11 Ways to Get Hot Real Estate Leads in 2024
The real estate market is tough and in today’s fast pace, getting quality leads is key to your success. Without a steady flow of qualified prospects, your time and effort is wasted. To help you stay ahead and close more deals we have put together 11 proven ways to get hot real estate leads in 2024. So sit back and get ready to get into these!
1. Be a Social Media Rockstar
In today’s digital age, social media is where people connect and discover. To get hot leads you need to be there too, consistently posting content that speaks to your target market. Share real estate articles, local property photos and even videos that address buyer and seller pain points. This will help you build your online presence and be seen as a trusted resource and have potential clients who are scrolling through social media.
Check out Katie Day's Instagram feed. She’s a pro at mixing educational content, personal posts and fun posts that keep her followers engaged.
2. Go Live and Wow Your Audience
Hosting live events like webinars or Q&A’s is a great way to show off your expertise and answer your audience’s questions in real time. This interactive approach builds trust and positions you as the authority in your local market. Bonus? Live events give you a chance to capture attendee contact info and expand your pool of hot leads.
Live Like a Pro:
Take inspiration from Kristina Smallhorn, a real estate rockstar who kills it with her weekly live streams. She invites market experts to discuss current trends and answer follower questions directly. Check out her streams on YouTube! Kristina Smallhorn YouTube channel
3. Build a Lead-Generating Website:
In today’s digital age your website is your online store front. To turn visitors into leads it needs to be easy to use and informative. Make sure your site loads fast, has intuitive navigation and showcases your listings with beautiful images and compelling copy.
Beyond aesthetics, prioritize search engine optimization (SEO) to boost your website's visibility. Add relevant keywords and meta tags, create content like market reports or neighborhood guides and internal and external linking to improve search engine ranking.
Take a look at LivingInMaryland.com, for inspiration. They have over 80 articles on different Maryland cities for anyone considering a move to the state. They add new content all the time so the site is seen as a valuable resource for potential clients.
While website builders are a great option, choose one that prioritizes both user experience and ease of content creation.
4. Lead with Valuable Freebies
People love free stuff! Offer downloadable ebooks, webinars or market reports to get visitors to exchange their contact info for these valuable resources. This will allow you to build a targeted email list and nurture these hot leads with personalized content that speaks to their needs.
Providing free resources also positions you as the expert in your field. Potential clients will appreciate the valuable information you share and engage with you more. This will lead to conversions – turning these leads into paying clients.
Examples of Winning Freebies:
Buyer’s Guide: First time homebuyers need to know how to navigate the process.
Seller’s Guide: Sellers need to know how to sell and maximize their profits.
Free Home Valuation: Offer in-person appraisals or CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) videos to show your expertise and knowledge of the local market.
Free Consultations: For both buyers and sellers. Personalized consultations to address their needs and show you care about their success.
5. Dominate Local Search (and Beyond)
Local SEO Powerhouse:
Target local homebuyers and sellers by optimizing your website and content for local search. This winning formula is to use location specific keywords throughout your content, claim and optimize your Google My Business profile and actively ask happy clients for reviews. By doing this you will increase your chances of ranking high in local search results so potential clients in your area can find you.
Consider supplementing your local SEO with targeted online advertising. Platforms like Facebook Ads or Google Ads allow you to target demographics and locations that are most relevant to your ideal client.
Consider supplementing your local SEO efforts with targeted online advertising. Platforms like Facebook Ads or Google Ads allow you to laser-focus your reach on demographics and locations most relevant to your ideal clientele.
Expand Your Reach with Targeted Ads (Optional):
While local SEO is great, consider expanding your reach with targeted online advertising. Platforms like Facebook Ads and Google Ads allow you to create targeted campaigns that reach your ideal client with precision.
Target Like a Pro:
These platforms let you define your target audience demographics, locations and online behavior. So your ads will be shown to the most qualified leads – people searching for real estate services in your area.
Maximize Your Impact:
By tweaking ad placements, audience targeting and bidding strategies you can optimize your ad spend and get a steady flow of high quality leads that will convert into paying clients.
Focus on Optional Nature:
This section is reworked to be an optional addition to the local SEO strategy, emphasizing its effectiveness in expanding reach.
6. The Power of Connection: Network Like a Rockstar
Real estate is all about relationships. Building a network is a goldmine for leads and referrals. Get out there and attend industry events, join local business groups and participate in community activities. This will broaden your reach and make you a familiar face in your target market.
Beyond the Leads:
Networking goes beyond lead generation. It allows you to stay current with industry trends, share knowledge with other professionals and find new opportunities. Remember networking is a two way street. Be genuine, approachable and always willing to offer value and support to your network. By building strong, mutually beneficial relationships you’ll have a network that generates a constant flow of referrals and potential partnerships.
7. Email Marketing: Your Secret Weapon for Lead Nurturing
Email marketing is a secret weapon for nurturing leads and turning them into clients. Create personalized and engaging content that keeps your subscribers informed and excited about your services. But remember it’s a fine line – provide value without sounding like a sales pitch.
Targeted Communication is Key:
Segment your email list by location, interests and past interactions. So you can send targeted emails with content that speaks to each subscriber’s specific needs and interests.
Be a Data Ninja:
Track your email marketing metrics – open rates, click-through rates and conversions. This data is your goldmine, so you can continually refine your campaigns and get the most out of them. By using email marketing strategically you’ll turn it from a secret weapon to a powerful tool for nurturing leads and conversions.
8. Forge Strategic Alliances: Partner with Local Businesses
Real estate is not a solo act! Partnering with local businesses can be a win-win for everyone involved. By cross promoting each other’s services you can tap into new audiences and get high quality leads you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Identify Your Dream Team:
Think strategically and identify businesses in your community that align with your services. This could be mortgage brokers, home inspectors, interior designers or even title companies.
Mutual Partnerships:
Create win-win partnerships by referring clients to each other, co-hosting informative events (think “First-Time Homebuyer Workshops” with a mortgage lender) or simply sharing each other’s content on social media. This collaborative approach builds trust and broadens your reach and opens doors to a constant flow of qualified leads.
9. Level Up Your Listings with Pro Visuals:
In today’s digital world first impressions are everything and that includes your listings. Investing in professional photography and videography is a game changer, so you can show your properties in stunning detail and grab your audience’s attention instantly.
The "Wow" Factor :
High quality visuals make a big difference in how potential clients perceive your listings – and your brand. Professional photos and videos lift your properties, highlighting their best features and creating desire. Imagine potential buyers saying “Wow this is what I’ve been looking for!” – that’s the power of pro visuals.
Increase Conversions and Secure Listings:
By showing your listings with beautiful imagery you’ll not only make a lasting impression but also increase your chances of converting leads into clients. Professional visuals can also be a powerful tool to attract sellers who want their properties presented in the best possible light. That means more listings and a busier business.
10. Captivate with Video Marketing
In today’s digital world video is king. Video marketing can be a game changer for your real estate business, so you can engage your audience and generate leads in a fun, bite-sized format. Create beautiful property tours, informative educational content or insightful market updates to grab attention and nurture leads.
Beyond Engagement:
The power of video goes beyond engagement. It also boosts your online presence. Regularly uploading high quality video content to your website and social media platforms will increase your search engine ranking and visibility – so potential clients can find you easily.
Content for Every Platform:
There are two main video formats to consider:
Vertical Videos (Under 60 seconds): Perfect for platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok and Facebook Reels, these bite-sized videos can be fun (think trending challenges or funny audio overlays) or educational (answering specific questions or responding to user comments). Even short clips from longer interviews can be repurposed for this format.
Horizontal Videos (5-30 minutes): These in-depth videos, for YouTube and Facebook, are a deeper dive. Think educational content, informative market reports or even stunning, extended video tours of listings.
Examples :
For vertical video inspiration check out the YouTube Short I created from my interview with the president of REAL Broker. For horizontal video example take a look at my educational video about living in my city which is currently on the first page of Google and YouTube search results.
Focus on Benefits and Practical Examples:
This rework highlights the benefits of video marketing, provides concrete examples of different video formats and shows your expertise with the included links (although remember the best practices for not self promoting in SEO).
11. Trust with Reviews:
Reviews are gold in the real estate game. Ask happy clients to leave reviews and share their experience on your website, social media platforms and key third-party review sites like Zillow and Google My Business.
Why Reviews Matter:
Showing these testimonials on your website is social proof, building trust and influencing potential clients’ decisions. They see real reviews from past clients and trust your services.
The Power of Response:
Take it one step further and respond to all reviews, positive and negative. Thankful responses to positive reviews show appreciation and professional responses to negative reviews demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.
Focus on Benefits and Credibility:
This rework emphasizes the trust-building power of reviews, highlights key platforms like Zillow and Google My Business, and showcases your commitment to client satisfaction through responsive communication.
FAQs
📌 Are Online Leads Worth the Investment?
Yes! When targeted and nurtured correctly online leads can be a goldmine of high quality prospects. Investing in strategic online advertising and optimizing your website for local SEO will grow your business. But quality matters. To get the most return on investment focus on generating highly targeted leads most likely to convert. That might mean refining your audience targeting, creating engaging content and constantly optimizing your online campaigns.
📌 How to Convert Leads into Clients: The Winning Formula
Converting leads into clients is all about building relationships and delivering value. Stay in touch with personalized email marketing, offer valuable resources like market reports or buyer guides and show your expertise through content. This builds trust and positions you as the trusted advisor.
Know Your Leads: Listen actively to their needs, concerns and pain points. By addressing their specific issues you show you can deliver solutions and differentiate yourself from the competition.
And be prompt and consistent in your communication! Timely follow up can be the difference between a lead and a loyal client.
📌 Networking for Real Estate Leads
Networking is the foundation of real estate lead generation. Building relationships with industry professionals and local community members opens doors to referrals and new business. Attend industry events, join local business groups and participate in community activities. This allows you to connect with potential clients, partners and mentors. Networking also keeps you in the know about market trends giving you an edge.
📌 Standing Out from the Crowd: Become the Go-To Agent
Customer service is a must. Go above and beyond and exceed expectations! Show your expertise through content marketing - blog posts, market reports or videos. Invest in professional photography and videography to showcase listings in high definition and make a lasting impression.
Develop a Unique Selling Proposition (USP): What do you do differently? Specialize in a niche, offer new marketing strategies or provide support throughout the buying or selling process.
You are the brand. Be yourself, be real and go above and beyond. That builds loyalty and makes you the local agent.