First I'd like to say that it is easier to get seler leads from online instead of buyers. I am also very strongly against paying a 3rd party company like Zillow rediculous monthly fee's for in my experience very few closings.

After stating that, I would say Google Ad's bring in the most buyers leads while Facebook Ad's bring in the most seller leads. That is based on my experience of setting up both for agents in several states including my own teams. Done right those two can get a lot of business.

After 8 years here I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Online lead generating is always about 2 things:

1. Traffic
2. Conversion

Many do a great job of offering quality content and then fail to have proper lead conversion tools in place.  This is a big problem because of this marketing fact below:

The best lead converting content offers a quick solution to a specific need. It's important to grab attention fast because many won't read a long article.  And those that read it, 98% won't come back.

Try this...Setup a lead page (aka "Real Estate Squeeze Page") with a headline and a few bullet points.  On the lead page offer something of value in return for contact information. 

Here is an example: http://leads.postaprop.com/

Instead of writing a long blog post that some will read but most never return or contact, you should setup lead pages and offer the content like you see in the example above.  

It will result in more incoming leads.  Works for buyer and sellers.

For buyers create a page for your "VIP Buyers List", "Open House Review", Buyer newsletter,  or offer up-to-date market reports on specific areas/neighborhoods.  Create specific lead pages for each.

With your blog posts, forget long articles about the subject.  Don't just post the content and expect people to read it all and then pick up the phone and call you. Try to write articles that direct traffic to the lead pages.    For example, the "local market report" type posts.  Only highlight a few things in the blog post and then direct the traffic to the lead page for more.   

Add graphics in the article that can be clicked and sends traffic directly to the lead page.  Example here:

Dropping this type of image with a clear "Call To Action" will make your blog post more effective at generating leads.

whenever I post a blog post about a subdivision, I get response....

Karen,

It depends.  If you have a feeder market (like Chicago and Houston) in Santa Barbara, one could gear blogs to the reason they move to your neck of the woods.  I would also focus on romanticizing your marketplace.  A

Immediately call the ones coming into our sites. All too often though, I end up not being able to reach Donald Duck.

The bulk of my online leads come from my website. I use my AR blog as a conduit to my site. Everything I put online points to my website. I also have an outside AR blog that works as a conduit for me as well. It's possible to rank in several spots on page one of Google with multiple blogs pointing back to my primary website. As already shared, the best bang for your buck are neighborhood posts and market reports. Boring I know, but they get visitors to your site. Once they are able to see you are the local expert, they'll contact you for help. BTW, a good website will get return visitors; 55% of my traffic are returning visitors. My bounce rate is very low between 18-24%. Anything under 40% is considered good and I've got that beat by a long shot. The length of time buyers stay on your site is important as well. Anything over 30 seconds is considered good. My average is about 8 minutes. The more you give them, the longer they'll stay. It's easier to convert leads who think you have something of value to offer.

Hi Karen -- specific neighborhood or condo/townhome market updates/reports work well in getting the phone to ring or an email.  It's a numbers game like any lead generating activity and there are a lot of contacts that may lead nowhere, already have an agent(or they are an agent) or in the case of condos -- they are looking to rent.   So far this week, I've received three contacts that seem pretty real(so far) where I know the source is a market update...two very specific neighborhoods and a condo complex.   

Thanks Debbie Gartner for the mention.  Yes, that was me who wrote a post about questions and getting noticed(as in clicks) as a post headlline.  I haven't realized as much new business from those but I know my clients have gone and found information online after we have met --- I have heard the words I have written repeated by them and that's kinda cool.   

Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner - all my posts has a link to specific area search.

Localism posts would be viewed more often - so make sure you have call-to-action.

Facebook Ads are a good cost-effective way to generate leads.

And of course, there are a few - generate leadpages to capture the lead and market them.

I can go on and on...

I think ActiveRain University have good recorded webinars on this, too.

I suspect that the best lead generating post get the least comments.  Market Reports (good ones and that is another story) and short niche oriented post.  Aimed at real estate facts and valuable information.  Link your IDX or give them something to follow. 

Good question, Karen. For me, it's my YouTube videos. I can trace much of my new business to my video engagement. The best part, once they call, they feel a kinship to me. 

I know so many agents that have leads with terrible pull through. Define the word lead? Leads are all day but honestly its what you do with this suspect that determines if they are a prospect. Systems, people Systems...

Thanks for posting this question, Karen. I was going to ask the same and you did it for me.  Reading the answers has me thinking of some new directions in blogs and advertising.

Karen, the blog posts that most do not like to comment on --- the neighborhood posts with market reports.    I always send these posts to G+ and rank high in the neighborhoods.  

For me, it's been FAQ's and within the last week, I read another realtor (who does well and well on line) that most of his top ones are FAQ's too.  I forget who - may Michael Jacobs , but I may be remembering wrong.

I have also hear that market reports work very well for realtors.  I believe this brings in both buyer and seller leads.

And, I've heard that writing in depth articles about real estate and amenities for specific neighborhoods and/or condo comlexes, etc work very well.

Personally, I think it's better to go the direct route and write about real estate stuff rather than indirect about localism posts.

Neighborhood posts and listings.

Parked and reading...

I send everyone over to my website. They get to use it for 3 searches and then have to register. Most do. Then it is up to me to work it.

Hi Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner I have been using househunt for four years for high end buyer leads and been very successful with it.

Karen:   I'm no marketing expert ... but I've found by broadcasting my blog posts ... and supporting info/articles on other social media sites featuring the same topic ... I've compounded the number of contacts I receive greatly.  Each builds upon the other and makes more impact ...

Gene

Thanks for posting the question and thanks to all of you for your ideas and input. Happy Friday!

Not sure what Chris Locke is talking about.  About 50% of all visitors are returning to my site.  

Too broad a question. I haven't really been getting much action from AR over the last year so I have backed off especially what we have called localism posts. I will say that you're better off posting to G+ also - that's where you'll really get the benefit.

I bookmarked this post.

It is a never ending process of learning and following up on lead prduction and managment.

I will say first that I a Lender but the principal is the same, niche subjects geared to local content works best. I get several buyer leads every day after they have read a long article and they have filled out a multi-field form of at least 10 questions.......a little pre-qualification tasks speaks volumes to me.

Ask yourself what do the buyers in specific areas or groups want, then that becomes your content. SEO the article to meet the search phrases of those buyers and you will have them find you. It may not get you tons of leads but it will get you leads that you should call on immediatedly.

BTW, I have a website that I drive traffic to, about 5000 visitors a month and over half are people that return to learn more.

Down payment asssistance, low down payment mortgage programs, VA and USDA mortgage, first time home buyer, Jumbo programs and thier nuances, and other subjects that a buyer would want to know in a specific geographical area is key to being found and acted upon.

If you don't have a personal website that draws traffic, you're # 1 source will be your listings as promoted on Realtor.com, Zillow & Trulia so make sure you've updated the information on each of these sites. If you don't know how make it a point to become an expert on all of these sites. They are the recipients of most of the real estate traffic and embracing them will drive traffic to you. 

If you have a personal website such as the lakearrowheadwoods or searchnewporthomes it is vitally important to understand their purpose and how you will achieve those goals. An internet site is a doorway to the public. Unfortunately, you can't walk through every doorway so the goal is to create doorways in which a buyer, seller, landlord or tenant will come to you. They should come while you're showing, playing, sleeping and that is why some people manage to get rich because they create a site that actually can work 24 hours a day. 

Without being critical, too many website providers don't understand what we do or how to set up an idx properly to achieve the doorway goal. Again, not trying to be critical, but your site searchnewporthomes is not set up properly. Not even close! Google has you tagged with 10 indexed pages. The good news is that you've done so many other things right that such as your linkedin and various other profiles that when this is fixed and they are all tied together you will pop! 

There must be something in California where agents don't get the guidance on how to set up an idx feed that will help them generate leads. Currently I am doing a side job for an agent in Westlake Village who had the same issue. 

Feel free to call me, Steven 609-470-1806. 

it is a time consuming task. It may not lead to anything productive. Interested in one year.  Just looking etc.