Planning to run Facebook Lead Ads to generate leads for your business? Great choice!
Facebook can be an excellent platform to generate leads effectively and efficiently. However, as there are similar platforms where you can run lead generation ads, you may want to know why you should choose to run lead ads on Facebook?
Well, if the question is what is one of the major benefits of Facebook Lead Ads, the common answer would be that you’ll be able to generate a good number of high-quality leads for your business given its huge user base (that is, if you target the right audiences there). Also, running lead ads on Facebook is easy and efficient. With this, we’re just scratching the surface here. Facebook Lead Ads comes with many benefits.
In this article, we’ll discuss major benefits of Facebook Lead Ads and its advantages over other platforms so you can make an informed decision while running your next lead generation campaign.
What is Facebook Lead Ads?
Facebook Lead Ads is an advertising tool specifically designed to generate leads on Facebook. Using these ads, you can collect the information of your target customers within Facebook – without the user needing to leave the platform. Here’s a how Facebook Lead Ads work:
A user first comes across your Lead Ad in their News Feed by seeing a call-to-action (CTA) button, such as “Sign Up” or “Learn More.” If they are interested, they’ll click the button. A form pops up, with the fields already pre-filled with the user’s Facebook information (such as name, email address, etc.). Once the user completes and submits the form, you’ll get a new lead.
Some features of Facebook Lead Ads include:
- Customisable Forms: Advertisers can customise the lead form to collect different types of information from users, such as phone numbers, postal addresses, special preferences, and more. through different question formats, like multiple choice, dropdown, or short answer.
- CRM integration: Facebook Lead Ads can be integrated with many CRMs, allowing the leads to be automatically imported into your database and helping you streamline the follow-up process.
- Mobile-friendly ads: Facebook Lead Ads are optimised for mobile devices, allowing visitors from all devices great user-friendly options.
What are the major benefits of Facebook Lead Ads?
Facebook Lead Ads offer an effective way for businesses to generate leads. Below is a list of some of the major benefits of Facebook Lead Ads. Understanding them all can help you know what is one of the major benefits of Facebook Lead Ads that you can specifically resonate with your business:
In-platform lead generation: Users don’t need to leave Facebook to fill out and submit the lead form, which reduces the friction that often comes with being redirected to an external website. This can lead to higher completion rates.
Privacy protection: Facebook provides clear information to users about how their data will be used by advertisers, thereby increasing trust and transparency in the process.
Quality lead generation: Since users have to actively engage with the ad and provide their details, there’s a good chance they are genuinely interested in the product or service. The optional “context card” can further qualify leads by providing them additional information before they fill out the form.
Cost-effective: In many cases, the cost per lead (CPL) with Facebook Lead Ads can be lower compared to other forms of advertising, particularly if the campaign is well-targeted.
Lookalike audience and retargeting: The leads generated from the platform can be used to create lookalike audiences for future campaigns. This allows businesses to target new potential customers with similar profiles. Additionally, businesses can retarget those who engaged with the lead ad previously but did not complete the form.
Easy lead processing: It’s pretty straightforward to access and manage leads generated from Facebook Lead Ads. Also, Lead Ads easily integrate with a variety of CRMs, automating and streamlining the process of recording and managing high-volume leads.
Analytics: Facebook provides detailed analytics on the performance of Lead Ads, helping advertisers understand their audience, refine their approach, and optimise for better results in the future.
Facebook Lead Ads may not be the ideal choice if any of these applies to you…
While Facebook Lead Ads can be a great choice to generate leads for a variety of businesses, there are certain situations and sectors where they might not be the most suitable choice. Here are some scenarios where Facebook Lead Ads might not be the ideal solution:
Highly-regulated industries: Businesses in sectors with strict data protection and privacy regulations, like healthcare or finance, may find it challenging to ensure that Facebook Lead Ads comply with all necessary guidelines. There’s a risk of breaching rules related to the collection and storage of sensitive customer information.
Industries with low Facebook or general social media engagement: If a business’s target audience isn’t active on Facebook or doesn’t typically engage with online ads, then Lead Ads might not be the most effective method for lead generation.
Complex sales processes: Businesses that have intricate products or services requiring extensive explanations, demonstrations, or consultations might find that Lead Ads don’t capture enough detailed interest or the right kind of leads.
Businesses prioritising website traffic: For businesses whose primary goal is to increase website visits , other forms of ads that redirect users to the website might be a better fit. Such businesses may have eCommerce features, detailed content, or specific user experiences designed on-site.
Limited follow-up capabilities: Businesses that lack the resources to quickly and effectively follow up on the leads they gather might waste potential opportunities. A swift follow-up is crucial to convert Facebook leads. However, this might not be a major issue as there are many tools that can help businesses easily streamline their lead follow-up and sales process.
Highly technical products or services: Businesses selling highly technical or niche products might find platforms tailored to professionals, such as LinkedIn, more effective for lead generation.
Predominantly younger target audience: Even though Facebook can effectively target customers from any demographic, businesses that target much younger audiences might find other platforms that are popular among younger generations (such as TikTok) more effective to generate leads.
Benefits of Facebook Lead Ads over other platforms
Facebook has a huge user base encompassing a diverse demographic spectrum. It allows advertisers to reach nearly any segment of the population. Also, its advanced targeting capabilities offer a wealth of user data to help advertisers show ads to people who are most likely to become their customers. Let’s compare Facebook Lead Ads with other popular Lead generation platforms.
Facebook Lead Ads vs LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads
Facebook has a much larger user base compared to LinkedIn. Therefore, advertisers are likely to have access to a broader and more diverse audience through Facebook Lead Ads. Furthermore, Facebook caters to both B2B and B2C audiences while LinkedIn is primarily a B2B platform.
Average Cost per Lead (CPL) and Cost per Click (CPC) tends to be lower on Facebook, especially while targeting B2C customers. This means Facebook Lead Ads can be more cost-effective than LinkedIn Lead Generation Ads. Also, the less formal nature of Facebook can sometimes make it easier for brands to create a relaxed and relatable connection with their leads.
Here’s a comparison table of Facebook Lead Ads vs LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads:
| Platform Features | Facebook Lead Ads | LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads |
| Ad Creation | User-friendly interface with various formats, such as video, carousel, image. Can be set up and published quickly with Facebook Ads manager. | Multiple formats available, such as image, carousel, and video. Easy to set up through LinkedIn Campaign Manager. |
| Targeting Options | Targeting based on demographics, interests, behaviours, location, and more. Also offers custom and lookalike audiences. | Professional targeting based on job titles, company size, industry, skills, and more. Ideal for B2B targeting and retargeting. |
| Ad Pricing | Flexible budget options, typically with lower CPL and CPC. Ideal for both small businesses and large enterprises. | Higher CPC and CPL in general. Might offer better value for niche B2B targeting. |
| Lead Forms | Customisable forms with diverse options and pre-filled with user’s Facebook information. | Customisable forms pre-filled with user’s Linked profile data that may contain detailed professional information. |
| Lead Access | Leads can be downloaded manually from Ads Manager or Meta Business Centre. Real-time access requires third-party tools integration. | Leads can be downloaded from Campaign Manager. New leads are notified via email. |
| CRM Integrations | Integrates with many CRMs through Facebook API and connector tools like Zapier or Leadsbridge. | Offers direct integration with many major CRM, and also supports connector tools integration for expanded CRM capability. |
Facebook Lead Ads vs Google Ads Lead Form Extension
Most Facebook users engage with content from their friends, family, and brands. They are often in a browsing mood. This allows for a more organic discovery of Lead Ads within the platform. Also, the interactive nature of Facebook Lead Ads can help you have more meaningful interactions with leads, compared to search-driven Google Ads.
Another benefit of Facebook Lead Ads is social proof. These ads can gather likes, comments, and shares which can act like social proof, increasing trust and engagement.
Here’s a comparison table between Facebook Lead Ads and Google Ads Lead Form Extension:
| Platform Features | Facebook Lead Ads | Google Ads Lead Form Extension |
| Ad Creation | User-friendly interface with a variety of options. Can be easily set up on Facebook Ads Manager. | Text-based ads with limited character count. Primarily focused on search intent of users. |
| Targeting Options | Extensive targeting based on demographics, interests, behaviours, location, and more. Offers custom and lookalike audiences. | Targeting primarily based on keywords and user search intent. Also offers demographic and location-based targeting. |
| Ad Pricing | Flexible budgeting options available with potential for lower CPL in certain scenarios. | Pricing varies based on industry and keyword competition. CPL can be higher for competitive sectors. |
| Lead Forms | Customisable forms with diverse options, pre-filled with user’s Facebook information. | Simple forms that may be pre-filled with Google account information. Fields much limited compared to Facebook Lead Ads. |
| Lead Access | Leads can be downloaded manually from Ads Manager or Meta Business Centre. Real-time access requires third-party tools integration. | Leads can be accessed on Google Ads Interface. Real-time access requires third party tool integration. |
| CRM Integrations | Integrates with many CRMs through Facebook API and connector tools like Zapier or Leadsbridge. | Integration options with CRMs through Webhooks and third-party connector tools like Zapier and Leadsbridge. |
Facebook Lead Ads vs TikTok Lead Generation Ads
Facebook Lead Ads offers a more established ad ecosystem, with more tested and refined tools for advertisers compared to TikTok Lead Generation Ads. This is simply because Facebook has been around for much longer. Also, since Facebook caters to a wider age range of audience, Lead Ads offers a broader reach for diverse target groups while TikTok Lead Generations Ads mostly target a younger demographic.
Here’s a comparison table between Facebook Lead Ads and TikTok Lead Generation Ads.
| Platform Features | Facebook Lead Ads | TikTok Lead Generation Ads |
| Ad Creation | Established platform with a range of ad formats like carousel, video, and image. Can be easily set up through Facebook Ads Manager. | Comparatively a newer platform primarily focused on short video ads. Can be set up quickly via TikTok Ads Manager. |
| Targeting Options | In-depth targeting based on demographics, behaviours, interests, and more. Lookalike and custom audiences features can be excellent for retargeting. | Targeting primarily based on user engagement, interests, device and demographics. |
| Ad Pricing | Generally cost effective with potential for lower CPL in certain scenarios. | Competitive pricing. Costs might vary based on industry. |
| Lead Forms | Forms pre-filled with user’s Facebook information. Customisable fields to capture diverse information. | Pre-filled form based on TikTok user’s profile. Customisation might be limited compared to Facebook. |
| Lead Access | Leads can be downloaded manually from Ads Manager or Meta Business Centre. Real-time access requires third-party tools integration. | Leads can be accessed via TikTok Ads manager. Requires third party tools for real time access. |
| CRM Integrations | Integrates with many CRMs through Facebook API and connector tools like Zapier or Leadsbridge. | Growing number of integrations, but might not be as extensive as Facebook’s as the platform is relatively new. |
Conclusion
Facebook is an established platform that offers great tools for advertisers to successfully promote their products and services. This makes Facebook Lead Ads one of the most effective methods to generate leads for your business. However, keep in mind that choosing the right platform depends on what you want to achieve and who your target customers are. For instance, LinkedIn Lead Gen Ads may have a competitive edge for professional targeting, whereas Google Ads Lead Form Extension may work better in terms of keyword targeting. Similarly, you may want to choose TikTok Lead Generation Ads to target gen Zs.
