Docklands Property Developer — Google Ads
A property developer pre-sold 80% of apartments off-the-plan using targeted Google display and search campaigns.
TL;DR
- Challenge:
- A Docklands developer with a slow 42-unit apartment pre-sale relying on print + display suite foot traffic.
- Approach:
- Search campaigns for high-intent buyers, display + YouTube retargeting, 3D virtual tour landing page.
- Result:
- 4.1x ROI on ad spend, expressions of interest up 325%, pre-sale rate 35% → 82%.
Key Results at a Glance
4.1x
ROI on ad spend
+325%
Expressions of interest
+47pts
Pre-sale rate at launch
Client Context
Business Type
Property development (mid-rise residential)
Founded
2010
Team Size
22 employees
Market
Melbourne CBD + inner metro
Revenue Tier
$45M project value
Stack Before
The Age print ads, display suite, brochure website
The Challenge
The developer had a new 42-unit apartment project in Docklands with slow pre-sales. The sales team was relying on project displays and print ads in The Age — both expensive and poorly trackable.
Goals & KPIs
North-Star Metric
Pre-sell 80%+ of 42 apartments before construction commencement
Supporting KPIs
Expressions of interest/month
Target: 30+
Cost per EOI
Target: Under $200
Pre-sale rate at launch
Target: 80%+
Virtual tour completions
Target: 500+/month
ROAS
Target: 3x+
Discovery & Research
Audit Findings
- •Print-only marketing (The Age)
- •No digital campaign infrastructure
- •Brochure website with no conversion path
- •No virtual tours
- •Zero retargeting
Baseline Issues
- •8 EOI/month
- •35% pre-sale rate
- •Zero digital attribution
- •$50K/month print spend with no ROI clarity
Competitor Insight
Top Melbourne developers ran multi-channel campaigns with virtual tours, display retargeting for 6-month decision cycles, and YouTube pre-roll on property content.
Audience Insight
Melbourne apartment buyers research 4-8 months before EOI, watch virtual tours 3+ times, and respond to Docklands lifestyle + investment content.
Strategy
Core Hypothesis
“If we combine Search intent + display aspiration with a 3D virtual tour landing page, EOIs will 4x because apartment buyers self-visualise before committing.”
Positioning Shift
Repositioned from "new apartments" to "Docklands' newest waterfront apartments — from $580K, walk to CBD".
Channel Mix
Google Search — buyer intent · 35%
High-intent capture
Display retargeting · 30%
6-month nurture
YouTube pre-roll · 20%
Property content viewers
Virtual tour landing page · 15%
Conversion driver
Our Approach
Search campaigns for buyers
Targeted high-intent keywords: "apartments for sale Docklands", "off the plan Melbourne CBD", "new apartments Melbourne" — with price-qualified ad copy.
Display & YouTube retargeting
Ran display ads with architectural renders across property and lifestyle sites, plus YouTube pre-roll targeting viewers of Melbourne property content.
Landing page with virtual tours
Built a dedicated project landing page with 3D virtual tours, floor plans, pricing guide download, and expression of interest form.
Phased Roadmap
Month 1
Foundation
- →3D virtual tour production
- →Landing page with EOI form
- →Google Ads + display setup
- →Pixel + conversion tracking
Months 2–3
Launch
- →Search campaigns for buyer intent
- →Display retargeting across property sites
- →YouTube pre-roll on Melbourne property content
- →EOI: 8/mo → 22/mo
Months 4–5
Scale to Sell-Out
- →Scaled winning display creatives
- →Retargeting cadence increased
- →Weekly EOI reports to developer
- →Pre-sale rate: 82% at launch
What We Built
The Results
Monthly Expressions of Interest
Before vs After — 5 Months
| Metric | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROI on ad spend | Not tracked | 4.1x | 4.1x |
| Expressions of interest | 8/month | 34/month | +325% |
| Pre-sale rate at launch | 35% | 82% | +47pts |
“We pre-sold 80% before construction started. The digital campaign outperformed our $50K print spend ten to one.”
George P.
Director, Property Development
Key Insights
- →3D virtual tours drove 3.4x higher EOI conversion — apartment buyers need to "walk through"
- →Display retargeting during 6-month cycle beat print by 10:1 on cost per EOI
- →YouTube pre-roll on Melbourne property content had the lowest CPL of any channel
- →Pre-sold 80% before construction — saved holding costs + funded development
What's Next
Applying the playbook to a 68-unit Southbank project, launching an investor-focused campaign, and testing Chinese-language ads for offshore buyers.
Ready to see similar results?
Book a free strategy call — we'll audit your current setup and map out what growth looks like for your business.
Services Used
Representative case study. Figures illustrate the type of outcomes achievable through these strategies for Australian businesses; individual results vary based on market, budget and starting position.