Funnel Lead Generation Strategies for Real Estate: Attract More Buyers and Build Your Pipeline
What is Top-of-Funnel (TOFU) marketing in Real Estate?
Top-of-funnel leads are consumers who are just beginning their buying or selling journey. They’ve recognized a need (e.g. a growing family, relocation, or new investment goal) and they’re collecting information before choosing an agent.
This is where your brand needs to show up first.
When you’re planning your marketing strategy, you must start by expanding your brand visibility. In real estate, that means making your name synonymous with local expertise. That’s especially crucial for top-of-funnel (TOFU) prospects- those buyers and sellers who are just beginning their journey and have not yet committed.
If you haven’t heard of TOFU, MOFU (middle-of-funnel), or BOFU (bottom-of-funnel), don’t worry - this guide explains all of it.
- TOFU = Awareness stage: People recognize a need and start gathering information.
- MOFU = Interest/consideration stage: They compare options, evaluate agents.
- BOFU = Decision stage: They pick an agent and make a commitment.
At the TOFU stage, it's your moment to appear and become the trusted local expert.
So ask yourself:
- How did they find you?
- Why did they trust your name and your advice?
When you engage TOFU clients efficiently, you introduce your brand early, build trust without being pushy, and create the foundation for a strong pipeline of qualified leads. Your goal in TOFU marketing: Build awareness and trust early so you are the agent they choose when they’re ready.
TOFU Content Marketing for Real Estate
Content marketing is a powerful engine for real estate lead generation. For TOFU, your goal is visibility + authority, not direct selling. You’re building familiarity and trust.
Social Media Marketing Content for Real Estate
Social platforms are often the first place a future client sees you. They come there to be entertained and educated, not sold aggressively. The goal is to show up consistently with value so you become the trusted local expert. With social media, you need to know where your clients are. You may need to branch out to other platforms like Instagram or TikTok to reach wider audiences. Also, you don’t need a presence on every single social media platform. Pick a couple and stick with those.
Here’s how to use social media for TOFU success: Share popular listings and lifestyle content about your market, Post short videos about neighborhoods, market updates, and buyer FAQs, Request engagement: likes, shares, comments, and saves, Offer lead magnets like a First-Time Buyer Checklist in exchange for email, and lastly showcase your personality. Your vibe = your brand.
Providing something of value can fill your top of the funnel with qualified leads and by providing valuable information, you can create trust and interest before a potential buyer is ready to make a decision. This approach to real estate lead generation is more effective than traditional methods. Visibility now = more relationships later.
Blogging Brings Your Customer into Your Marketing Funnel
Another great way to produce content is through a blog. Your blog topics can vary and cover a wide range of topics like "Top Neighborhoods for Families" or "How to Get Started with Real Estate Investing." Blogs can be a great tool for real estate agents because you can use them to position yourself as a knowledgeable resource and do it all through your own voice. You can answer common questions and establish trust with potential clients while letting your personality shine through your writing. Placing lead capture forms on your blog will help you collect basic info from those visiting your site. Forms that ask questions about the type of property, budget, and preferred neighborhood can help you qualify leads without that initial phone interview, streamlining your sales process.
Engaging Video Content for Real Estate Agents
People love visual content. Video content often performs better than written content on social media. It's more engaging and it is the best way to truly showcase your unique personality. For real estate agents, you can post a home tour, but you can also do a neighborhood tour. You could post videos about what life is like in a particular neighborhood. These lifestyle-oriented videos (e.g., "A Day in [Neighborhood]") give prospects a feel for what it's like to live in the areas they're interested in and can be a powerful campaign tool.
Engaging social media content, well-structured blog posts, and informative videos can all help prospective buyers discover your brand organically. The key is to focus on creating content that speaks to the buyer's needs at this early stage, positioning yourself as a knowledgeable resource rather than making a hard sell. This type of content is necessary for a comprehensive digital strategy.
Social Proof and TOFU Marketing
Anyone can say that they are the best. What makes it believable is social proof. In your social channels, you need to find ways to convince others that you're the real deal. The best way to do that is through client testimonials and success stories. In real estate, social proof is essential since buying or selling a home is a big decision that often requires a fair amount of research on the client's end. It's key that you build a reputation where people feel they can trust you to handle their properties.
If you have access to any positive ratings or reviews about you as an agent, share them! High ratings could be from Google or Yelp or anywhere that provides credible information. Remember that these potential clients are in the awareness stage and they are looking for a reputable agent. You need to make sure that you are emphasizing that you are that agent and that you are doing it often to drive conversions.
Engaging with Local Communities
You need to be your area's local expert. You need to be actively engaged with your local community in order to have a significant edge in lead generation. First, build connections with local residents. Look for community activities that you can participate in like a local festival or organize one yourself, like a neighborhood clean-up. You could also sponsor a charity event or volunteer your time to work with one. Building connections with your local community is going to position you as a well connected agent but also an approachable one, which is great for networking.
Another helpful strategy is to partner with local businesses. Reach out to local coffee shops, book stores, cafes, etc. and look for opportunities to collaborate with them to broaden your reach. For instance, you might leave your business cards at a local cafe in exchange for featuring them in a social media post. The cafe could also become your go-to meeting spot when engaging with new clients and learning about their needs. This kind of outreach builds authentic relationships.
You could also bring in business by hosting a local forum that people can participate in and where you can showcase your market knowledge. Keep in mind that a forum could be a webinar. Webinars on topics like "Buying Your First Home," or "How to Prepare Your Home for Sale" are great for educating potential clients and can help nurture leads.
Also, these webinars allow you to capture leads by requiring registration. In essence, by featuring local businesses in your content or collaborating with them for events, you can further establish your presence as a trusted community partner. When you have built a presence in the community, locals will think of you first when considering buying or selling, leading to valuable referrals.
Technology Helps Real Estate Agents Scale Their Marketing & Get More Deals
Find ways to make your community presence a priority. You can use technology to help organize your day and automate as much as you can. You can also follow pages/sites that provide helpful tools like this one to help you manage your time. For any agent using a tool like IRIS or another similar tool, these platforms can free up time typically spent on administrative tasks, allowing you to engage more in the field and focus on building your database.
Bottom line: real estate agents who are visible and active in their communities are more likely to generate leads, as potential buyers and sellers prefer agents who understand the area and have strong local ties. Creating a strong networking presence often leads to natural referrals.
Being effective with TOFU will turn early connections into closings
All of these strategies are here for one purpose: to build your brand. Yes, you want your name out there, but remember you are more than just your name. You want people to associate you with being the local expert. For first time home buyers, this can be a stressful and scary process. If you can come across as the agent that understands this and is there as their guide, you'll win them over into your pipeline. These TOFU strategies (social media, blogs, video, and leveraging social proof) are the foundation to creating that authentic presence that resonates with homebuyers at the start of their journey. A successful campaign helps you nurture relationships long before clients are ready to buy.
Participating in community events and collaborating with local businesses just underscores that foundation and it makes your name resonate with people who aren't ready to buy, but are looking for someone to trust. In real estate, success is all about making those early connections that bring clients back when they're ready to move forward, turning your real estate lead generation efforts into closed deals and engagement into lasting client relationships.