Many people theorize about the ideal lead capture settings, but few seem to know what works best for the majority of Agents using a particular IDX or lead capture tool. So we brought out our thinking caps, and Excel spreadsheets, to bring you some numbers.

Where to start? IDX Broker is the IDX search tool we know (and built), so we'll kick off this discussion with the options available via anonymous datasets for these lead capture settings:

  • Request/Force registration on search Forms.
  • Request/Force registration on search results pages.
  • Request/Force registration on listing details pages.
  • Request/Force registration on listing details pages after x listing views.
  • Request/Force registration on photo gallery pages.
While these settings provide a lot of control over the functionality of your front-end IDX pages, they don't provide you with the information you need to know where to start..Should I start with force on Search forms? Or request on Results pages? You can poll fellow Agents, but how large of a sample size is that?

Let's look instead at aggregate results. If we review the average number of leads produced by anonymous accounts that force or request registration on details pages after n listing views, we see some interesting results:

Force or Request registration

Contrary to the popular theory that forcing registration after 4 listing details pages is ideal, it appears that 2 or 8 may be the most attractive option for those who wish to FORCE registration. Allowing only 1 listing view may be the ideal for Agents who choose to REQUEST registration. You could even use both - request on the first listing, then force registration on the 2nd or 8th listing view.

This broad correlation between lead capture settings and the average number of leads (over the last 30 days) doesn't end there. Other numbers surprised us (& may surprise you). As you can see from the chart below, this corellation suggests that most Agents should consider requesting user signup on photo gallery pages:

Close or open on photo gallery pages

The chart above doesn't take into account the various combination of settings that may result in the optimal lead count, nor does it consider the "quality" of the contact information being provided. Regardless, for many, this will provide a good foundation for testing those theories.
 
Post is included in group: ActiveRain IDX
Post is included in group: Internet Lead Generation-How Best To Capture Your Audience
Post is included in group: Rainmaking - Internet Marketing Strategies
Post is included in group: Real Estate Technology
Post is included in group: Technology

42 Comments on What's the Ideal Lead Capture Technique?

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

NOV
23
2010
1 Featured Post Attended Rain Camp

good information to drill into. How many web shoppers was this based on? I think forced invitation is a mistake as it will drive some traffic away. You show 40 lead register after seeing one listing but how many viewers is that from? Thank you for sharing more about the data. I would be interested to connect too...
12:26am • #23
NOV
30
2010
483,720 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Called Shot Master

Coming back here after 30 days to report the gallery registration is working and as a side thing I also seem to get more alert saves. So now the question is whether to try the request registration on results as well. I am a little more dubious about this but perhaps December is a good month to try it.

What do you think?
11:03am • #24
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Frederic, these stats are based on hundreds of thousands of visitors to IDX Broker websites, if not more. Forced registration works well in some areas, not so much in others. Success with forced registration may depend on the number of local alternatives available to the visitor. If they feel that they can get the same quality MLS/IDX data for free, they are going to be more likely to search out those "free search" sites - unless of course they are 30 pages into your website...

Corinne, Great to hear that the gallery request change is working for you! It can't hurt to test results (request) registration in Dec, maybe a few days or a week at a time. Just be careful not to time it too close to holidays. A drop in registrations during that time may be due to holidays and not any changes you've made to your registration preferences.
1:38pm • #25
DEC
04
2010

I use IDXBroker and I force registration after viewing some many results pages. It seems to work fine and i get x number of registrations per month. It also helps if your site is ranking well or not.
2:12am • #26
DEC
12
2010
483,720 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Called Shot Master

Thanks. I decided only to use registration for the photo gallery but wanted to report that the change in terminology has caused more listing manager sign ups.. On Nov 22nd I launched a new web site and changed the words for the listing manager, this is having very good results.
8:36am • #27
1,388,180 Points 27 Featured Posts Hit Router Called Shot Master
Connie, what new terminology are you using in the registration request?
9:07am • #28
DEC
29
2010

This is very helpful. I know that I have a constant battle over which works best. Thanks for the info!
5:19pm • #29
JAN
17
2011
100,793 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Is there somewhere to watch videos on setup and use of IDX Broker?  i have been on for a few months and can not figure it out at all.
7:55pm • #30
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi Dave, you will find some tutorials here. We will be adding more content to that page in the coming months. Also, from your IDX Dashboard you may signup for the IDX Broker monthly training newsletter. Or just let us know here if you want to opt-in and we will do that for you. 
8:26pm • #31
FEB
02
2011
760,475 Points 69 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I am with Lori.  Not sure I understand the best way to implement the registration.
12:32am • #32
FEB
23
2011
625,083 Points 16 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

These are interesting stats. If I understand you correctly, once I finish creating my photo gallery pages for each of my communities, I should have a request registration on that page...
8:07pm • #34
MAR
08
2011

Call to actions work great just know when to ask for the information. Any feature or piece of information that you provide can be a cal to action. Get creative and test various versions. In the end you will find out if you keep the call to actions to a minimum you will have better results. Keep it simple !
1:52pm • #35
MAR
23
2011
107,696 Points 4 Featured Posts

What are IDX services?
1:25pm • #36
1,388,180 Points 27 Featured Posts Hit Router Called Shot Master

IDX = Internet Data Exhange, where an agent can have an MLS feed of differing complexities on their web site, allowing consumers a chance to search for active properties. 
1:37pm • #37
MAR
24
2011
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Donna - Gabe's description is both concise and accurate. Here's an FAQ about IDX if you have more questions about IDX technology. 
4:45pm • #38
JUN
26
2011

I have mine set for 8 detail reviews before registration
8:22pm • #39
AUG
14
2011
128,001 Points

This is some great information!.. I just set up an Omaha Real Estate website for a client and I have been tweaking different combinations of force registration, request registration and no registration... in the past I have done force registration on the search (but that is before using IDXBroker and having an IDX with such great options)... The combination I am using now is request every 3 times on the details page and then on the 10th it changes over to a force registration... so far we have received 2 leads this morning since making those changes... so hopefully that is the magic combination in our market..

One question I had, does the request/force registration effect the search engines indexing the pages?..
11:24am • #40
AUG
22
2011
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Christopher - Glad you are having success with that force/request registration combo! The best lead registration settings will certainly depend on your customers and your market area. Taking the time to experiment with the settings to figure out what works best for you is definitely a good idea! We do not have any evidence to suggest that our request/force registration options prevent search engines from accessing and indexing IDX Broker pages. We have many clients that are getting indexed while making use of the lead registration options.
11:01am • #41
JAN
28
2012

Great Info!  thanks!  
12:15pm • #42
APR
06
2012
483,720 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Called Shot Master

You wouldn't believe how often I come back here to look at these charts. i watched a presentation last week from another of the IDX web site companies that offer the instant complete package. There now seems to be so many of them that advocate that forced registration is the only way to increase the leads. 

I've had many set to request only for so long I am not going to try the request followed by forced combination. There comes a point when being nice and being the resource has to come to an end! Wish me luck for April.
6:00am • #43

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

Login or register to leave a comment
 
Idx%2520logo%2520med_1 Rainmaker_large

IDX Broker - Integrated IDX

Eugene, OR

More about me…

IDX, Inc.

Address: PO Box 71866, Eugene, OR, 97401

Office Phone: (800) 421-9668

Email Me

Blogging about all things IDX/MLS, including IDX Broker tools and resources that make agents' lives easier.


Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog

Find OR real estate agents and Eugene real estate on ActiveRain.