Best Platforms for Lead Gen Ads
These days, ads have different purposes. While some are reaching out to people ready to buy, others are simply designed to generate exposure for brands. Today, we want to focus on lead generation. For any business to survive in the current market, they need to generate leads. Without leads, we have nobody to come to the business and nobody to buy our products and services.
In this guide, we’re going to break down everything you need to know regarding lead generation ads and the platforms currently dominating the market. As well as the obvious names, we also want to discuss two rising stars in this field: Quora and Reddit. To finish, we’ll talk about setting up the perfect campaign and tips to get started!
The Main Platforms for Lead Gen Ads
In this first section, we’ll introduce perhaps the most obvious channels for lead generation advertisements as well as their benefits and drawbacks.
1. LinkedIn
Firstly, it probably won’t surprise you to hear that LinkedIn is a brilliant channel for conversion. B2B marketer in particular visit LinkedIn for the content and with a work mindset, which allows businesses to make a great impression. With their ad platform, the ads go into sidebars or feeds and are incredibly effective. What’s more, LinkedIn also allows users to retarget.
Benefits
- Ability to use videos, images, and text
- Professional networking website
- Receptive audience
- Brilliant targeting options
Drawbacks
- Strong competition
- Not as much customization as Facebook
2. Google Ads
When people hear ‘lead generation,’ Google is often the first name that comes to mind. Why? Because the ads show when people are actively looking for something relating to a business’s niche. On Google, people are looking for answers to questions, and your brand name shows among these answers. Suddenly, you look like an authoritative source and a credible service in the industry.
Benefits
- Audience with intent
- Huge user base
- Customers are looking to fill a need
Drawbacks
- Competitive market
- Can be expensive
3. Facebook/Instagram
As the largest social media platform in the world, Facebook and their darling Instagram have the opportunity to reach out to a huge number of people. Especially for eCommerce businesses who aren’t bound to one location, leads can come from anywhere in the country (or even the world!).
With Facebook lead ads, users can tap twice and immediately sign up for offers. In fact, they can take action and start interacting with your brand without actually leaving Facebook, which is a fantastic advantage.
We added Instagram because both Instagram and Facebook are run by the same company and have very similar ad offerings for lead generation. Of course, Instagram is more of a visual platform, and is popular with a different demographic.
Benefits
- 1.5 billion daily active users for Facebook and 500 million for Instagram
- Huge, diverse market
- Extensive targeting and retargeting options
- Ability to build a similar audience to the one you have already
Drawbacks
- Different mindset to LinkedIn users (fun compared to work)
- Highly competitive
- Can be expensive
4. Twitter
Finally, we want to talk about Twitter since it’s another one of the world’s largest social media platforms. They may not be the choice for most marketers, but does that mean we should throw it away? Probably not. Their ad system has gone through a series of improvements over the years, and it’s possible to generate leads just as we’ve seen on other platforms.
Benefits
- Large reach
- Discovery ads to find people searching for topics relevant to the business
- Target by interest
Drawbacks
- Cost per lead and conversion are typically higher
- Reporting is lacking
- May need to sacrifice relevant leads for cost
The Growth of Quora and Reddit
When it comes to lead generation, Quora and Reddit are two increasingly relevant platforms. One of the best parts is that the secret is still fairly intact. While some marketers are overspending on the likes of Facebook and Google, others are generating leads with ease on Reddit and Quora.
Quora
If you haven’t used this platform previously, it’s advertised as ‘a place to gain and share knowledge’. Essentially, users will ask questions for other users to answer. Depending on the topic, some questions lead to full debates and interesting conversations. If you haven’t yet spotted the opportunity, you can create accounts and answer questions as a brand. With good answers and open discussions, you become an authority in your niche and people will soon trust your answers. Soon enough, a certain number of people will click through to your profile and visit your website. And just like that, you have yourself a lead.
No matter your niche, we believe there’s a community just waiting to be explored on Quora. There are several benefits to choosing this platform as part of a digital marketing campaign:
- Allows consumers to find and learn about your brand
- Can boost search rankings
- Offers a place to advertise your own content (as long as you don’t continually spam!)
- Provides an opportunity to become a thought leader
- Gives insights into the target market
Even after this, we also love that it helps brands with content ideas. If lots of people are asking the same questions about your product or industry, why not create an article or blog post to answer these questions?
In terms of ads, Quora also has a self-service ad platform. You can target people via their chosen device, interest, location, and more. Once you combine these two strategies, lead generation shouldn’t be a problem for some time with Quora.
Reddit is another platform that has two different purposes. Once again, it provides the chance to interact with people and answer questions. In the past, plenty of businesses have used Reddit to grow and have never looked back. Rather than shouting a message at prospective customers and hoping that a small percentage listen, you can engage and interact with them. You can even ask people for submissions and really learn what people want to know.
After this, many companies provide their customer service on Reddit because it’s easy to use and easy to communicate with others. Of course, companies can also create interlinking sub-Reddits and get people talking about products, services, and the industry as a whole.
As the second half of Reddit, we can advertise on their ad platform. For lead generation, Reddit is a brilliant tool and we can hone in on our target audience. With promoted posts, for example, it’s possible to pique the interest of those who may have a desire to buy our products.
Finding Success with Lead Gen Ads
Before letting you get back to your day, we want to offer some advice to those who are desperate for leads without really knowing how to create these types of ads. Here’s some tips!
Make Your Lead Ad Stand Out
You want the audience to take action, right? Then you need to make your ad stand out, considering your typical target market will see several ads every single day. It starts with showing your ad’s value; why should they share their information? From here, keep it as simple as possible without overwhelming them. Then, ensure that all content reflects your brand.
Set Up the Campaign Correctly
Regardless of which platform you use for lead gen ads, make sure you set the campaign up properly. While some platforms allow for automatic bidding, others will force you into manual bidding. Either way, work out your budget and ensure that you’re reaching out to the right audience. As we’ve said before, even the best ads can’t help your business if they’re being seen by the wrong eyes.
Use Exclusivity
Rather than being ‘just another company’, generate excitement through exclusivity and even scarcity. Make people want to provide their information; this could be through a one-time offer or through low stock.
Don’t Ask for Too Much Data
Often, a sticking point for those seeking leads is that they ask for too much information. When people see lots of blank fields, they’re more likely to back out. Instead, just ask for the email address. Later, once they’ve interacted with your brand, you can worry about getting more data.
Provide Something Valuable
We love this tip, because it asks for information in return for something valuable. In our experience, it’s always better to offer something for free than to ask for information before you’ve even shown your value. This could be as simple as a blog post or eBook.
Use Lead Generation Tools
Don’t forget, you aren’t alone when it comes to lead generation. These days, there are some amazing tools: OptinMonster, AWeber, AeroLeads, Datanyze, Lead Forensics, and more.
Don’t Rely on Ads
While lead gen ads certainly work in a digital marketing strategy, we would never recommend relying on them alone. There are plenty of lead generation strategies including:
- Blogging
- Email marketing
- Networking
- Social media posting
- Success stories
- Special offers
Bonus! Marketing Tools for Marketers:
2. Bilbi AI: Daily Marketing Campaign Insights
