In mid-2017, LinkedIn launched a new ad type called Lead Generation Forms. This comes in addition to the existing possibilities which are Sponsored Content (there are different formats of this) and Sponsored InMail. We’ve been using the new tool to generate leads since the day of it launched and have received great insight from the campaigns we’ve run so far.
The new ad type, as defined by Linkedin, lets you “capture quality leads using forms that are pre-filled with LinkedIn profile data”. One of the big advantages of the world’s largest professional content platform over Facebook and Co. is that users fill in a lot of accurate information about their professional experience, interests etc. This means that the members of the platform don’t have to fill out several fields in a lead generation form but they rather just submit a form that is pre-filled. This is especially valuable given that most LinkedIn traffic is from mobile devices, mostly from smartphones where people don’t like to type too much.
We found that many of our customers weren’t familiar yet with the Lead Generation Forms, so we created a short explanation here:
A user clicks the call-to-action button, for example to get an eBook, a free sample, a 30 minute consulting session, a free quote etc.
He then sees a form that’s been prefilled with his name, contact info, and other information like company name, seniority, job title, and geographic location (depending on what you asked for).
With a single click on the form — and without ever having to manually fill out any form fields— the user can instantly create a lead for your business.
As soon as a user submits the lead form, he automatically sees a “Thank You” page that connects him for example to your website or LinkedIn company page.
Metrics like the cost per lead, lead conversion rates, link form opens, amount of leads per campaign etc. can all be seen.
Conclusion: The lead gen tool is still the new kid in the neighborhood but it’s far more recommendable than the regular sponsored content options or the Sponsored InMail which was very successful after its launch around a year ago but has since then lost its attractiveness. More and more companies don’t want to spend money on LinkedIn just to expand their reach or increase the brand awareness. They want to see leads and in the end they obviously expect to see sales from it – and they want to be able to track their sales back to LinkedIn.
A good campaign is needed which is optimized in terms of the ads, the above mentioned form, the audience, the timing. And the most important thing is to be realistic about the expected results. If you have a well-known brand and offer great products, it’s easier to see good results than when you enter a new market with a new product. We’d be happy to give you advice about whether such a campaign is the right thing for your business. Feel free to talk to us to learn more about it.
Comentarios