Time and again I hear real estate pros tell me that online prospecting doesn’t work, but truth be told, it doesn’t work for them- we see success stories all day long. It’s easy to get frustrated when you aren’t seeing money in the bank from your online efforts.

Why Your Online Prospecting Doesn’t Work (And What You Can Do About It)

1. Google doesn’t know who you are.

Getting found by Google isn’t always easy. Search engine optimization can be costly and it can be tricky to find a reliable SEO specialist. Blogging can be an effective way to be found by Google, but it’s not a get rich quick strategy.

TIP: Don’t wait for them to come to you, go where the buyers and sellers already are! Buyers and sellers are talking online in forums like our own Trulia Voices, on Twitter, Facebook, and more. Seek out the places they are participating and engage!

2. Your online marketing is all about you.

You are awesome, I am sure you are, but no matter how great you are, prospective home buyers and sellers don’t really care. They care about numero uno- themselves and what they need.

TIP: Focus your marketing efforts on what is in it for the consumers. How can your services help solve their wants, needs and problems? Tailor your online efforts to address your consumers needs and your success rate is likely to rise.

3. You don’t have a complete profile with a photo.

I am shocked at how often we see online profiles that don’t even have a picture and basic contact information. People want to talk to people and your profile photos gives them a sense of what you are like.

TIP: If you start an account, complete your online profile. Add a professional photo of yourself, complete your online resume and make sure to have up to date contact information. This simple step can be the determining factor if a prospective client is going to pick up the phone or move along.

4. You have an active Twitter presence but you spend all your time talking to other agents.

But they might send you a referral you say? It is possible, but your best chance to generate quality prospects on Twitter is to connect with local buyers and sellers in your target market.

TIP: Get out of your comfort zone and interact on Twitter with the people in your community. Not sure how? Check out my Twitter Tips for Real Estate Agents.

5. You are lurking on Facebook.

You say you aren’t generating business on Facebook, but do you engage with the people most likely to do business with you? I have to admit that I was active on Facebook for quite some time before I realized that the people I tended to engage with were the people the least likely to do business with me. Two of my best past clients were Facebook friends and we hadn’t communicated on the network in over 6 months. Then lists came along and I created my “A” list.

TIP: Facebook Lists are a powerful way to stay engaged with your most important clients first. Go to http://www.facebook.com/friends/ & click +Create A List.

6. Your website gives the same information as everyone else’s.

The average real estate agent’s website looks like many others in their local market. It is templated and not customized to fit the agent’s personality, market niche and more.

TIP: Writing a blog is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to stand out from the pack. You can use a blog to demonstrate what you know that can benefit your target consumer. Don’t tell your prospective customers why you are different from everyone else- show them!

7. You place ads online that lead back to the main page of your website.

If you don’t direct your ads to a contact page or other landing page with a compelling call to action, you are likely to lose the prospect. Trulia’s local ad customers report that a significant number of their leads come directly from the good ol’ telephone.

TIP: Make sure your online advertising efforts direct consumers to a page that tells them how you can help them and how they can contact you. Don’t forget to include your phone number!

8. You don’t have follow up systems in place.

As I mentioned before, the sales cycle for online leads can take time. You may need to follow up and nurture the prospects over a period of months and years. I have had people call me to list their house two years after they registered on my website. I signed them up for my weekly market stats report and we remained in touch.

TIP: Whether it is market reports or an email newsletter, you should have a regular campaign in place so that when they are ready to move, they think of you first. Some of your web leads will never move, but their friends & family will.

9. You haven’t defined what “working means”.

How do you know it is or isn’t working if you haven’t defined what working means?

TIP: If you want your internet marketing to work, you need to define what that means to you, and how you are going to track your success. Without performance goals in place, it is impossible to measure success.

10. You aren’t calling/email people back.

This sounds so simple, but yet it happens all the time. Our consumers complain that they fill out web lead forms and don’t receive a follow up back. So agents are spending time and money prospecting, but when it comes time to handle the new lead, they don’t call the prospect back.

TIP: Call/email prospects back as quickly as soon you can! The quicker you follow up, the more likely you are to convert them as a client.

Have a tip to share about how you market online to get results? Pass along your advice in the comments below.

Ginger Wilcox, Head of Industry Marketing

Ginger Wilcox is Head of Industry Marketing at Trulia. Follow Ginger on Twitter