Want to use Facebook for lead generation but don't know where to start? In this guide we'll explore how you can use Facebook to attract leads, giving you a chance to increase your customer base.
We're going to assume that you already have a Facebook page for your business, but if you don't you can check out this guide to set one up.
Facebook lead generation tip 1: Use Facebook's lead generation ads
Facebook offers a type of ad specially designed to generate leads, so it makes sense to use it.
One of the best things about Facebook's lead ads is that they allow you to create a lead generation form that's an integral part of the ad - meaning you don't have to worry about people clicking through to your site before they fill in your form.
These lead ads are a great way to get started with lead generation on Facebook, especially if it's an area you don't have much experience of.
For those of you unfamiliar with it, you can find a guide to Facebook's ad platform here.
Facebook lead generation tip 2: Plan your campaign(s) holistically
It can be tempting to dive straight in and start setting up lead generation ads to capture people's details.
But when it comes to leads quality is more important than quantity.
Because of this it makes sense to plan your campaign out as a whole before you get started.
This planning should include: how you intend to gather the lead information you want; how you'll make sure that these are quality leads; and what steps you'll take to try and convert those leads into customers once you have their information.
Don't worry if you're not sure how to answer these questions at this stage, as we'll cover aspects of them as we move through this guide.
Facebook lead generation tip 3: Offer something in return
Part of the planning for any Facebook lead generation campaign should involve answering the question "why should people provide me with their details?". And that answer is likely to involve you giving people something in exchange for those details.
Quite what that something is will depend on the nature of your business and the kind of person you're trying to reach.
Some examples of things you can offer in return include: An educational ebook, a special offer or discount, a free consultation or quote.
The key is to find something that you can easily offer, and that will be of interest to your target audience. Speaking of which…
Facebook lead generation tip 4: Make sure you target the right audience
Before you launch a Facebook lead generation campaign, you need to understand who you're trying to reach.
This understanding of your potential customer base should be a fundamental part of your business's identity, and if you haven't already done so it pays to spend time building customer personas - they'll come in handy for all aspects of your marketing.
One of the great things about Facebook's advertising platform is its powerful targeting options, which will allow you to target your lead generation campaigns at the most relevant groups.
You can target based on things such as age, location and gender, but also interests meaning you can get really specific about who you're trying to reach.
So make sure you're matching your targeting options to your customer personas.
Facebook lead generation tip 5: Qualify your leads where possible
If someone is interested in your lead generation ad, it doesn't always mean they're a good match for your business.
This is why qualifying your leads at an early stage can be a good idea.
For example, if you're a builder who specializes in extensions you'll want to filter out people who rent their home as clearly they won't be interested in your services. If you're an SEO consultant, you won't want to waste your time contacting people who don't have a website.
Fortunately, Facebook's lead generation ads allow you to ask questions while you're gathering people's information, which makes it easier to pre-qualify your leads.
But that's not the be all and end all of lead qualification. You can learn more about lead qualification in this guide.
Facebook lead generation tip 6: Plan how you'll follow up with leads
"I've got my leads, now what should I do?" is a question that you shouldn't be asking.
Ensure you have a plan on how you'll follow up with leads before you start contacting them.
If you're offering something like a free consultation or a free quote, then your initial follow up will simply be to deliver what you've promised.
But in other cases, especially if you're selling a high-value product or service, the way you follow up with potential leads is likely to be more complex.
You can learn more about lead nurturing in this guide.
But it's worth pointing out that no matter what lead nurturing techniques you decide to employ, email marketing is likely to play a key part in things - even if it's just sending an acknowledgement message when someone shares their details with you - so make sure you have access to a tool like GoDaddy Email Marketing.
Facebook lead generation tip 7: Test and refine
If you're serious about running lead generation campaigns through Facebook, then you need to ensure you're getting the best possible return on your expenditure.
The way to do this is to test and refine. Facebook's lead generation ads actually offer an A/B testing option, which makes it easy to find out what works well and what doesn't.
Things you can test include ad text, call to action text, images, offers and more. However, remember to only test one thing at a time so you know what's responsible for any difference in the number of leads generated by your ad variants.
You can learn more about A/B testing for Facebook ads in this guide.
Summing up
Generating leads on Facebook is something that almost any business can do. Just make sure you know how much a lead is worth to your business so you're able to manage your advertising budget. If you don’t, you run the risk of spending more on advertising than you make in profit.
But if you keep a lid on costs, Facebook lead generation can help your business find profitable new customers.
