According to HubSpot’s research, generating traffic and leads is the No. 1 challenge that marketers face today. Lead generation continues to be the primary KPI many marketing units are judged by, but it is only becoming more difficult as competition grows and attention shares shrink.
Lead Gen Forms on LinkedIn are among our most popular ad products, because of the way they directly support this crucial directive. By integrating the feature with your LinkedIn campaigns, you can collect valuable, accurate professional lead data. Providing maximum convenience on both ends, Lead Gen Forms are a powerful marketing tool, as they drive often up to 5x higher conversion rates than landing pages.
What Are Lead Gen Forms on LinkedIn?
Like any other lead generation form, the LinkedIn version captures pertinent lead data from an individual, in exchange for a valued asset or experience. The key differentiator is that fields in Lead Gen Forms are automatically based on a member’s profile data. This saves the prospect time and effort, especially on mobile where typing text into several tiny fields can be tedious and frustrating.
Lead Gen Forms can be integrated into several LinkedIn ad products, including single image ads, carousel ads, video ads, and messaging ads. Making them distinctly appealing to your target audience, and can range from eBooks to product demos, webinar registrations, program info, and much more.
Here are our top tips for getting the most out of LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms.
Develop a Strong Offer – You want your ad copy to quickly convey the value of what a member stands to receive, and why they don’t want to miss out. By hooking your audience with a clear yet concise question (120 characters or fewer), and taking advantage of real estate; first, a user sees your ad, then clicks into the Lead Gen Form where additional context is provided, so you want to create a cohesive experience.
Use Bold Images, Videos, and Messages – This is the best practice for LinkedIn ads, but it’s especially key for compelling Lead Gen Form completions. In general, we advise:
- Showing an image of the product, service, or asset someone is signing up for
- Including sharp, poppy colors that stand out on a member’s feed
- Tailoring the message and creative to your specific audience
- Making your video, image, or messaging ads distinctive and unique
Keep the Number of Questions Short – Keep the forms short. Forms with five or fewer questions see the highest completion rates.
Make Your Custom Question Easy to Answer – Lead-qualifying information beyond what is listed in a member’s profile can be necessary. You have this ability through Lead Gen Forms, but be cautious. The addition of even one free-response custom question can see a 3-4% drop in submission rate. Whenever possible, consider using dropdown options for custom fields rather than write-ins.
Follow Up with Leads in a Timely Manner – If someone signs up to receive a piece of content, make sure to include a direct link on the confirmation page. You want to provide an immediate payoff when someone fills out a form, and keep the momentum moving.
Keep Your Lead Gen Forms Fresh – Advertisers see only 10% of forms receive leads after the first ~10 weeks. Rotating in fresh creative and copy (and even offers) will help keep your Lead Gen Forms producing steadily without going stale.
Optimise Your Target Audience Using Demographic Data – Using campaign demographics, you can gain insight into which specific segments of your audience are engaging with and completing Lead Gen Forms.
Optimise Your Page So Members Can Learn More About Your Brand – When engaging with a Lead Gen Form, a member can easily click on your organization’s name to learn more on your LinkedIn Page. Make sure you’re providing a clear, consistent, and comprehensive overview of your brand in this space. Pages with at least 150 followers and 30 mapped employees are perceived as more credible.
Need help getting started?
Ready to get started building your pipeline with Lead Gen Forms on LinkedIn? Request a free LinkedIn Lead Generation consultation with one of our marketing experts today and see your business take the steps to the next level.
