Not everyone will choose to use as many spokes as Elias does, but regardless of your approach, it's important to maintain a consistent look wherever you are putting yourself forward as a real estate professional, Harmon said.

She cited New Jersey-based Realtor Walter Burns' Web site, "Living on the Hudson," which employs a visual theme that carries over to his blog, and his presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

Getting "your brand or your promise right" should be a top priority for every brokerage and agent, said Mark Mclaughlin, CEO of San Francisco-based Pacific Union International.

Mclaughlin also recommended that agents invest in themselves, earmarking 9 percent to 15 percent of their gross commission for advertising.

Charles Moore, CEO of another Bay Area-based brokerage, McGuire Real Estate, is a fan of hyperlocal landing pages.

"If you are an expert in an area, tell them about the local restaurants, the schools, what happened last night," Moore said.

Moore also put in a plug for CleanOffer.com, a service that gives registered users in several markets around the country the same access to MLS data as their agent.

Available markets include the San Francisco Bay Area, parts of New England, Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas.

Although consumers may have access to market statistics, they'll also expect brokers and agents to be experts. McGuire real estate relies on Altos Research for statistics its agents can use in newsletters, blogs and websites.

A strong Internet presence is a must, but the end goal remains the same as it always has -- creating relationships, said Gino Blefari, CEO of Silicon Valley-based Intero Real Estate Services.

Agents should have strong sales skills, know their script, and know what buyers' and sellers' objections are likely to be. Above all, success requires a strong work ethic, Blefari said.

"A lot of work gets done before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m.," Blefari said. "The only time success appears before work is in the dictionary."