Would you be surprised to find out that online lead generation has changed during the last several months? Today, leads are coming from phones, voice messaging, text messaging, and more. There are now many new ways to get leads for your website. You can even identify the phones in a restaurant at a given moment and send a coupon for a free desert on the next visit.

Here are five insights for online lead generation that have either arisen or become more important during the ten or twelve months. You need to incorporate these five insights in to your plan.

1. Video. Video is the new essential. It is almost as important today as search in online lead generation. Video does not need to be professionally produced. It just needs to appeal to your market and be entertaining. When you make it, keep in mind that you want it to be visible on Facebook, your web site and on phones.

2. Social Media. Social media is a powerful way to get people talking about your business. Focus on the two or three that are most likely to reach your audience. These new tools in online lead generation are also a powerful way to build links back to your site. Now that live social media search is part of Google’s results, it is even more important.

3. PPC Sponsored Listings. Sponsored listings on the results pages of the search engines are regaining importance. With search now including all of the chatter on the social networks, it is becoming more difficult to attain top ten ranking in organic search. This might again be the best option for appearing on page 1, which is essential for online lead generation.

4. Optimize content. Search engines are constantly looking for fresh content. It needs to be promoted and shared in other ways on the web to help you with online lead generation. Articles should be submitted to targeted article directories; press releases should be distributed online and sent to local media. Anything you post anywhere online should be optimized and linked back to your site – especially your blog.

5. Using Automation. You can find a program or service that can automate almost everything you need to do for online lead generation. From PPC management to content production assistance, to pre-planned auto-responder programs – it is all out there. Don’t be afraid to try it after checking it out. It will save huge amounts of time.

These changes are important for online lead generation. Making them part of your larger efforts will keep you on top of new developments and help you maximize your efforts.

If you are a small business owner or professional and want more information about lead generation, see the free video, “How Article Promotion Can Drive 25,000 New Prospects to Your Web Site Each Month – For Free.”