Social media platforms are one of the best and most efficient ways to get leads when it comes to digital marketing. Even among the popular social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram are two platforms that have proven to be most efficient to collect leads. Many digital marketers from different sectors, around the world, use them extensively. So let us tell you about how to generate leads with Facebook, Instagram?

So what are leads on Facebook, Instagram?

In basic terms, Facebook leads are those people or users who click on your campaign, ads, and content and reach your landing page. Similarly, the information collected from Instagram is categorized as Instagram leads.

Facebook allows companies to approach its users through its Ads Manager or Business Manager on both platforms. Through the ‘Lead Generation’ campaign option you can create campaigns, track the engagements, get the exact numbers, and based on it change the course of your campaigns for better, more economic results.

Learning how to create a campaign on Facebook, Instagram is not that difficult. It is just a few steps, anyone can learn it. Before getting into creating campaigns, you need to create your account and sign up in Ads Manager or Business Manager. You can manage both Instagram and Facebook accounts from one platform. 

How to create a lead generation campaign on Facebook, Instagram

In order to generate leads with Facebook, the first thing you have to do is create a new campaign. Since your objective is to generate leads, you have to create the campaign under ‘Lead Generation’ with a proper, unique name. While creating the campaign, select your page of choice and continue. You will see a Terms and Conditions list, read through it, and click ‘Agree’.

Next, you have to choose your target audience, that’s where your leads will come from obviously. With that, also choose, where you want to place your ad, decide on a budget for the campaign, and schedule it to release at your desired time of the day.

Going deeper, the next step is to select the content or medium of your ad. What you use in your ad will make a difference in your results. You can choose between an image, a video, a slideshow or a gif.

Along with it, add a proper headline (something that reflects your ad or compels audiences to react), a body (brief description about the ad), and finally add a ‘Call to Action’ button so you can take the engagement further. 

For the ‘Lead Generation’ campaign, it is necessary to have a ‘Call to Action’ button. Hence, it is also necessary to decide or create a form (registration or sign-up) or a landing page (official website) where you want your audience to engage further. 

We are also almost there, now click the ‘Settings’ tab and choose if you want to generate the leads organically or not. Here, if you want you can also change the language of your form. 

Take a final look at your ad, if you are happy with what it looks like, and now click ‘Confirm’ and wait for the numbers to churn.

{Note: As you go by filling up the sections, on your right you will see a preview of your campaign, so at any point, you can change words and information to craft it as you want.}

Tips on crafting your ads

The content of your ad is very, very crucial, it cannot be stressed enough. So, it is a good idea to research first and use that information. But how you relay your message also is crucial and the cause for your ad. 

• Ads that get more click-through rates

To get clicks from the audience you have to make them act upon your ad. It is more likely for people to click on ads when you use pictures of people or babies as they will relate easily. It can also be something unusual, or something funny like memes.

Another reason they will click on your ad is to get something from it. So, using schemes where you give audience offers, gifts, (cash) prize or discounts and free stuff. 

Tip: Keep it as short and simple as possible. People don’t have time to read a 400-word paragraph. So, keep it short and to-the-point.

• Maintain good ad practice:

It is natural to use colors, obviously, no one will click on dull ads. But on Facebook, avoid using blue and white colors heavily. The reason is if you use them heavily, your ads will blend on the audience’s feeds and it will go unrecognized since it’s their company colors. Whereas for Instagram, use attractive photos and videos, so that it is easier to catch their attention; where people stop and engage.

Also, on Facebook and Instagram, avoid using negative words or phrases in your ads. This can get your ads banned or flagged on these platforms.

• Target the right audience

Certain categories of audiences that are more generic in nature will be available and you can choose among them. If your campaign is new, it is a good idea to target audiences from broad categories, yet close to the ones you want to target. 

You can also choose to do a split test. Create two similar-looking ads for the same campaign or set of information with custom targets. You can choose to have different ads for your Facebook ad and landing page. It makes a strategy that actually works for you, under which campaign or format, your audience responds the most to 

After a certain period, a minimum of two weeks, you will see a pattern. It is easier to determine the success of an ad then. See which of the two campaigns is effective and move forward according to it in your next campaign. 

In this next campaign, choose to target the type of audience that responded the most previously. Such audiences are termed ‘Look Alike’ audience. They give you a better Return On Investment (ROI) with low Cost-per-Click or Cost-per-Impression charges.

• Optimizing pays off

Optimizing your ad can be in terms of your content, language, medium, choosing audiences, time, or money. It can leverage your business more to generate leads with Facebook. Having a blog with rich content helps your audience to search or learn more about you organically. It naturally gives you the edge over your competitors.

Also, the majority of your audience will be mobile-users, so you have to keep that in mind and optimize your content based on that. Since it is more likely that people react more to photos and videos, the dimensions, the use of photos and videos, forms, etc. also need to be optimized. Another good idea to engage is to host live streams, where you can announce or relay information, do a Q&A, or go live during your events.

Since the goal is to engage with audiences and get information, you should optimize your ad that promotes conversations or engagements. You need to be as responsive to messages and comments, at the same time, be cordial and true to your campaign and its message.

Digital Marketing through social media, and especially through Facebook and Instagram are cheaper. It more effective, but at the same time challenging. Learning marketing strategies is easy, it is mostly technical. But, what your attitude and patience you show during the campaign will make a difference. Also, it will help you more to generate leads with Facebook.