Which ads are best for lead generation?

Lead generation is a key part of any marketing strategy. The goal is to convert website visitors into leads by gathering their contact information. This allows you to continue nurturing leads with targeted content until they become customers. When it comes to lead generation, pay-per-click (PPC) ads and social media ads are two of the most effective options.

PPC Ads

Pay-per-click (PPC) ads, also known as search engine marketing (SEM), are well suited for lead generation. With PPC ads, you pay each time someone clicks your ad. The ads appear alongside organic search results on search engines like Google and Bing. When done right, PPC ads drive targeted traffic to your site. You can tailor them to reach people searching for keywords related to your products or services. This helps convert searchers into leads at a relatively low cost-per-click.

Some advantages of using PPC ads for leads include:

• Appearing higher in search results so your ads are more visible
• Ability to target your ideal customers with keyword research
• Control over your budget and spend
• Adjusting keywords and ads to optimize performance
• Tracking clicks and leads generated from your ads

With PPC advertising, you can monitor metrics like click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), and conversion rate to determine the effectiveness of your ads. Increase budget on top performing ads while pausing poor performers. Make sure to A/B test different ad variations as well.

Landing Page Optimization

Your landing page experience is crucial for converting PPC traffic into leads. Send your PPC ads to dedicated lead capture landing pages, not just your website homepage. Optimize these landing pages to increase conversions:

• Include a targeted headline and intro copy
• Make your offer clear with bullets/short paragraphs
• Use high-quality images and videos
• Minimize distractions and keep it simple
• Highlight a single call-to-action button
• Use forms sparingly – name/email may be enough

Testing different elements on your PPC landing pages will improve lead capture over time.

Google Ads

Google Ads, part of the Google Marketing Platform, is the largest PPC network. With Google Ads, your text ads can appear on Google Search alongside organic results. They may also show up on Google Shopping, YouTube, Gmail, and the Google Display Network. The Display Network places your ads on relevant websites across the web. Here are some tips for running Google Ads campaigns for leads:

• Research relevant, high volume keywords prospects search when looking for solutions
• Create tightly themed ad groups around specific products or services
• Write compelling ad copy that speaks directly to the searcher
• Use ad extensions like call buttons, location data, etc.
• Target geographic areas your business serves
• Run ads on both Google Search and the Display Network
• Make ads stand out with ad customization options

Track lead conversions in Google Ads to determine ROI. Look at conversion rate, cost per lead, and quality of leads generated.

Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising, formerly Bing Ads, is another major PPC platform. By running ads in the Bing search engine, you can target lead generation. Bing has about a third of desktop search market share in the US, so it’s not as big as Google but still substantial. Here are some Microsoft Advertising tips for lead gen:

• Target industry-specific keywords not oversaturated by competitors
• Upload and target custom audiences from your email lists and CRM
• Try in-market audience targeting for people actively researching purchases
• Use lead form ad extensions to capture lead details
• Implement UTM parameters to track leads from Bing
• Create separate ad versions to test different offers

Measure lead quality and program performance over time. Adjust budgets between high and low performing campaigns accordingly.

Social Media Ads

In addition to search ads, you can generate leads through social media advertising. Many businesses find success driving leads with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter ads in particular. Lookalike audiences and detailed targeting options allow you to hone in on your ideal prospects. Here are some advantages of running social ads for leads:

• Targeting options based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more
• Retargeting people who have already visited your site or ads
• Running sequential messaging campaigns to nurture prospects
• Monitoring cost per lead generated to determine ROI
• Following up via social direct messaging once leads convert
• Remarketing warmed up leads into customers

When running social ads, be sure to make the most of the platform’s targeting capabilities. Send traffic to tailored landing pages and track conversions. A/B testing of creative assets and copy will help improve performance over time.

Facebook Ads

With over 1 billion daily active users, Facebook offers huge potential for lead generation. You can target users based on public profile data, interests, groups joined, and past purchase behaviors. Facebook lead campaign objectives optimize ads to capture leads for your business. Some tips for Facebook lead gen ads include:

• Create multi-step lead capture Facebook forms
• Test different images, videos, copy, and calls-to-action
• Refine audiences for 10x relevance over the general population
• Remarket to people who previously clicked or viewed
• Define lead match criteria based on form fills or visits to site
• Update creatives and offers based on campaign results

Measure lead cost and volume to determine winning Facebook ads. Focus spend on your best-performing creatives and target audiences over time.

LinkedIn Ads

LinkedIn advertising enables targeting by job role, industry, skills, company size, and other B2B criteria. For companies marketing to other businesses, it can be a powerful lead generation platform. Some tips for LinkedIn lead gen include:

• Sponsored content to engage professional audiences
• Target by job title, industry, skills, and other attributes
• Test different ad formats like message ads, carousel ads, etc.
• Create custom Lead Gen Forms people can fill out in-app
• Retarget website visitors with LinkedIn pixel code
• Measure cost per lead vs. customer lifetime value

As with other platforms, continuously refine audience targeting and ad creatives based on performance data. See which job roles and industries produce the highest quality leads.

Twitter Ads

While less common, you can generate leads with Twitter ads too. Because of Twitter’s real-time nature, ads often work best linked to current events, trends, and newsjacking opportunities. Some Twitter lead gen tips:

• Target by keywords, interests, behaviors, and remarketing
• Utilize Twitter cards to stand out in the main feed
• Write compelling, value-focused copy in 280 characters
• Add captions, hashtags, images, or videos to catch attention
• Retarget website visitors to turn them into leads
• Send traffic to dedicated landing pages with lead forms
• Monitor lead quality compared to cost per lead

Keep testing and optimizing your Twitter ads and targeting over time to improve lead generation from this platform.

Measuring Lead Gen Ad Performance

When running any kind of ads for lead generation, be sure to track meaningful metrics so you can optimize over time. Beyond lead volume, also look at:

• Cost Per Lead – Average spend to acquire each lead
• Lead Quality – Conversion rate into sales from new leads
• Click-Through Rate – How often your ad is clicked vs impressions
• Conversion Rate – How many visitors convert into leads
• ROI – Return on spend based on revenue from lead conversions

With both PPC and social ads, use A/B split testing to determine the highest performing combinations of targeting, creatives, and more. Continuously refine your ad strategy to improve results. Now that you know the pros and cons of various lead gen ad options, put them into practice for your business!

Comparing Lead Gen Ad Platforms

Here is a comparison of key attributes for top advertising platforms used in lead generation:

As shown above, the major digital advertising platforms each offer unique benefits. Most provide precise targeting, flexible ad creation, and conversion tracking for optimizing lead campaigns over time. Testing different options consistently will reveal the best channels and strategies for your unique business.

Conclusion

In summary, both PPC and social media ads can be highly effective for lead generation. With PPC ads, platforms like Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising allow you to target prospects during the research phase. For social media lead ads, you can target warmer audiences on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and beyond.

No matter the platform, the keys are tailored targeting, compelling creative, clear calls-to-action, and relentless testing. Optimize your ad strategy based on cost per lead, conversion rates, and ROI over time. Using the right ads will attract qualified prospects at scale, setting your lead gen efforts up for success.