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How should Peterborough property developers run Google Ads for a new-build launch?

CodiePi Limited·
Google Ads for property developers: new-build launch tips beside a search ad, house and crane

Last updated: 3 October 2026 · By CodiePi Limited

Google Ads for property developers works best when the campaign, the landing page and the compliance checks are planned together, before a single plot goes live. For a Peterborough new-build launch, that means Search campaigns built around the development name and the areas buyers actually type, location targeting set to Peterborough in England, and a landing page that shows the house type behind every "from" price. Under the CAP Code, that price must relate to the home pictured, with upgrades flagged beside the image and service charges made clear. Registered developers also follow the New Homes Quality Code, including its rules on launch incentives.

This post is general guidance, not legal advice. Check the sources below, or ask a solicitor, before you sign off launch copy.

In this guide

  • What should a new-build launch campaign on Google Ads include?
  • How do ASA rules on "from" prices apply to new-build ads?
  • Can ads and landing pages use CGI and upgraded show home photos?
  • What does the NHQB Code mean for launch ad copy?
  • Does Google's housing ad policy restrict targeting in the UK?
  • How do you measure a launch when the sale happens offline?
  • What should a pre-launch checklist cover?
  • How does CodiePi approach new-build launch campaigns?
Man drawing on architectural plans at a wooden desk, with a rolled plan beside him

Photo on Unsplash

What should a new-build launch campaign on Google Ads include?

A launch campaign has four stages that run in order: a register-interest stage before release, a launch stage when prices and plots go public, a launch weekend or sales event, and an ongoing sales stage that follows availability until the last plot. Each stage needs its own ads, its own landing page and its own conversion goal, all agreed before any money is spent.

Search should carry most of the weight in Google Ads for property developers. Someone typing the development name, or "new homes in Hampton", has told you what they want.

Most launches need ad groups for the development name, for area searches such as "new build homes Peterborough", for house types ("3 bed new build Yaxley") and for your brand. Add negatives early. "Rent", "jobs" and "Ontario" all save money here.

Launch stageCampaign focusLanding page needsCompliance checks
Pre-launchDevelopment name and area searchesRegister-interest form, site plan, indicative timingsOnly provable claims (CAP rule 3.7); NHQB register statement
LaunchDevelopment, area and house-type searchesPlot prices, house type behind each "from" price, service charges"From" price matches the home shown (rules 3.17 and 3.22); upgrades labelled
Launch weekendEvent and appointment searchesBooking form, incentive terms in fullAttendees get seven days to consider the incentive (NHQB Code Part 1.3(b))
Ongoing salesRemaining house types and phasesLive availability, sold plots removedNo untrue claims of other interest or price rises (NHQB Code Part 1.3(a))

Sources: CAP Code section 3; ASA advice on new build and off plan homes; New Homes Quality Code v2 (March 2026), Part 1.

Construction workers in hard hats and high-visibility vests standing on a concrete slab beside exposed steel reinforcement

Photo on Unsplash

How do ASA rules on "from" prices apply to new-build ads?

Under the CAP Code, a price must relate to the product featured in the ad (rule 3.17), and "from" prices must not exaggerate availability (rule 3.22). So a "from" headline must match a home that really exists at that price. Images of a dearer house type or upgraded finish need clear qualifying text.

The ASA's advice on new build and off plan homes gives the wording. If you sell off plan with no images of the cheapest home, an upgraded image is acceptable if the price says "from" and text beside the image reads "image includes optional upgrades at additional cost", as prominent as the price. If the upgrade cost is known, show it, as in the ASA's example "from £90,000, home shown £95,000".

Rule 3.18 of the CAP Code adds that quoted prices must include non-optional charges, and the ASA expects ongoing costs such as service charges to be made clear. A Google ad has little room, and rule 3.3 lets the ASA weigh that against what you show elsewhere. So the landing page carries the detail the ad can't.

Can ads and landing pages use CGI and upgraded show home photos?

Yes, as long as they do not mislead. The New Homes Quality Code says all sales and marketing material, including photography, CGI and video, must not be misleading. ASA advice accepts upgraded images for off-plan homes when the price is prefixed "from" and the image carries adjacent text about optional upgrades.

In 2012 the ASA upheld a complaint against Taylor Wimpey over a bathroom photo labelled "image from actual show home", which showed tiled bath panels and chrome finishes not in the headline price. The ASA said an "illustrative" note would not have fixed it, because the price still did not match the picture.

ASA guidance on misleading imagery warns against images that include extras or exaggerate quality or size. An older ASA article on ads for proposed developments flags artist's impressions showing a play area that won't be built. For image assets in Google Ads for property developers, use CGIs of the house type you are pricing, not the largest one on site.

Blue and orange apartment block with metal balconies, seen from below

Photo on Unsplash

What does the NHQB Code mean for launch ad copy?

If you are a registered developer, the New Homes Quality Code adds duties on top of the CAP Code. Marketing must be clear, fair and not misleading. It must say you are on the NHQB register. And it must avoid high-pressure tactics, such as untrue claims that others are interested or that prices will soon rise.

Version 2 of the Code applies to customers who reserve on or after 2 March 2026, according to NHQB's launch notice. Part 1.1 also requires the Code logo to be displayed prominently on developer websites and in brochures.

Launch weekends need care. Part 1.3(b) says customers who attend a time-bound event must get seven days to consider the purchase, with the incentive (though not a specific home) held open for them. So "launch weekend only" ads shouldn't suggest the offer vanishes on Monday for people who came.

Part 1.3(e) rules out drip pricing of things buyers would reasonably expect to be included. Part 1.2 lists what customers must be told, including price, tenure, service charges and the expected Council Tax band, which makes a good landing page brief.

The Code doesn't say how the register statement works in a short text ad. The cautious reading is to put it on every landing page and brochure, and ask NHQB if unsure.

Does Google's housing ad policy restrict targeting in the UK?

Not in the way it does in North America. Google's housing restrictions sit in its "Access to opportunities" categories, which apply in the United States and Canada. There, housing ads can't target by age, gender, parental status, marital status or ZIP code. UK campaigns are outside that rule, as of 2 October 2026.

Google's housing policy page states that scope. Other rules still apply to Google Ads for property developers in the UK. Google's personalised advertising policy makes advertisers responsible for following the law wherever ads show, and excludes under-18s from personalised ads. Its EU user consent policy covers UK users, so you need valid consent for cookies and ad personalisation.

Location setup is where Google Ads for property developers in Peterborough often slips. There is a Peterborough in Ontario and one in New Hampshire, and Google's location targeting help advises adding the country when you enter a city.

"Presence or interest" reaches people in your area and people elsewhere showing interest in it, which suits buyers relocating from London or Cambridge. "Presence" keeps ads to people located there. Radius targets must be at least 1 km.

Smartphone lying on a table, showing a home screen of app icons

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How do you measure a launch when the sale happens offline?

Track the steps that lead to a reservation, then send offline results back to Google Ads. Save the Google Click ID with each enquiry in your CRM, and import a conversion when that buyer books a visit, reserves or exchanges. Enhanced conversions for leads can add hashed contact details to improve matching.

Offline tracking is the weak point in most Google Ads for property developers. Without it, Google can only optimise for form fills, which say little about who will reserve.

Google's offline conversion imports help now recommends enhanced conversions for leads for new setups, and says that from 15 June 2026, API uploads of this data moved to its Data Manager API. If your CRM uses an older connection, check it still works.

What should a pre-launch checklist cover?

Run one checklist across the ads, the landing page and the sales team before any plot goes live. It confirms that every price, image and claim can be backed up, that NHQB duties are met, and that tracking will connect ad clicks to reservations.

Pre-launch checklist for Google Ads for property developers

  • Every "from" price matches an available home of the house type shown
  • Upgraded images labelled "image includes optional upgrades at additional cost", as prominently as the price
  • Service charges and other ongoing costs on the landing page, with how they are calculated
  • NHQB register statement and Code logo on landing pages and the brochure
  • Launch incentive held open for seven days for event attendees
  • No claims of other interest or price rises unless true and provable
  • Location set to Peterborough, England, with negatives for rentals, jobs and other Peterboroughs
  • Click IDs saved in the CRM, consent banner working, offline conversions tested

For the site side, see web design for Peterborough.

How does CodiePi approach new-build launch campaigns?

We start with what is true. Which plots and house types are available, what the specification includes, which images match it, and whether the landing page can take an enquiry on a phone. Scope is written. We do not promise reservations, enquiry numbers or a cost per click.

That means landing pages before ads, copy checked against both codes, and click IDs captured from day one. Google Ads for property developers rarely fails on bidding. It fails when the page behind the ad can't answer the buyer's questions.

Our guide to SEO vs Google Ads for Peterborough businesses sets out the trade-offs, and how to choose a digital marketing agency in Peterborough helps with picking a partner.

CodiePi is based at 11 Carpenters Way, Doddington, March PE15 0RZ. We serve Peterborough and the wider Cambridgeshire area from there, with no city-centre office. Google Ads for property developers sits within our digital marketing for Peterborough. To talk through a launch, book a call with your development name and release date.

Google Ads for property developers: FAQs

What does Google Ads for property developers cost at launch?

There is no honest typical figure. Cost per click depends on the keywords, how many developers and agents are bidding, and the quality of your ads and landing page. A number quoted without your own account data is a guess. Use Keyword Planner forecasts for your terms, set a budget per stage, and judge spend against reservations, not clicks.

Can I put a "from" price in a Google ad headline?

Yes, if it is accurate. Under CAP Code rules 3.17 and 3.22, the price must relate to the home featured and must not exaggerate how many homes are available at it. If the landing page shows a dearer house type or upgraded finish, say so beside the image, as in the ASA's example "from £90,000, home shown £95,000". Pause the ad when the cheapest plots sell.

Do service charges have to appear in the ad?

ASA advice says ads should make ongoing costs such as service charges clear, with how they are calculated where possible. A text ad has little space, and CAP rule 3.3 lets the ASA consider that alongside what you do to give the information elsewhere. As a minimum, show service charges clearly on the landing page.

Can I target Google Ads by age or family status in the UK?

Google's housing targeting restrictions apply in the United States and Canada, not the UK. That doesn't mean anything goes. Under-18s are not eligible for personalised ads, Google's EU user consent policy applies to UK users, and you are responsible for following UK law. Location and search intent usually matter more than demographics anyway.

Does the NHQB Code apply if an estate agent runs our ads?

If you are a registered developer, effectively yes. Part 1.6 of the New Homes Quality Code says any agents a developer uses must be familiar with the Code and meet its requirements. So an agent's ads and landing pages for your plots should follow the same marketing rules. Brief them before launch.

Is this legal advice?

No. This post is general guidance on Google Ads for property developers. Advertising rules, the NHQB Code and Google's policies change, so check the primary sources below. For specific questions, speak to a solicitor, the CAP Copy Advice team or NHQB. CodiePi builds websites and runs digital marketing. We do not give legal advice.

Sources

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