Lead generation ads on Facebook are one of the most cost-efficient uses of the platform for B2B purposes. Like all Facebook advertising, they allow you to target specific groups and segments. However, with lead generation ads, clicks turn into leads and generate useful data and engagement, relatively simply.

The user experience starts like any other Facebook campaign, typically with an ad in the newsfeed. Next, instead of being directed to an external landing page or piece of content, a dialogue box opens up where the user is asked to submit their contact details. Typically, this will be used to collect software demo requests, newsletter subscriptions or gated content requests. A lot of personal data is already held by Facebook and your form can be pre-filled so that the user only has to give their permission to share. This creates a much more seamless experience for the user and makes them more likely to share their data.

With the possibility of hosting your data collection registration form within Facebook, B2B advertisers have a powerful channel for high volume lead acquisition campaigns that are easy to set up.

The ad initially appears as any other ad in the user’s Facebook Newsfeed. However, when the user clicks on the ad they are not brought to the advertiser’s website, but rather a dialogue box opens directly on Facebook where the user can submit their data in a series of standardised and customised fields set up by the advertiser.

Engaging. Types of offer that will turn visits into leads

With lead generation campaigns you not only need to have an ad that attracts attention and clicks, you need to offer something so enticing that the target will provide you with some personal data in order to get it. Typical lead bait in such campaigns include:

Where to collect your leads: Facebook lead generation form vs. external landing pages 

Facebook Lead Generation ads give you the chance to collect all the information you need within Facebook. Without leaving the social network, visitors are sent to a registration form where their data is collected. The forms are integrated into a user’s Facebook experience, with many of the fields pre-filled using data from their Facebook profile. Using Facebook’s own lead gen formula is very easy, it creates a more seamless experience for the user, is more mobile-friendly and will almost certainly result in more leads from your campaign. 

So why would anyone send Facebook leads to an external landing page?  

Despite the myriad advantages of the Facebook form, you may still decide that your lead gen collection form is best placed on your own site. The advantages being that a) you can provide a lot more information to a user and potentially get them to linger once they have made it to your landing page, and b) the leads will be better qualified. Facebook lead gen forms are too easy to complete for some B2B marketing campaigns. A user who is redirected to your landing page not only has the opportunity to discover a lot more about your service, he or she will also signal a much more pronounced intent if they go on to fill out a registration form on your page, without the auto-fill convenience of Facebook.

Thinking about starting a lead generation campaign on Facebook, but not sure where to begin? Reach out to our Facebook specialist!

Asking for the right information

Wherever you host your form, the issue of how much information to ask for is always going to be a thorny one. There is so much you would like to know about your new leads, but only so much they will be bothered to give you before dropping out of the process.

Aside from the basic personal information such as name and email address, Facebook allows advertisers to ask custom questions on its forms. Up to 15 questions that you can write yourself. Typically, you might ask for further details about roles and responsibilities, questions that indicate where a lead is in the buying/awareness process, or how they would like to be contacted.

As ever the choice of how much to ask for is largely one of quality versus quantity. Lots of questions will provide a smaller data-rich list of well-qualified leads, a simple email and name request might provide a much larger list, but you are still in the dark as to how qualified those leads are or if they are worth investing more time and effort in.

Conclusion

While originally conceived as more of a B2C tool, Facebook has become an essential marketing platform for many B2B marketers. With its rich array of targeting options (especially its possibilities for lookalike targeting) and its lead generation ad formats, Facebook offers an easy and efficient means to grow your B2B leads.