Advertising permits come first
Dubai Land Department (DLD) regulates real estate advertising. Developers and brokerage companies need an advertising permit for property ads, requested through the Trakheesi system or the Dubai REST app. Guidance from dubizzle lists the covered formats as including electronic, SMS, print, billboard and other ads, plus promotional campaigns and exhibitions, and says advertising without a permit can incur a penalty of AED 50,000. DLD has publicly fined companies for not following advertising requirements.
For a marketer, this changes the order of work. I don't write ad copy or brief a video shoot until the permit question is settled for that listing, because a beautiful ad without a permit is a liability, not an asset.
What the process involves
- Owner authorisation. dubizzle's guide lists Form A signed by the owner, the title deed and the owner's ID among the documents needed before advertising a listing.
- The permit itself. Applied for through Trakheesi, which issues a unique permit tied to a valid listing agreement.
- A QR code on the ad. Since April 2023, DLD's Madmoun service issues a QR code for each permit, and Gulf News reported that companies must show it on print and audiovisual ads so buyers can verify the ad.
- Accurate details. Reporting on DLD rules says ad details must match the property, and duplicate or "ghost" listings are banned.
Industries · Dubai
How the rules have tightened
Owner consent enforced
Gulf News reported a broker fined AED 50,000 for advertising a property online without the owner's approval, and that portals need permits for each listing.
Madmoun QR codes
From 24 April 2023, real estate companies must display the permit QR code on print and audiovisual ads.
"Just Sold" timing
Gulf News reported that "Just Sold" posts may only go up after the property is formally transferred to the buyer.
Check before you post
Confirm current requirements with DLD for each listing and channel, including social media and portals. Rules and fees are updated from time to time.
Where leads come from
Each channel brings a different kind of lead. I plan budgets around what the sales team can actually follow up, not around which channel produces the cheapest form fill.
Industries · Dubai
Main channels
| Channel | Strength | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Property portals | High-intent buyers and tenants | Competition on every listing |
| Meta ads | Scale and targeting | Low-quality leads from instant forms |
| Google search ads | People actively searching | High cost per click |
| Instagram and TikTok | Personal brand, property tours | Consistency needed |
| Your own website | Owned leads, SEO over time | Takes time to build |
Improving lead quality
The complaint I hear most from brokerages isn't lead volume. It's leads who don't answer, gave a fake number or turn out to be browsing with no budget. Most of that is fixable at the ad and form level.
- Add qualifying questions to forms: budget, timeline, cash or mortgage, buyer or investor.
- Show price ranges in ads, so mismatched leads filter themselves out.
- Reply within minutes. Real estate leads go cold fast.
- Send qualified leads back to ad platforms as conversion events. More in fixing low-quality leads.
On Meta, a higher-intent form type or a click-to-WhatsApp ad often brings fewer but more serious enquiries than a basic instant form. See click-to-WhatsApp ads and Meta ads in the UAE.
Follow-up calls have rules too
Real estate relies heavily on the phone, so the UAE's telemarketing rules matter. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024, according to Clyde & Co's summary, marketing calls are limited to 9am to 6pm, must come from numbers registered to the company rather than agents' personal phones, and must not go to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry. Calling someone who asked you to get in touch is different from cold calling a list, but check with your compliance lead how the rules apply to your process. Data and consent basics are in PDPL for marketers.
Content that builds trust
Buyers, and overseas investors especially, do a lot of research before they call. Content that answers their questions builds trust that a listing alone can't.
- Area guides with real detail: schools, commute, service charges, community feel.
- Market explainers for first-time buyers and overseas investors.
- Video walkthroughs of real listings, with permits in place.
- A personal brand for agents on Instagram and LinkedIn. See LinkedIn personal branding in Dubai.
Industries · Dubai
What I check before a property campaign goes live
Permit and QR
Valid permit for this listing and channel, with the QR code placed on the creative.
Owner authorisation
Form A and listing agreement in place.
Accurate copy
Price, size and status match the listing and the permit.
Qualifying form
Budget, timeline and buyer type asked before the lead arrives.
Follow-up plan
Who replies, how fast, from which registered number.