Direct post delivers the full lead to a buyer right away, with no bidding step, so pricing and buyer relationships are usually set in advance. Ping post first sends partial lead data with no personally identifiable information to buyers, collects bids, and then posts the full lead to the winning buyer. LeadExec supports both models, and many operations use both at the same time.
What Is Direct Post?
In a direct post model, a lead is delivered immediately to a buyer without a preliminary bidding process. Pricing and buyer relationships are typically predetermined. This makes direct post a simpler setup for stable, single-buyer workflows and for established buyers with fixed terms.
What Is Ping Post?
Ping post splits the lead sale into two steps:
Ping: A subset of lead data, such as geographic information, product interest, and qualification criteria, is sent to buyers. Personally identifiable information (PII), such as the consumer's name, phone number, and email address, is left out.
Post: The complete lead record is sent to the buyer after a bid is accepted. The post includes the Ping Order ID so it can be matched to the original ping.
For a full explanation, see LeadExec Ping Post Lead Distribution Explained.
What Are the Key Differences Between Direct Post and Ping Post?
| Direct post | Ping post |
What is shared first | The full lead record | Partial lead data with no PII |
Pricing | Typically predetermined (fixed) | Dynamic bids per lead; fixed-price buyers can also be included |
Timing | The lead is delivered right away | Two steps; in LeadExec, the full lead must be posted within 5 minutes of the ping response |
Buyer competition | Buyer relationships are set in advance | Multiple buyers can bid on the same lead |
Setup | Simpler | Needs ping and post configuration on both sides |
When Should You Use Direct Post or Ping Post?
Use direct post for established buyer relationships with fixed terms and for stable, single-buyer workflows.
Use ping post when multiple buyers compete for leads, when pricing varies by lead attributes, when maximum revenue per lead is a priority, or when a buyer requires dynamic bidding or pre-qualification before accepting leads.
Ping post is commonly used by lead generation companies, lead marketplaces and aggregators, affiliate networks, insurance marketers, mortgage lead providers, solar lead sellers, and home services networks.
How Does LeadExec Support Both Models?
Inbound ping post: Create a Campaign with the Ping Post channel to receive pings from lead sources. See Creating a Ping Post Campaign.
Inbound full leads: A Web Lead Campaign accepts leads submitted from websites, landing pages, lead forms, third-party vendors, and integrations. See Creating a Web Lead Campaign.
Outbound ping post: Use the Ping Post Delivery Method on a buyer's delivery account. See Setting Up a Ping Post Lead Delivery in LeadExec.
Comparing both in one scan: During buyer evaluation, dynamic bids from ping post buyers can be compared alongside fixed-price buyer configurations to find the best revenue opportunity for each lead. Turn on Ping During Sort in the Response Settings tab so buyer bids are part of the buyer scan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is personal information sent in the ping?
No. The ping contains partial lead data without personally identifiable information. The complete lead record is sent only in the post, after a bid is accepted.
Can I use direct post and ping post at the same time?
Yes. Many operations use direct post for established buyers with fixed terms and ping post for buyers who require dynamic bidding or pre-qualification.
Can fixed-price buyers compete with ping post bids?
Yes. LeadExec supports both static (fixed) and dynamic pricing. Dynamic bids can be compared alongside fixed-price buyer configurations during buyer evaluation.
How long does a lead source have to post the full lead in LeadExec?
5 minutes from the ping response. Pings that are not followed by a post within that window expire.