Your own website: where the lead is only yours
The website is where Google, Instagram and Maps send people. What it needs to have:
- Search by neighborhood, type, number of bedrooms and price range.
- A page for each property with good photos, an honest description and a contact button.
- One page for each neighborhood where the agency operates, explaining the neighborhood. It shows up on Google for people searching the neighborhood, not just the property.
- The CRECI number visible in the footer.
Instagram: the neighborhood and the real property
Instagram doesn’t replace the listing portal, but it’s where clients check out the real estate agency. What works well:
- Short video walking through the property, like a real visit.
- Neighborhood content: shops, schools, transit, what’s nearby.
- Behind the scenes with the team and key handovers, with the client’s permission.
- Answers to common questions, such as paperwork, financing and buying costs.
Every property post includes the CRECI number (the Brazilian real estate broker license), like any other ad.
What usually goes wrong
- An ad or post without the CRECI number, or with the number too small to read.
- A property advertised without the owner’s written authorization.
- A property that’s already sold or rented still online.
- A Google ad that sends people to the homepage.
- A website lead answered the next day.
Frequently asked questions
Does a real estate agency need to be on the listing portals? In most cities, yes, because of the volume. Your own website and Google add the clients who are only yours.
Can an independent broker advertise on Google Ads? Yes, with the CRECI number and name as COFECI requires. It’s worth advertising only in the area where you work.
Does the CRECI number have to appear on Instagram posts? COFECI Resolution 1,065/2007 includes social media pages. Put the CRECI number in your profile and on property posts.
Is it worth creating a page for each neighborhood? Yes. Many people search by neighborhood before they search for a property, and a neighborhood page answers that search.
How long does it take for the website to bring in clients from Google? Google Ads brings them in from day one. Getting the website to show up on its own in organic search usually takes months.
Where to start
In the free Google Business Profile audit you see the agency’s profile compared with three competitors in your area. If the agency already runs ads, the free Google Ads audit shows what the account is doing today.