Getting started with digital leasing is pretty straightforward. You pick a local business niche, build a simple website, and rent it to someone looking for leads. That is the quick answer when someone asks how to start digital leasing. You do not need a fancy setup or lots of cash. But there are things that most guides do not tell you.
Sometimes, I find myself thinking it should be even simpler, like just setting up a page and waiting. But you need a plan and you need to keep after it. Here is a breakdown, with comments on what really matters at each stage:
Step 1: Pick the Right Niche and Location
Not every niche is equal. Not every town or city will have strong demand. If you pick “ice sculpture repair” in a desert city, there is no money to be made. Most people pick:
- Plumbers, roofers, tree services, pest control
- Medium-size towns (not too small, not too big)
- Services people need year-round
Check Google Maps for local businesses. If there are only a few, choose a bigger area. If there are dozens on every block, it might be too crowded. There is a balancing point here that is more of an art than a science.
Step 2: Register a Domain and Set Up Hosting
- Keep the domain short, clear, and easy to spell
- Use real hosting (not the free kind, which is often slow or has limits)
- Make sure you have control of your domain and hosting accounts yourself
Here is a table to keep it simple:
| Domain | Hosting Cost | Good For |
|---|---|---|
| SpringfieldPlumbingHQ.com | $10-12 per year | Local Plumbing Leads |
| BestPestDallas.com | $10-12 per year | Pest Control |
| TreeTrimMiami.com | $10-12 per year | Tree Trimming |
Domains are cheap. Go with dot com whenever you can. Just pick something you would feel good talking about on the phone to a business owner.
Step 3: Build Your Site with User Intent in Mind
You do not need a carbon copy of every “template” site out there. Focus on:
- Clear contact form and phone number (preferably with call tracking)
- Real content about the service and local area
- Location pages if you want to cover a wider service area
Google seems to like helpful content and basic trust factors , like business hours, actual location mentions, and photos that do not look fake. You can use free templates, but try not to change your layout so often that you look unreliable to visitors or Google.
Step 4: Get the Site Ranking in Google
This is the tough part. You need to get backlinks. Some common strategies:
- List your site in local business directories
- Ask for links from actual friends or local groups
- Create new blog posts and try to get mentioned elsewhere
- Share updates on local Facebook groups even if it only gets you mentioned
This part often takes months. People expect results overnight and drop out. For my first project, it took five months to rank for a top keyword, but traffic started coming in much faster for long-tail terms. Expect slow progress.
Step 5: Find a Renter
Once the site starts getting leads, you can reach out to local businesses. My best results have come from calling business owners directly, but you can email as well. Offer a free trial or “test the waters.” Most small business owners are cautious but open to new leads, as long as the price makes sense.
Do not get fancy in your sales pitch. Just say, “I have a site that gets calls for [service] in [city]. Would you like to try the leads out?”
I have rented sites for as little as $150 per month and as much as $800 per month. The average is somewhere in the middle. The more leads, the more you can charge.
Step 6: Collect Payment and Automate Where Possible
- Set up recurring payments using Stripe, PayPal, or even direct deposit
- Automate lead delivery to the business (forward call or email directly)
- Consider using a contract when the site ramps up (simple, not complicated legal forms)
You want this as hands-off as you can. But every business is different. Some will want to pay month-to-month, others will push for discounts or more details. If a renter bails, you can pitch another until you find a steady fit.
Scaling Your Digital Leasing Business
Digital leasing business can be scaled once you have a few sites running. Outsource anything that takes too much time. I hired someone to do the content for one of my tree trimming sites, and it worked out well , a lot less time spent writing things I did not care about.
But do not get carried away until you have real results. Too many people buy ten domains and burn out when nothing produces income. Start with one or two, learn what actually works, and grow from there.
Making Mistakes and Learning from Them
I have made a lot of mistakes. I have wasted money on design, picked niches with almost no search volume, bought domains that sounded clever but no one could spell. Each mistake costs a little, but you learn. The most expensive mistake is quitting before your first site ranks.
If you are feeling stuck, review your niche and make sure people are searching for it. Sometimes a pivot is smarter than pushing through for years with no results.
Check keyword research tools. Talk to people who actually work in the business you want to target. Sometimes your best ideas do not match real world demand.
Should You Buy a Course or Figure It Out Yourself?
Joshua T Osborne reviews and the like show that some people get a lot from coaching, while others feel underwhelmed. If you are lost, buying guidance can help. But most people can get started for almost nothing using free info. The big courses often teach the same ideas again and again, just packaged differently. If you hate wasting cash, learn by doing.
Digital Shortcuts is an example of a program promising to speed up the process. Some have said it helped, others do fine without it. I am a bit skeptical, but I admit everyone learns differently. If you want hand-holding, that is an option. If you like independent work, use free resources.
Finishing Thoughts
My honest advice: Start small. Do not overthink it. Get a site up, make it useful, and work until it reaches people. Be patient, and keep adjusting based on feedback. Digital leasing is not a gold rush, and it is not for everyone. But for patient people with an eye for small wins, it can pay off over time. Try, mess up, learn, and keep going.
