Also known as CPL
CPL is easy to calculate and easy to misuse. A cheap lead that never answers costs more than an expensive one that books a visit. So teams also track cost per qualified lead, cost per site visit and cost per booking for each source. Only those numbers tell you where to move budget.
Count all costs for the channel: portal package fees, ad spend including GST, agency fees, and for channel partners the commission paid on bookings. Use the same period for spend and leads, and remember portals often bill annually or quarterly — spread the fee across the months it covers.
Example
CPL versus cost per visit (illustrative)
A Mohali broker spends ₹30,000 on Meta ads (300 leads, CPL ₹100) and ₹30,000 on Google search ads (100 leads, CPL ₹300). Meta leads produce 12 visits (₹2,500 per visit); Google leads produce 20 visits (₹1,500 per visit). Judged on CPL, Meta wins; judged on visits, Google does.
Figures are illustrative, not market rates.
Questions about Cost per lead (CPL)
What is a good cost per lead for real estate in India?
It varies widely by city, budget segment, channel and season, and there is no official benchmark. Track your own CPL alongside cost per site visit and cost per booking, and judge a channel by the later numbers.
How do I calculate CPL?
Divide total spend on a channel in a period by the number of leads from that channel in the same period. ₹45,000 spent and 150 leads gives ₹45,000 ÷ 150 = ₹300 per lead. Include GST and agency fees if you pay them.
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